Museums Revenue Benchmarks
The average museums business in the United States generates $1.6M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 5,150 museums businesses in the U.S., employing 70,046 workers with an average profit margin of 12.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $49K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Museums Business Actually Do?
Cultural institutions collecting, preserving, and exhibiting art, history, science, or specialty subjects. Most are non-profits reliant on donations, grants, and endowment income alongside admission.
Who buys: Visitors, members, donors, tour groups, event renters.
Average Revenue
$1.6M
per year
Profit Margin
12.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$119K
per year
Total Businesses
5,150
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$195K
small business avg
Labor Cost
40.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$49K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.6
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Museums Charge?
Museums earn on admission, memberships, and grants/donations. Admission is often ~30–40% of total revenue.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Adult admission | $12–35 |
Family/annual membership | $75–200/year |
Special exhibition surcharge | $5–20 additional |
School group (per student) | $5–15/student |
Venue rental (evening event) | $3,000–35,000 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete museums business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a museums 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 museums 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Production & performer costs | $14 | $234K | Talent fees, equipment rentals, production supplies, licensing/royalties. |
Wages & benefits | $40 | $650K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $10 | $156K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $5 | $78K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $19 | $312K | Insurance, ticketing fees, venue maintenance, security. |
Net profit | $12 | $195K | 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
5.3%
openings/year
Closure Rate
4.98%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+7.44%
annual
Businesses Closed
293
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Museums Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
9 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a museums business do?
- Cultural institutions collecting, preserving, and exhibiting art, history, science, or specialty subjects. Most are non-profits reliant on donations, grants, and endowment income alongside admission. Visitors, members, donors, tour groups, event renters.
- How much do museums charge?
- Museums earn on admission, memberships, and grants/donations. Admission is often ~30–40% of total revenue. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average museums make per year?
- The average museums business generates $1.6M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $195K per year at a 12.0% profit margin.
- How many museums businesses are there in the US?
- There are 5,150 museums businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 70,046 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a museums business?
- Startup costs for a museums business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the museums industry?
- The average employee in the museums industry earns $49K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The museums industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 7.4% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (5.3% entry vs 5.0% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 77% of museums businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 293 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the museums industry earns $48,610/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 5,192 establishments employing 97,558 people, the typical business has about 19 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The museums industry has grown 39% since 2000 (from 5,094 to 7,106 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Museums revenue with other industries: