Business Associations — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the business associations industry earns $102,516 per year ($49.29/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Business Associations Workers Earn?
At $102,516/year (equivalent to $49.29/hour for a full-time worker), business associations wages are significantly above the national average of ~$65,000.
Higher wages in this industry typically reflect specialized skills, professional certifications, or technical expertise required for the work. Employers competing for talent in this space face elevated labor costs.
The typical business associations business employs 5 people. Most operations are small — often owner-operated with a handful of staff. Labor costs are manageable relative to revenue.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average business associations business generating $1.7M/year with 5 employees at $102,516 each, total payroll represents roughly 29.8% 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 business associationsbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $133,271/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 5 employees = ~$512,580/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $49.29/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $1.7M/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 Business Associations revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do business associations employees make?
- The average business associations employee earns $102,516 per year, which is equivalent to $49.29/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is above the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the business associations industry?
- The business associations industry employs 116,966 workers across 21,395 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 5 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).