Women's Clothing Stores Revenue Benchmarks
The average women's clothing stores business in the United States generates $1.7M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 13,085 women's clothing stores businesses in the U.S., employing 194,041 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Women's Clothing Stores Business Actually Do?
Specialty retailers focused on women's apparel. Range from mall chains (Chico's, Torrid, White House Black Market) to independent boutiques.
Who buys: Adult women shopping for wardrobe basics, work wear, and fashion.
Average Revenue
$1.7M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$112K
per year
Total Businesses
13,085
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$66K
small business avg
Labor Cost
20.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
3.9
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Women's Clothing Stores Charge?
Women's apparel typically runs higher markup than men's, with fast turnover on trend items.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Everyday women's apparel markup | 60–120% |
Boutique / specialty markup | 100–250% |
Average transaction | $50–150 |
Seasonal clearance | 40–70% off |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete women's clothing stores business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a women's clothing stores 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 women's clothing stores 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 | $57 | $947K | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $20 | $332K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $126K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $63K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $126K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $66K | 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
7.19%
openings/year
Closure Rate
6.3%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+0.2%
annual
Businesses Closed
3,155
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Women's Clothing Stores Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
43 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a women's clothing stores business do?
- Specialty retailers focused on women's apparel. Range from mall chains (Chico's, Torrid, White House Black Market) to independent boutiques. Adult women shopping for wardrobe basics, work wear, and fashion.
- How much do women's clothing stores charge?
- Women's apparel typically runs higher markup than men's, with fast turnover on trend items. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average women's clothing stores make per year?
- The average women's clothing stores business generates $1.7M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $66K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many women's clothing stores businesses are there in the US?
- There are 13,085 women's clothing stores businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 194,041 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a women's clothing stores business?
- Startup costs for a women's clothing stores business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The women's clothing stores industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 0.2%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 7.2% and 6.3% respectively.
Approximately 72% of women's clothing stores businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 3,155 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The women's clothing stores industry has declined 18% since 2000 (from 36,842 to 30,324 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Women's Clothing Stores revenue with other industries: