General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the general line grocery merchant wholesalers industry earns $74,708 per year ($35.92/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$74,708
Avg Annual Pay
257,737
Total Employees
8,527
Total Establishments
30
Avg Employees/Business

What Do General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers Workers Earn?

At $74,708/year (equivalent to $35.92/hour for a full-time worker), general line grocery merchant wholesalers wages are near the national average of ~$65,000.

The typical general line grocery merchant wholesalers business employs 30 people. These are larger operations where staffing represents a major cost center and management complexity.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

6.5%

For the average general line grocery merchant wholesalers business generating $34.4M/year with 30 employees at $74,708 each, total payroll represents roughly 6.5% 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 general line grocery merchant wholesalersbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $97,120/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 30 employees = ~$2,241,240/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $35.92/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $34.4M/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 General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do general line grocery merchant wholesalers employees make?
The average general line grocery merchant wholesalers employee earns $74,708 per year, which is equivalent to $35.92/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 general line grocery merchant wholesalers industry?
The general line grocery merchant wholesalers industry employs 257,737 workers across 8,527 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 30 employees.

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