Number of Securities Brokerage Businesses in the US (2000–2023)
As of 2023
7,890
securities brokerage businesses in the United States
Number of Firms Over Time
Total Employment Over Time
Key Insights
- •The securities brokerage industry has declined 32.3% since 2000 (from 11,660 to 7,890 firms).
- •The peak year was 2006 with 12,403 firms.
- •Recent trend (last 5 years): the industry is shrinking (-11.0%).
- •Employment: 373,146 workers in 2023 (-30.2% change since 2000).
- •Estimated 5-year survival rate: 55%.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Firms | Establishments | Employment | Entry Rate | Exit Rate | Net Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7,890 | 25,524 | 373,146 | 7.0% | 11.4% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 8,138 | 26,688 | 365,726 | 11.9% | 9.7% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 8,394 | 26,290 | 355,606 | 12.8% | 9.7% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 8,705 | 25,727 | 349,221 | 5.5% | 9.2% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 8,869 | 26,711 | 350,072 | 7.7% | 10.0% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 9,197 | 27,361 | 355,086 | 13.2% | 11.2% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 9,387 | 26,738 | 356,984 | 8.7% | 12.2% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 10,778 | 39,697 | 402,934 | 8.1% | 7.9% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 11,096 | 39,674 | 401,044 | 8.2% | 11.8% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 11,294 | 41,172 | 397,546 | 10.3% | 10.7% | -1.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS). Entry/exit rates refer to establishment openings and closings.