Sawmills — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the sawmills industry earns $61,401 per year ($29.52/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Sawmills Workers Earn?
At $61,401/year (equivalent to $29.52/hour for a full-time worker), sawmills wages are near the national average of ~$65,000.
The typical sawmills business employs 27 people. These are larger operations where staffing represents a major cost center and management complexity.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average sawmills business generating $10.4M/year with 27 employees at $61,401 each, total payroll represents roughly 15.9% 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 sawmillsbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $79,821/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 27 employees = ~$1,657,827/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $29.52/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $10.4M/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 Sawmills revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do sawmills employees make?
- The average sawmills employee earns $61,401 per year, which is equivalent to $29.52/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 sawmills industry?
- The sawmills industry employs 81,510 workers across 3,057 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 27 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).