Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the soap and other detergent manufacturing industry earns $100,602 per year ($48.37/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing Workers Earn?
At $100,602/year (equivalent to $48.37/hour for a full-time worker), soap and other detergent manufacturing 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 soap and other detergent manufacturing business employs 24 people. These are larger operations where staffing represents a major cost center and management complexity.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average soap and other detergent manufacturing business generating $15.6M/year with 24 employees at $100,602 each, total payroll represents roughly 15.4% 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 soap and other detergent manufacturingbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $130,783/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 24 employees = ~$2,414,448/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $48.37/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $15.6M/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 Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do soap and other detergent manufacturing employees make?
- The average soap and other detergent manufacturing employee earns $100,602 per year, which is equivalent to $48.37/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 soap and other detergent manufacturing industry?
- The soap and other detergent manufacturing industry employs 27,707 workers across 1,146 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 24 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).