Plumbing Company Average Revenue: 2026 Report
In October 2026, the research team at Graham County Home Services compiled data on how much money a typical plumbing company brings in. We run a family-owned plumbing business in Graham County, Arizona, so we wanted clear numbers on what plumbing firms of every size earn. This report draws on a 2026 industry study, the 2022 Economic Census, 2024 Nonemployer Statistics, 2023 County Business Patterns, and 2022 IRS tax data. The first table shows the core 2026 figures.
Average Plumbing Company Revenue in 2026
Our 2026 anchor is IBISWorld's July 2026 study of US plumbing contractors, which counts plumbing work only. For the size of the whole market, see our US plumbing market size report.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average revenue per plumbing business* | About $1.61 million |
| Revenue per employee* | About $266,600 |
| Average employees per business | 6.0 |
| Plumbing businesses | 129,352 |
| People employed | 780,545 |
| Total industry revenue | $208.1 billion |
| Revenue forecast for 2031 | $234.9 billion (2.4% a year) |
*Our estimate. Revenue per business = $208.1 billion / 129,352 businesses. Revenue per employee = $208.1 billion / 780,545 employees. All other figures are from IBISWorld, July 2026.
- We found that the average plumbing business brings in about $1.61 million a year in 2026. That average includes a few very large firms, so most shops earn far less (see the next section).
- We found that each employee brings in about $266,600 in revenue. Revenue pays for wages, parts, trucks, insurance, and profit.
- We found that the average plumbing business has 6 employees. Most plumbing companies are small teams.
Revenue by Company Size
The 2022 Economic Census shows revenue by number of employees. Its plumbing category also includes heating and air conditioning contractors (NAICS 238220). The table covers employer firms that were open all of 2022.
| Employees | Firms | Average revenue per firm* | Revenue per employee* | Share of revenue* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 5 | 49,682 | $425,000 | $211,000 | 7.3% |
| 5 to 9 | 19,041 | $1.42 million | $216,000 | 9.4% |
| 10 to 19 | 12,241 | $2.98 million | $222,000 | 12.6% |
| 20 to 49 | 7,037 | $7.45 million | $251,000 | 18.1% |
| 50 to 99 | 1,924 | $18.9 million | $275,000 | 12.6% |
| 100 to 249 | 882 | $41.5 million | $285,000 | 12.7% |
| 250 to 499 | 201 | $97.8 million | $285,000 | 6.8% |
| 500 or more | 136 | $435.1 million | $297,000 | 20.5% |
| All firms open all year | 91,144 | $3.17 million | $256,000 | 100% |
*Our estimate: Census revenue divided by firms or employees in each size class. Shares are of the $288.8 billion earned by firms open all year.
- We found that more than half of firms (54.5%) have fewer than 5 employees.* These small firms earn just 7.3% of the revenue.
- We found that the 136 largest firms, with 500 or more employees, earn 20.5% of all revenue. That is more than the 68,723 firms with fewer than 10 employees combined (16.7%).*
- We found that revenue per employee climbs with size, from $211,000 to $297,000.
- We found that the typical location earns far less than the average. Sorted by revenue, the middle location falls between $500,000 and $999,999, while the average is $3.08 million.*
Solo Plumbing Businesses
Many plumbers work alone with no employees. The Census counts them in Nonemployer Statistics. These figures also include solo heating and air conditioning businesses.
| Metric | 2022 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Solo businesses | 172,841 | 189,085 |
| Total receipts | $13.48 billion | $14.86 billion |
| Average receipts per business* | $78,008 | $78,607 |
| Sole proprietors only | 155,715 | 169,799 |
| Average receipts, sole proprietors* | $67,165 | $66,703 |
| Share earning under $5,000* | 17.9% | 18.2% |
*Our estimate: receipts divided by businesses. Receipts are gross sales before expenses, not take-home pay. 2024 is the newest release.
- We found that the average solo plumbing business took in $78,607 in 2024. The middle solo business took in between $25,000 and $49,999.*
- We found that the number of solo businesses grew 9.4% from 2022 to 2024, but average receipts barely moved (+0.8%).*
- We found that only 4,170 solo businesses (2.2%) took in $500,000 or more in 2024.* Most solo businesses are small.
Plumbing Company Profit Margins
Revenue is not profit. IRS data on corporate tax returns shows how much plumbing and HVAC companies kept after costs. Tax year 2022 is the newest year available.
| Metric | Tax year 2021 | Tax year 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate tax returns | 84,371 | 85,508 |
| Average receipts per corporation* | $2.44 million | $2.69 million |
| Net margin, all corporations* | 5.15% | 4.75% |
| Net margin, profitable corporations only* | 7.43% | 6.79% |
| Gross margin* | 35.2% | 33.9% |
| Share of corporations with a profit* | 70.0% | 70.1% |
*Our estimate from IRS totals. Net margin = (net income minus deficits) / total receipts, before income tax. Gross margin = (business receipts minus cost of goods sold) / business receipts. Corporations only; sole proprietors and partnerships are not included.
- We found that plumbing and HVAC corporations kept about 4.75 cents of profit for every dollar of revenue in 2022.
- We found that about 3 in 10 corporations lost money in 2022.*
- We found that margins slipped from 2021 to 2022 even as receipts grew 11.8%.*
Ten-Year Trend in Revenue per Company
The Economic Census runs every five years. These figures include heating and air conditioning contractors and are in nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
| Census year | Revenue per establishment* | Revenue per employee* | Employees per establishment* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $1.72 million | $177,400 | 9.7 |
| 2017 | $2.00 million | $202,000 | 9.9 |
| 2022 | $2.60 million | $254,400 | 10.2 |
*Our estimate: Census revenue divided by establishments or employees. Employer establishments only.
- We found that revenue per establishment rose 51% from 2012 to 2022.*
- We found that revenue per employee rose 43% over the same years, while team size grew only slightly, from 9.7 to 10.2 workers.*
- We found that most of the gain came from 2017 to 2022, when revenue per establishment jumped 30%.*
Revenue per Company by State
Average revenue varies a lot by state. These 2022 Census figures include heating and air conditioning firms with employees.
| State | Revenue per establishment* | Revenue per employee* |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $4.17 million | $246,700 |
| Maryland | $3.91 million | $284,800 |
| Washington | $3.74 million | $292,200 |
| Arizona | $2.78 million | $233,000 |
| United States | $2.60 million | $254,400 |
| Montana | $1.44 million | $251,000 |
| Wyoming | $1.33 million | $220,900 |
*Our estimate: state revenue divided by establishments or employees. Washington, DC ($13.99 million per establishment, 36 establishments) is left out of the table as an outlier. Hawaii has the highest revenue per employee ($321,200).
- We found that Arizona plumbing and HVAC firms earn $2.78 million per location, 7% above the US average.* Arizona ranks 18th of 50 states and DC.
- We found that Arizona earns less per employee ($233,000, 34th) because its firms are larger, with 12.0 workers per location vs 10.2 nationally.*
- We found that solo plumbing and HVAC businesses in Arizona averaged $86,283 in 2024, above the national solo average of $78,607.* See the Arizona towns we serve.
Graham County Plumbing Businesses
Graham County is a small rural market. Federal data shows how few plumbing businesses work here.
| Metric | Figure | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Solo businesses | 15 | 2024 |
| Solo business receipts | $1.66 million | 2024 |
| Average receipts per solo business* | $110,600 | 2024 |
| Employer establishments | 11 | 2023 |
| Employees at those establishments | 58 | 2023 |
| Annual payroll | $3.0 million | 2023 |
*Our estimate. Census does not publish revenue for Graham County employer firms. The 2023 employee count carries a moderate noise flag.
- We found that Graham County had 26 plumbing and HVAC businesses in total: 15 solo and 11 with staff.*
- We found that local solo businesses averaged $110,600 in 2024, 41% above the national solo average.*
- We found that local employer firms average about 5 workers each.* Small teams, like our plumbing company in Thatcher, handle most local work.
Methodology
IBISWorld's July 2026 report is our only source for 2026 plumbing-only figures. Census and IRS data group plumbing with heating and air conditioning (NAICS 238220), so we show them in separate, labeled tables and never combine them with IBISWorld. Figures marked with an asterisk (*) are our estimates. Each one divides or compares sourced totals. Revenue per plumber or field technician is not published, so we show revenue per employee. No figure is adjusted for inflation.
Requesting a Copy of This Report
The average US plumbing business brings in about $1.61 million in 2026, but the typical shop earns much less. Over half of employer firms have fewer than 5 workers, and solo plumbers average $78,607 in receipts. Corporations in the trade kept about 4.75% of revenue as profit in 2022. Owners can use these numbers to compare their own revenue per employee and margins, and buyers can use them to see what drives prices. For local service in Graham County, visit our family-owned plumbing team.
If you'd like to request a PDF copy of this report or learn more about our team, you can reach out here.
Sources
- IBISWorld. "Plumbers in the US Industry Analysis, 2026," including Number of Businesses and Employment statistics. July 2026. New York, NY. ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/plumbers/1946/
- US Census Bureau. "2022 Economic Census: Establishment and Firm Size Statistics (EC2200SIZEEMPFIRM, EC2200SIZEREVEST)" and "Summary Statistics (EC2200BASIC)." December 2024 and April 2025. Suitland, MD. www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/2022/sector00/
- US Census Bureau. "2017 Economic Census (EC1700BASIC)" and "2012 Economic Census, Construction (EC1223SG01)." Suitland, MD. www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/
- US Census Bureau. "Nonemployer Statistics, 2022 and 2024." Suitland, MD. www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/
- US Census Bureau. "2023 County Business Patterns." Suitland, MD. www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2023/
- Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income. "Returns of Active Corporations, Table 1, by Minor Industry," Tax Years 2021 and 2022. Washington, DC. irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-corporation-complete-report