Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) Revenue Benchmarks
The average motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) business in the United States generates $1.8M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 1,746 motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) businesses in the U.S., employing 59,216 workers with an average profit margin of 18.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $20K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Motion Picture Theaters Business Actually Do?
Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins): Businesses that create, distribute, or provide access to information — software, media, telecom, and data services.
Who buys: Consumers, businesses, and other tech/media platforms.
Sector-level description — a more specific write-up is available for high-traffic industries.
Average Revenue
$1.8M
per year
Profit Margin
18.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$54K
per year
Total Businesses
1,746
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$328K
small business avg
Labor Cost
40.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$20K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.5
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) Charge?
Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins): Tech and information businesses charge by the seat (SaaS), by the hour (services), or per usage (infrastructure). The specifics vary within the motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) category — the ranges below are typical for the sector.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
SaaS subscription | $10–500/user/month |
Dev/engineering hourly | $75–300/hour |
Cloud infrastructure | 0.01–0.50/hour per unit |
Ad revenue (media) | $5–50 CPM |
Sector-typical ranges — individual services within this industry may fall higher or lower.
Complete motion picture theaters business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) 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 motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Hosting & third-party services | $6 | $115K | Cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP), APIs, content licensing, payment processing. |
Wages & benefits | $40 | $730K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $115K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $8 | $153K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $21 | $383K | R&D, software licenses, sales commissions, customer support tools. |
Net profit | $18 | $328K | 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
15.65%
openings/year
Closure Rate
14.68%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+0.97%
annual
Businesses Closed
2,110
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Motion Picture Theaters Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
5 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) business do?
- Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins): Businesses that create, distribute, or provide access to information — software, media, telecom, and data services. Consumers, businesses, and other tech/media platforms.
- How much do motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) charge?
- Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins): Tech and information businesses charge by the seat (SaaS), by the hour (services), or per usage (infrastructure). The specifics vary within the motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) category — the ranges below are typical for the sector. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) make per year?
- The average motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) business generates $1.8M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $328K per year at a 18.0% profit margin.
- How many motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) businesses are there in the US?
- There are 1,746 motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 59,216 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) business?
- Startup costs for a motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) industry?
- The average employee in the motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) industry earns $20K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 1.0%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 15.7% and 14.7% respectively.
Approximately 45% of motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 2,110 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) industry earns $19,903/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 4,105 establishments employing 120,677 people, the typical business has about 29 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) industry has grown 41% since 2000 (from 11,942 to 16,844 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) revenue with other industries: