Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing Revenue Benchmarks
The average sheet metal work manufacturing business in the United States generates $7.1M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 4,039 sheet metal work manufacturing businesses in the U.S., employing 111,759 workers with an average profit margin of 10.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $66K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing Business Actually Do?
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing: 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
$7.1M
per year
Profit Margin
10.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$258K
per year
Total Businesses
4,039
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$714K
small business avg
Labor Cost
22.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$66K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing Charge?
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the sheet metal work manufacturing 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 sheet metal work manufacturing business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a sheet metal work manufacturing 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 sheet metal work manufacturing 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 | $48 | $3.4M | Steel, chemicals, electronics, packaging — the physical inputs that become the product. |
Wages & benefits | $22 | $1.6M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $5 | $388K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $243K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $12 | $825K | Depreciation on equipment, energy, R&D, quality control, freight. |
Net profit | $10 | $714K | 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
6.04%
openings/year
Closure Rate
6.03%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+2.91%
annual
Businesses Closed
678
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
3 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a sheet metal work manufacturing business do?
- Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products. Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
- How much do sheet metal work manufacturing charge?
- Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the sheet metal work manufacturing 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 sheet metal work manufacturing make per year?
- The average sheet metal work manufacturing business generates $7.1M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $714K per year at a 10.0% profit margin.
- How many sheet metal work manufacturing businesses are there in the US?
- There are 4,039 sheet metal work manufacturing businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 111,759 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a sheet metal work manufacturing business?
- Startup costs for a sheet metal work manufacturing business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the sheet metal work manufacturing industry?
- The average employee in the sheet metal work manufacturing industry earns $66K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The sheet metal work manufacturing industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 2.9% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (6.0% entry vs 6.0% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 73% of sheet metal work manufacturing businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 678 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the sheet metal work manufacturing industry earns $65,593/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 4,513 establishments employing 114,779 people, the typical business has about 25 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The sheet metal work manufacturing industry has grown 12% since 2000 (from 11,039 to 12,393 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing revenue with other industries: