Used Car Dealers — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the used car dealers industry earns $60,100 per year ($28.89/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Used Car Dealers Workers Earn?
At $60,100/year (equivalent to $28.89/hour for a full-time worker), used car dealers wages are near the national average of ~$65,000.
The typical used car dealers business employs 6 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average used car dealers business generating $4.8M/year with 6 employees at $60,100 each, total payroll represents roughly 7.5% 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 used car dealersbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $78,130/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 6 employees = ~$360,600/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $28.89/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $4.8M/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 Used Car Dealers revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do used car dealers employees make?
- The average used car dealers employee earns $60,100 per year, which is equivalent to $28.89/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 used car dealers industry?
- The used car dealers industry employs 171,122 workers across 26,837 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 6 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).