Engineering Services Revenue Benchmarks
The average engineering services business in the United States generates $5.0M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 45,947 engineering services businesses in the U.S., employing 1,146,300 workers with an average profit margin of 22.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $117K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Engineering Business Actually Do?
Firms providing licensed engineering across disciplines — civil (site design, transportation), structural (buildings, bridges), mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP), environmental, and specialty geo/traffic engineering.
Who buys: Developers, general contractors, municipalities, corporations building or expanding facilities.
Average Revenue
$5.0M
per year
Profit Margin
22.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$202K
per year
Total Businesses
45,947
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$1.1M
small business avg
Labor Cost
50.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$117K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
13.9
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Engineering Services Charge?
Engineering firms bill hourly with project premiums for specialized disciplines.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Junior engineer | $100–175/hour |
Senior engineer / PE | $175–350/hour |
Structural engineering (residential inspection) | $400–1,500 |
Civil site plan (residential) | $1,500–8,000 |
Full commercial project fee | 3–8% of construction cost |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete engineering business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a engineering services 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 engineering services 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Client-related expenses | $4 | $212K | Software licenses, subscriptions, printing, filing fees, travel billed to clients. |
Wages & benefits | $50 | $2.5M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $282K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $212K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $14 | $706K | Professional liability insurance, continuing education, tech, admin support. |
Net profit | $22 | $1.1M | 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
9.05%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.48%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+4.14%
annual
Businesses Closed
6,584
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Engineering Business?
Startup Cost
$10K – $75K
Break-Even
0 months
5-Year Survival Rate
60.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a engineering services business do?
- Firms providing licensed engineering across disciplines — civil (site design, transportation), structural (buildings, bridges), mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP), environmental, and specialty geo/traffic engineering. Developers, general contractors, municipalities, corporations building or expanding facilities.
- How much do engineering services charge?
- Engineering firms bill hourly with project premiums for specialized disciplines. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average engineering services make per year?
- The average engineering services business generates $5.0M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $1.1M per year at a 22.0% profit margin.
- How many engineering services businesses are there in the US?
- There are 45,947 engineering services businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 1,146,300 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a engineering services business?
- Startup costs for a engineering services business typically range from $10K to $75K, with a 5-year survival rate of 60.0%.
- What is the average salary in the engineering services industry?
- The average employee in the engineering services industry earns $117K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The engineering services industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 4.1% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (9.1% entry vs 8.5% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 64% of engineering services businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 6,584 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the engineering services industry earns $117,110/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 95,641 establishments employing 1,135,084 people, the typical business has about 12 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The engineering services industry has grown 0% since 2000 (from 82,400 to 82,804 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Engineering Services revenue with other industries: