Distilleries — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the distilleries industry earns $67,277 per year ($32.34/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Distilleries Workers Earn?
At $67,277/year (equivalent to $32.34/hour for a full-time worker), distilleries wages are near the national average of ~$65,000.
The typical distilleries business employs 15 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average distilleries business generating $6.3M/year with 15 employees at $67,277 each, total payroll represents roughly 16.0% 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 distilleriesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $87,460/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 15 employees = ~$1,009,155/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $32.34/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $6.3M/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 Distilleries revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do distilleries employees make?
- The average distilleries employee earns $67,277 per year, which is equivalent to $32.34/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 distilleries industry?
- The distilleries industry employs 26,625 workers across 1,760 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 15 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).