Sawmills Revenue Benchmarks
The average sawmills business in the United States generates $10.4M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,339 sawmills businesses in the U.S., employing 76,397 workers with an average profit margin of 10.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $61K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Sawmills Business Actually Do?
Sawmills: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products.
Who buys: Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
Sector-level description — a more specific write-up is available for high-traffic industries.
Average Revenue
$10.4M
per year
Profit Margin
10.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$320K
per year
Total Businesses
2,339
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$1.0M
small business avg
Labor Cost
18.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$61K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.7
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Sawmills Charge?
Sawmills: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the sawmills category — the ranges below are typical for the sector.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Contract manufacturing markup | 15–35% over materials + labor |
Own-brand product margin | 25–60% gross margin |
Custom / low-volume run | 40–150% over direct costs |
Sector-typical ranges — individual services within this industry may fall higher or lower.
Complete sawmills business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a sawmills 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 sawmills 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Raw materials & components | $50 | $5.3M | Steel, chemicals, electronics, packaging — the physical inputs that become the product. |
Wages & benefits | $18 | $1.9M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $602K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $376K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $12 | $1.3M | Depreciation on equipment, energy, R&D, quality control, freight. |
Net profit | $10 | $1.0M | 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
6.54%
openings/year
Closure Rate
5.78%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+1.2%
annual
Businesses Closed
140
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Sawmills Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
2 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a sawmills business do?
- Sawmills: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products. Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
- How much do sawmills charge?
- Sawmills: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the sawmills 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 sawmills make per year?
- The average sawmills business generates $10.4M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $1.0M per year at a 10.0% profit margin.
- How many sawmills businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,339 sawmills businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 76,397 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a sawmills business?
- Startup costs for a sawmills business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the sawmills industry?
- The average employee in the sawmills industry earns $61K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The sawmills industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 1.2%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 6.5% and 5.8% respectively.
Approximately 74% of sawmills businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 140 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the sawmills industry earns $61,401/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 3,057 establishments employing 81,510 people, the typical business has about 27 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The sawmills industry has declined 39% since 2000 (from 3,991 to 2,433 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Sawmills revenue with other industries: