Music Publishers Revenue Benchmarks
The average music publishers business in the United States generates $1.9M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 779 music publishers businesses in the U.S., employing 5,368 workers with an average profit margin of 18.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $122K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Music Publishers Business Actually Do?
Music Publishers: 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
$1.9M
per year
Profit Margin
18.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$273K
per year
Total Businesses
779
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$339K
small business avg
Labor Cost
40.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$122K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Music Publishers Charge?
Music Publishers: Tech and information businesses charge by the seat (SaaS), by the hour (services), or per usage (infrastructure). The specifics vary within the music publishers 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 music publishers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a music publishers 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 music publishers 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 | $119K | Cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP), APIs, content licensing, payment processing. |
Wages & benefits | $40 | $753K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $119K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $8 | $158K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $21 | $396K | R&D, software licenses, sales commissions, customer support tools. |
Net profit | $18 | $339K | 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
16.52%
openings/year
Closure Rate
15.15%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-2.64%
annual
Businesses Closed
417
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Music Publishers Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
5 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a music publishers business do?
- Music Publishers: 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 music publishers charge?
- Music Publishers: Tech and information businesses charge by the seat (SaaS), by the hour (services), or per usage (infrastructure). The specifics vary within the music publishers 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 music publishers make per year?
- The average music publishers business generates $1.9M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $339K per year at a 18.0% profit margin.
- How many music publishers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 779 music publishers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 5,368 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a music publishers business?
- Startup costs for a music publishers business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the music publishers industry?
- The average employee in the music publishers industry earns $122K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The music publishers industry is contracting — losing jobs at a net rate of 2.6% per year. More establishments are closing (15.2%) than opening (16.5%), suggesting market challenges.
Approximately 44% of music publishers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is below the national average (~50%) — new entrants face elevated risk of failure. Ensure adequate capitalization. In 2023, 417 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the music publishers industry earns $122,338/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 1,196 establishments employing 5,840 people, the typical business has about 5 employees. Most businesses in this industry are small operations — often owner-operated with minimal staff.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The music publishers industry has grown 31% since 2000 (from 2,540 to 3,321 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Music Publishers revenue with other industries: