There are 30.2 million small businesses in the United States, according to the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Advocacy. Small businesses comprise 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses.
Nearly half of all Americans—47.5 percent—are employed by small businesses. This means that 58.9 million employees in the United States work at a small business.
Other statistics of note:
- Businesses with less than 100 workers employ the largest share of American workers.
- Private-sector employment increased 1.8 percent during the 12-month period ending in February 2018.
- The number of proprietors increased by 2.3 percent in 2016.
- Small businesses created 1.9 million net jobs in 2015. Those with fewer than 20 employees saw the largest gains, adding 1.1 million net jobs.
The top 10 most popular industries for small businesses are:
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Other Services (except Public Administration)
- Construction
- Health Care and Social Assistance
- Retail Trade
- Accommodation and Food Services
- Administrative, Support, and Waste Management
- Wholesale Trade
- Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
- Manufacturing
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy
Thanks for reading our educational resource! If you’re a small business owner, see more small business resources or get a workers’ compensation rate in 3 minutes.
