Materials Recovery Facilities Revenue Benchmarks
The average materials recovery facilities business in the United States generates $2.2M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 1,001 materials recovery facilities businesses in the U.S., employing 21,542 workers with an average profit margin of 8.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $65K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Materials Recovery Facilities Business Actually Do?
MRFs processing recyclable materials — separating cardboard, plastics, metals, glass — and selling to end markets.
Who buys: Municipalities, commercial waste haulers, direct commodity buyers.
Average Revenue
$2.2M
per year
Profit Margin
8.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$103K
per year
Total Businesses
1,001
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$178K
small business avg
Labor Cost
55.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$65K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.3
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Materials Recovery Facilities Charge?
MRFs (recycling processors) earn on commodity resale of processed recyclables plus tipping fees.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Tipping fee (per ton mixed) | $50–120/ton |
Baled cardboard (OCC) market | $100–200/ton |
Aluminum cans market | $1,000–2,000/ton |
PET bottles market | $200–600/ton |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete materials recovery facilities business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a materials recovery facilities 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 materials recovery facilities 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Direct service costs | $7 | $164K | Cleaning supplies, uniforms, equipment consumables — depends on service type. |
Wages & benefits | $55 | $1.2M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $123K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $82K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $20 | $452K | Insurance, background checks, training, transportation, admin. |
Net profit | $8 | $178K | 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
10.9%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.85%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+3.15%
annual
Businesses Closed
833
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Materials Recovery Facilities Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
10 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a materials recovery facilities business do?
- MRFs processing recyclable materials — separating cardboard, plastics, metals, glass — and selling to end markets. Municipalities, commercial waste haulers, direct commodity buyers.
- How much do materials recovery facilities charge?
- MRFs (recycling processors) earn on commodity resale of processed recyclables plus tipping fees. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average materials recovery facilities make per year?
- The average materials recovery facilities business generates $2.2M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $178K per year at a 8.0% profit margin.
- How many materials recovery facilities businesses are there in the US?
- There are 1,001 materials recovery facilities businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 21,542 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a materials recovery facilities business?
- Startup costs for a materials recovery facilities business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the materials recovery facilities industry?
- The average employee in the materials recovery facilities industry earns $65K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The materials recovery facilities industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 3.2% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (10.9% entry vs 8.8% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 63% of materials recovery facilities businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 833 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the materials recovery facilities industry earns $64,901/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 1,700 establishments employing 25,046 people, the typical business has about 15 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The materials recovery facilities industry has grown 88% since 2000 (from 5,282 to 9,946 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Materials Recovery Facilities revenue with other industries: