Footwear and Leather Goods Repair Revenue Benchmarks
The average footwear and leather goods repair business in the United States generates $192K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 680 footwear and leather goods repair businesses in the U.S., employing 1,548 workers with an average profit margin of 8.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $39K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Footwear and Leather Goods Repair Business Actually Do?
Cobbler shops repairing shoes, resoling, and repairing leather goods. Declining category as shoes become disposable.
Who buys: Consumers with quality shoes/leather worth repairing.
Average Revenue
$192K
per year
Profit Margin
8.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$84K
per year
Total Businesses
680
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$15K
small business avg
Labor Cost
38.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$39K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Footwear and Leather Goods Repair Charge?
Shoe and leather repair shops price per service.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Sole/heel replacement | $25–75 |
Full resole (dress shoe) | $75–200 |
Handbag repair | $30–200 |
Leather jacket zipper replacement | $50–150 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete footwear and leather goods repair business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a footwear and leather goods repair 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 footwear and leather goods repair 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Supplies & materials | $16 | $31K | Direct consumables — parts for repair shops, chemicals for laundries, etc. |
Wages & benefits | $38 | $73K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $11 | $21K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $5 | $10K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $22 | $42K | Insurance, licensing, tools, uniforms, small equipment. |
Net profit | $8 | $15K | 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
13.57%
openings/year
Closure Rate
11.18%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+5.8%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,861
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Footwear and Leather Goods Repair Business?
Startup Cost
$30K – $150K
Break-Even
70 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a footwear and leather goods repair business do?
- Cobbler shops repairing shoes, resoling, and repairing leather goods. Declining category as shoes become disposable. Consumers with quality shoes/leather worth repairing.
- How much do footwear and leather goods repair charge?
- Shoe and leather repair shops price per service. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average footwear and leather goods repair make per year?
- The average footwear and leather goods repair business generates $192K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $15K per year at a 8.0% profit margin.
- How many footwear and leather goods repair businesses are there in the US?
- There are 680 footwear and leather goods repair businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 1,548 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a footwear and leather goods repair business?
- Startup costs for a footwear and leather goods repair business typically range from $30K to $150K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the footwear and leather goods repair industry?
- The average employee in the footwear and leather goods repair industry earns $39K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The footwear and leather goods repair industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 5.8% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (13.6% entry vs 11.2% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 55% of footwear and leather goods repair businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 1,861 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the footwear and leather goods repair industry earns $39,476/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 728 establishments employing 1,878 people, the typical business has about 3 employees. Most businesses in this industry are small operations — often owner-operated with minimal staff.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The footwear and leather goods repair industry has declined 20% since 2000 (from 23,666 to 19,006 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Footwear and Leather Goods Repair revenue with other industries: