Wineries — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the wineries industry earns $54,437 per year ($26.17/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$54,437
Avg Annual Pay
78,291
Total Employees
5,726
Total Establishments
14
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Wineries Workers Earn?

At $54,437/year (equivalent to $26.17/hour for a full-time worker), wineries wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.

Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.

The typical wineries business employs 14 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

17.1%

For the average wineries business generating $4.5M/year with 14 employees at $54,437 each, total payroll represents roughly 17.1% 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 wineriesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $70,768/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 14 employees = ~$762,118/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $26.17/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $4.5M/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 Wineries revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do wineries employees make?
The average wineries employee earns $54,437 per year, which is equivalent to $26.17/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 wineries industry?
The wineries industry employs 78,291 workers across 5,726 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 14 employees.

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