Breweries — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the breweries industry earns $47,386 per year ($22.78/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$47,386
Avg Annual Pay
109,645
Total Employees
5,988
Total Establishments
18
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Breweries Workers Earn?

At $47,386/year (equivalent to $22.78/hour for a full-time worker), breweries wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.

Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.

The typical breweries business employs 18 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

18.3%

For the average breweries business generating $4.7M/year with 18 employees at $47,386 each, total payroll represents roughly 18.3% of revenue. Labor costs are relatively low compared to revenue — other costs (materials, equipment, overhead) dominate.

What This Means for Business Owners

If you're starting or running a breweriesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $61,602/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 18 employees = ~$852,948/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $22.78/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $4.7M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.

See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.

View full Breweries revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do breweries employees make?
The average breweries employee earns $47,386 per year, which is equivalent to $22.78/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
How many people work in the breweries industry?
The breweries industry employs 109,645 workers across 5,988 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 18 employees.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).