Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction Revenue Benchmarks
The average other heavy and civil engineering construction business in the United States generates $5.0M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 4,402 other heavy and civil engineering construction businesses in the U.S., employing 78,991 workers with an average profit margin of 7.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $94K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction Business Actually Do?
Heavy civil contractors on infrastructure not classified elsewhere — dams, ports, marine, land reclamation, tunneling.
Who buys: Government agencies (federal, state, local), port authorities, utilities.
Average Revenue
$5.0M
per year
Profit Margin
7.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$278K
per year
Total Businesses
4,402
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$349K
small business avg
Labor Cost
30.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$94K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.3
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction Charge?
Heavy civil (dams, harbors, land reclamation, marine) is bid-project work with margins tied to complexity.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Small civil project | $500,000–5,000,000 |
Mid-size civil project | $5M–50M |
Large infrastructure project | $50M–500M+ |
Contractor margin | 5–12% |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete other heavy and civil engineering construction business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a other heavy and civil engineering construction 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 other heavy and civil engineering construction 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Materials & subcontractors | $38 | $1.9M | Lumber, concrete, fixtures, subcontracted trades — the physical scope of the job. |
Wages & benefits | $30 | $1.5M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $5 | $251K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $157K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $17 | $848K | Equipment rentals, insurance (very high in construction), permits, vehicles, fuel. |
Net profit | $7 | $349K | 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
11.87%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.64%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+2.98%
annual
Businesses Closed
290
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction Business?
Startup Cost
$25K – $150K
Break-Even
3 months
5-Year Survival Rate
52.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a other heavy and civil engineering construction business do?
- Heavy civil contractors on infrastructure not classified elsewhere — dams, ports, marine, land reclamation, tunneling. Government agencies (federal, state, local), port authorities, utilities.
- How much do other heavy and civil engineering construction charge?
- Heavy civil (dams, harbors, land reclamation, marine) is bid-project work with margins tied to complexity. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average other heavy and civil engineering construction make per year?
- The average other heavy and civil engineering construction business generates $5.0M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $349K per year at a 7.0% profit margin.
- How many other heavy and civil engineering construction businesses are there in the US?
- There are 4,402 other heavy and civil engineering construction businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 78,991 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a other heavy and civil engineering construction business?
- Startup costs for a other heavy and civil engineering construction business typically range from $25K to $150K, with a 5-year survival rate of 52.0%.
- What is the average salary in the other heavy and civil engineering construction industry?
- The average employee in the other heavy and civil engineering construction industry earns $94K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The other heavy and civil engineering construction industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 3.0% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (11.9% entry vs 8.6% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 64% of other heavy and civil engineering construction businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 290 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the other heavy and civil engineering construction industry earns $93,500/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 9,600 establishments employing 127,598 people, the typical business has about 13 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The other heavy and civil engineering construction industry has declined 13% since 2000 (from 4,647 to 4,062 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction revenue with other industries: