Firm counts, employment, and wages for 40 small-business-typical industries reported in Wisconsin by the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Click any industry for a national comparison.
Sorted by establishment count. Location quotient (LQ) compares Wisconsin's industry concentration to the national average — LQ > 1 means denser than national; LQ < 1 means thinner.
| Industry | Firms | Employment | Avg Pay | LQ | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 4,638 | 89,509 | $22,230 | 1.04 | +4.7% |
| Quick-service restaurants | 3,734 | 71,588 | $19,837 | 0.83 | +1.8% |
| Drinking places (bars) | 2,890 | 21,826 | $17,294 | 4.02 | +2.5% |
| Landscaping services | 2,566 | 16,926 | $46,771 | 1.24 | +5.2% |
| Gas stations with convenience stores | 2,410 | 31,792 | $27,939 | 1.41 | +2.0% |
| Plumbing, heating & AC contractors | 2,069 | 24,253 | $82,232 | 1.00 | +5.0% |
| Offices of lawyers | 1,977 | 12,135 | $119,789 | 0.62 | +4.8% |
| Dental practices | 1,853 | 18,940 | $73,269 | 0.81 | +1.6% |
| General auto repair | 1,828 | 9,250 | $55,665 | 1.26 | +4.4% |
| Electrical contractors | 1,658 | 19,770 | $79,190 | 0.99 | +7.6% |
| Engineering services | 1,514 | 17,777 | $105,087 | 0.90 | +19.7% |
| Child day care | 1,498 | 18,839 | $29,772 | 1.13 | +1.3% |
| Janitorial services | 1,463 | 22,222 | $26,995 | 1.04 | +4.9% |
| Beauty salons | 1,458 | 7,906 | $31,643 | 1.11 | +1.5% |
| Portfolio management & investment advice | 1,430 | 6,398 | $179,580 | 0.96 | +26.2% |
| Chiropractors | 1,068 | 4,158 | $42,650 | 1.61 | +2.0% |
| Other accounting services | 963 | 3,800 | $64,920 | 0.80 | +12.9% |
| Supermarkets & grocery | 901 | 45,256 | $27,632 | 0.91 | +5.1% |
| Physical therapists | 863 | 7,771 | $51,967 | 0.99 | +3.4% |
| CPA offices | 830 | 8,159 | $96,215 | 0.78 | +6.1% |
| Other general-merchandise retailers | 800 | 10,385 | $21,903 | 0.74 | +5.1% |
| Fitness & recreational sports centers | 749 | 11,572 | $15,829 | 0.99 | +7.3% |
| Auto body & paint | 739 | 4,410 | $60,382 | 1.24 | -0.1% |
| Veterinary services | 709 | 9,284 | $52,634 | 1.18 | +2.9% |
| Pet care (except veterinary) | 544 | 4,789 | $23,648 | 1.19 | +5.2% |
| Roofing contractors | 525 | 4,311 | $74,195 | 0.99 | +7.1% |
| Other health practitioners | 414 | 1,662 | $64,855 | 0.63 | +25.5% |
| All other miscellaneous retailers | 342 | 1,979 | $48,605 | 0.61 | +5.9% |
| Motor-vehicle parts wholesale | 317 | 3,924 | $80,759 | 1.27 | +9.7% |
| Optometrists | 304 | 2,502 | $47,904 | 0.84 | -0.3% |
| Florists | 221 | 1,288 | $19,791 | 1.08 | -0.9% |
| Other similar organizations | 136 | 650 | $38,442 | 0.52 | +0.7% |
| Convenience retailers | 132 | 498 | $23,614 | 0.22 | +6.5% |
| Barber shops | 129 | 626 | $38,146 | 0.93 | +10.3% |
| Drycleaning & laundry | 116 | 812 | $29,770 | 0.46 | -7.2% |
| Book retailers & news dealers | 114 | 950 | $35,662 | 0.86 | +5.6% |
| Auto glass replacement | 96 | 506 | $52,875 | 0.79 | +9.1% |
| Religious organizations | 50 | 576 | $44,690 | 0.11 | +11.1% |
| Parking lots & garages | 42 | 898 | $30,349 | 0.32 | +2.4% |
| All other auto repair & maintenance | 38 | 269 | $67,571 | 0.30 | +18.8% |