Media Buying Agencies Revenue Benchmarks
The average media buying agencies business in the United States generates $6.3M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 687 media buying agencies businesses in the U.S., employing 19,208 workers with an average profit margin of 22.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $126K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Media Buying Agencies Business Actually Do?
Agencies specializing in buying advertising media — TV, digital, print, out-of-home — on behalf of clients.
Who buys: Brands, advertising agencies (outsourced media buying), corporate marketers.
Average Revenue
$6.3M
per year
Profit Margin
22.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$225K
per year
Total Businesses
687
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$1.4M
small business avg
Labor Cost
50.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$126K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Media Buying Agencies Charge?
Agencies that plan and buy advertising media — TV, digital, print, out-of-home — earning commission on spend.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Media buying commission (traditional) | 10–15% of ad spend |
Programmatic / digital media | 8–20% of spend |
Retainer + performance fee | $5,000–100,000/month + bonus |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete media buying agencies business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a media buying agencies 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 media buying agencies 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 | $264K | Software licenses, subscriptions, printing, filing fees, travel billed to clients. |
Wages & benefits | $50 | $3.1M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $352K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $264K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $14 | $880K | Professional liability insurance, continuing education, tech, admin support. |
Net profit | $22 | $1.4M | 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
11.48%
openings/year
Closure Rate
11.25%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-1.27%
annual
Businesses Closed
3,038
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Media Buying Agencies Business?
Startup Cost
$10K – $75K
Break-Even
0 months
5-Year Survival Rate
60.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a media buying agencies business do?
- Agencies specializing in buying advertising media — TV, digital, print, out-of-home — on behalf of clients. Brands, advertising agencies (outsourced media buying), corporate marketers.
- How much do media buying agencies charge?
- Agencies that plan and buy advertising media — TV, digital, print, out-of-home — earning commission on spend. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average media buying agencies make per year?
- The average media buying agencies business generates $6.3M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $1.4M per year at a 22.0% profit margin.
- How many media buying agencies businesses are there in the US?
- There are 687 media buying agencies businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 19,208 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a media buying agencies business?
- Startup costs for a media buying agencies business typically range from $10K to $75K, with a 5-year survival rate of 60.0%.
- What is the average salary in the media buying agencies industry?
- The average employee in the media buying agencies industry earns $126K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The media buying agencies industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -1.3%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 11.5% and 11.2% respectively.
Approximately 55% of media buying agencies businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 3,038 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the media buying agencies industry earns $126,345/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 1,572 establishments employing 17,723 people, the typical business has about 11 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The media buying agencies industry has declined 9% since 2000 (from 32,009 to 29,104 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Media Buying Agencies revenue with other industries: