Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) Revenue Benchmarks
The average research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) business in the United States generates $15.5M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 9,824 research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) businesses in the U.S., employing 521,509 workers with an average profit margin of 22.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $154K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences Business Actually Do?
Contract R&D across physical, engineering, and life sciences — SRI, Battelle, MITRE model. Government and corporate contracts.
Who buys: Federal government (DoD, DoE, NASA, HHS), corporations outsourcing R&D.
Average Revenue
$15.5M
per year
Profit Margin
22.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$291K
per year
Total Businesses
9,824
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$3.4M
small business avg
Labor Cost
50.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$154K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
3.0
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) Charge?
General R&D services for physical, engineering, and life sciences — contract R&D, government-funded work.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Government contract R&D | $100,000–100,000,000+ per contract |
Contract research for corporates | $50,000–5,000,000 |
R&D tax credit (client benefit) | 6–14% of qualified R&D |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) 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 research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Client-related expenses | $4 | $649K | Software licenses, subscriptions, printing, filing fees, travel billed to clients. |
Wages & benefits | $50 | $7.7M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $866K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $649K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $14 | $2.2M | Professional liability insurance, continuing education, tech, admin support. |
Net profit | $22 | $3.4M | 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
12.91%
openings/year
Closure Rate
10.65%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+4.13%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,574
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences Business?
Startup Cost
$10K – $75K
Break-Even
0 months
5-Year Survival Rate
60.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) business do?
- Contract R&D across physical, engineering, and life sciences — SRI, Battelle, MITRE model. Government and corporate contracts. Federal government (DoD, DoE, NASA, HHS), corporations outsourcing R&D.
- How much do research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) charge?
- General R&D services for physical, engineering, and life sciences — contract R&D, government-funded work. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) make per year?
- The average research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) business generates $15.5M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $3.4M per year at a 22.0% profit margin.
- How many research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) businesses are there in the US?
- There are 9,824 research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 521,509 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) business?
- Startup costs for a research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) business typically range from $10K to $75K, with a 5-year survival rate of 60.0%.
- What is the average salary in the research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) industry?
- The average employee in the research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) industry earns $154K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 4.1% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (12.9% entry vs 10.6% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 57% of research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 1,574 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) industry earns $153,557/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 25,904 establishments employing 539,511 people, the typical business has about 21 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) industry has grown 63% since 2000 (from 9,693 to 15,795 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) revenue with other industries: