Support Activities for Rail Transportation Revenue Benchmarks
The average support activities for rail transportation business in the United States generates $11.3M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 596 support activities for rail transportation businesses in the U.S., employing 42,048 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $69K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Support Activities for Rail Transportation Business Actually Do?
Rail terminal services — switching, loading, unloading, cleaning. Serve Class I railroads and shippers.
Who buys: Class I railroads, shippers using rail freight, intermodal operators.
Average Revenue
$11.3M
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$161K
per year
Total Businesses
596
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$567K
small business avg
Labor Cost
35.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$69K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Support Activities for Rail Transportation Charge?
Rail terminal services, switching, loading/unloading, rail car cleaning.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Switching (per car) | $150–350 |
Rail car loading/unloading (per car) | $200–800 |
Terminal fee | $50–200 per car |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete support activities for rail transportation business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a support activities for rail transportation 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 support activities for rail transportation 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Fuel & vehicle costs | $30 | $3.4M | Fuel is often the single biggest line — plus tires, maintenance, tolls. |
Wages & benefits | $35 | $4.0M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $680K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $340K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $21 | $2.4M | Insurance (very high), truck payments, dispatching software, driver benefits. |
Net profit | $5 | $567K | 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
6.59%
openings/year
Closure Rate
5.92%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+10.72%
annual
Businesses Closed
39
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Support Activities for Rail Transportation Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
3 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a support activities for rail transportation business do?
- Rail terminal services — switching, loading, unloading, cleaning. Serve Class I railroads and shippers. Class I railroads, shippers using rail freight, intermodal operators.
- How much do support activities for rail transportation charge?
- Rail terminal services, switching, loading/unloading, rail car cleaning. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average support activities for rail transportation make per year?
- The average support activities for rail transportation business generates $11.3M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $567K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many support activities for rail transportation businesses are there in the US?
- There are 596 support activities for rail transportation businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 42,048 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a support activities for rail transportation business?
- Startup costs for a support activities for rail transportation business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the support activities for rail transportation industry?
- The average employee in the support activities for rail transportation industry earns $69K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The support activities for rail transportation industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 10.7% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (6.6% entry vs 5.9% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 74% of support activities for rail transportation businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 39 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the support activities for rail transportation industry earns $69,052/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 1,950 establishments employing 37,165 people, the typical business has about 19 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The support activities for rail transportation industry has grown 30% since 2000 (from 423 to 549 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Support Activities for Rail Transportation revenue with other industries: