Drilling Oil and Gas Wells Revenue Benchmarks
The average drilling oil and gas wells business in the United States generates $19.8M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 1,472 drilling oil and gas wells businesses in the U.S., employing 46,027 workers with an average profit margin of 15.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $117K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Drilling Oil and Gas Wells Business Actually Do?
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells: Businesses that extract minerals, oil, natural gas, or aggregate from the earth.
Who buys: Refineries, manufacturers, utilities, construction contractors.
Sector-level description — a more specific write-up is available for high-traffic industries.
Average Revenue
$19.8M
per year
Profit Margin
15.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$634K
per year
Total Businesses
1,472
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$3.0M
small business avg
Labor Cost
15.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$117K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.4
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Drilling Oil and Gas Wells Charge?
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells: Extractive industries sell at commodity spot prices set by global markets. The specifics vary within the drilling oil and gas wells category — the ranges below are typical for the sector.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Crude oil (per bbl) | commodity market ($60–90 typical) |
Natural gas (per MMBtu) | commodity market ($2–6 typical) |
Aggregate/stone (per ton) | $8–25/ton delivered |
Sector-typical ranges — individual services within this industry may fall higher or lower.
Complete drilling oil and gas wells business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a drilling oil and gas wells business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the drilling oil and gas wells industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Extraction costs | $31 | $6.2M | Explosives, drilling fluids, chemicals, mining supplies. |
Wages & benefits | $15 | $3.0M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $7 | $1.4M | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $2 | $416K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $29 | $5.8M | Depreciation on huge equipment, environmental compliance, insurance. |
Net profit | $15 | $3.0M | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
11.16%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.66%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+17.55%
annual
Businesses Closed
688
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Drilling Oil and Gas Wells Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
1 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a drilling oil and gas wells business do?
- Drilling Oil and Gas Wells: Businesses that extract minerals, oil, natural gas, or aggregate from the earth. Refineries, manufacturers, utilities, construction contractors.
- How much do drilling oil and gas wells charge?
- Drilling Oil and Gas Wells: Extractive industries sell at commodity spot prices set by global markets. The specifics vary within the drilling oil and gas wells category — the ranges below are typical for the sector. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average drilling oil and gas wells make per year?
- The average drilling oil and gas wells business generates $19.8M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $3.0M per year at a 15.0% profit margin.
- How many drilling oil and gas wells businesses are there in the US?
- There are 1,472 drilling oil and gas wells businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 46,027 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a drilling oil and gas wells business?
- Startup costs for a drilling oil and gas wells business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the drilling oil and gas wells industry?
- The average employee in the drilling oil and gas wells industry earns $117K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The drilling oil and gas wells industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 17.5% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (11.2% entry vs 8.7% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 64% of drilling oil and gas wells businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 688 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the drilling oil and gas wells industry earns $117,039/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 2,101 establishments employing 47,742 people, the typical business has about 23 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The drilling oil and gas wells industry has grown 34% since 2000 (from 6,497 to 8,708 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Drilling Oil and Gas Wells revenue with other industries: