Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors Revenue Benchmarks
The average electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors business in the United States generates $2.7M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 77,550 electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors businesses in the U.S., employing 909,447 workers with an average profit margin of 7.0%.
What Does a Electrical and Other Wiring Installation Business Actually Do?
Businesses that install, repair, and upgrade electrical systems in homes and commercial buildings — wiring, outlets, panels, lighting, and specialty systems like generators, EV chargers, and smart home wiring.
Who buys: Homeowners, general contractors on new construction, commercial building owners, and remodeling clients.
Average Revenue
$2.7M
per year
Profit Margin
7.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$230K
per year
Total Businesses
77,550
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$189K
small business avg
Labor Cost
30.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
23.4
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors Charge?
Electricians bill hourly with a diagnostic fee, or per-fixture for installs.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Service call / diagnostic | $80–150 flat |
Hourly labor | $70–150/hour |
Emergency call | $150–350/hour |
Outlet install | $150–350 per outlet |
Panel upgrade (200-amp) | $1,800–3,500 |
Whole-home rewire | $8,000–30,000+ |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete electrical and other wiring installation business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors 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 electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Materials & subcontractors | $38 | $1.0M | Lumber, concrete, fixtures, subcontracted trades — the physical scope of the job. |
Wages & benefits | $30 | $809K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $5 | $136K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $85K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $17 | $459K | Equipment rentals, insurance (very high in construction), permits, vehicles, fuel. |
Net profit | $7 | $189K | 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
10.5%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.39%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+4.08%
annual
Businesses Closed
12,921
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Electrical and Other Wiring Installation Business?
Startup Cost
$15K – $75K
Break-Even
3 months
5-Year Survival Rate
58.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors business do?
- Businesses that install, repair, and upgrade electrical systems in homes and commercial buildings — wiring, outlets, panels, lighting, and specialty systems like generators, EV chargers, and smart home wiring. Homeowners, general contractors on new construction, commercial building owners, and remodeling clients.
- How much do electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors charge?
- Electricians bill hourly with a diagnostic fee, or per-fixture for installs. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors make per year?
- The average electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors business generates $2.7M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $189K per year at a 7.0% profit margin.
- How many electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors businesses are there in the US?
- There are 77,550 electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 909,447 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors business?
- Startup costs for a electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors business typically range from $15K to $75K, with a 5-year survival rate of 58.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 4.1% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (10.5% entry vs 8.4% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 65% of electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 12,921 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors industry has grown 24% since 2000 (from 143,261 to 177,201 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors revenue with other industries: