Fuel Dealers Revenue Benchmarks
The average fuel dealers business in the United States generates $6.8M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 4,175 fuel dealers businesses in the U.S., employing 72,170 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Fuel Dealers Business Actually Do?
Home heating oil and propane dealers delivering to residential and commercial customers.
Who buys: Rural homeowners (oil heat), propane customers, commercial accounts.
Average Revenue
$6.8M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$393K
per year
Total Businesses
4,175
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$272K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.3
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Fuel Dealers Charge?
Home heating oil / propane dealers earn margins per gallon delivered plus service contracts.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Heating oil delivery margin | $0.30–0.90 per gallon |
Propane delivery margin | $0.60–1.50 per gallon |
Annual service contract | $200–500/year |
Tank installation | $500–2,500 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete fuel dealers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a fuel dealers 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 fuel dealers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $4.2M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $950K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $557K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $278K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $557K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $272K | 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
10.54%
openings/year
Closure Rate
10.65%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+1.38%
annual
Businesses Closed
2,477
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Fuel Dealers Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
10 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a fuel dealers business do?
- Home heating oil and propane dealers delivering to residential and commercial customers. Rural homeowners (oil heat), propane customers, commercial accounts.
- How much do fuel dealers charge?
- Home heating oil / propane dealers earn margins per gallon delivered plus service contracts. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average fuel dealers make per year?
- The average fuel dealers business generates $6.8M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $272K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many fuel dealers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 4,175 fuel dealers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 72,170 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a fuel dealers business?
- Startup costs for a fuel dealers business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The fuel dealers industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 1.4%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 10.5% and 10.7% respectively.
Approximately 57% of fuel dealers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 2,477 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The fuel dealers industry has grown 8% since 2000 (from 19,374 to 20,860 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Fuel Dealers revenue with other industries: