Recreational Vehicle Dealers Revenue Benchmarks
The average recreational vehicle dealers business in the United States generates $13.8M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,136 recreational vehicle dealers businesses in the U.S., employing 54,931 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $68K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Recreational Vehicle Dealers Business Actually Do?
RV dealers selling motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, camping trailers. Similar economics to boat dealers.
Who buys: Retirees, families, weekend campers, cross-country travelers.
Average Revenue
$13.8M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$536K
per year
Total Businesses
2,136
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$552K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$68K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.6
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Recreational Vehicle Dealers Charge?
RV dealers earn on new/used sales spread plus F&I and service revenue.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
New RV gross margin | 15–25% |
Used RV gross per unit | $3,000–20,000 |
F&I income per unit | $2,000–5,000 |
Service labor rate | $130–200/hour |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete recreational vehicle dealers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a recreational vehicle dealers 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 recreational vehicle dealers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $8.5M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $1.9M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $1.1M | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $566K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $1.1M | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $552K | 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
6.46%
openings/year
Closure Rate
6.88%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-0.56%
annual
Businesses Closed
734
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Recreational Vehicle Dealers Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
5 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a recreational vehicle dealers business do?
- RV dealers selling motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, camping trailers. Similar economics to boat dealers. Retirees, families, weekend campers, cross-country travelers.
- How much do recreational vehicle dealers charge?
- RV dealers earn on new/used sales spread plus F&I and service revenue. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average recreational vehicle dealers make per year?
- The average recreational vehicle dealers business generates $13.8M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $552K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many recreational vehicle dealers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,136 recreational vehicle dealers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 54,931 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a recreational vehicle dealers business?
- Startup costs for a recreational vehicle dealers business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
- What is the average salary in the recreational vehicle dealers industry?
- The average employee in the recreational vehicle dealers industry earns $68K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The recreational vehicle dealers industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -0.6%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 6.5% and 6.9% respectively.
Approximately 70% of recreational vehicle dealers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 734 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the recreational vehicle dealers industry earns $67,975/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 3,100 establishments employing 55,607 people, the typical business has about 18 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The recreational vehicle dealers industry has declined 13% since 2000 (from 12,174 to 10,610 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Recreational Vehicle Dealers revenue with other industries: