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What business makes $10,000 a month?
Enter the income you want and the cash you have. See which real U.S. businesses you could buy that still pay you that much after the loan, from what owners of 27,000+ listed businesses actually report.
52 of 122 business types have a typical business you could buy with $100,000 that leaves $10,000 a month after the loan.
With 10% down you can pay up to $1,000,000. Take-home is the median stated SDE minus loan payments, before your income tax. 6 more types would get there with more cash.
| Business type | Typical price | Owner earnings (SDE) | Loan / yr | Take-home / mo | Typical age | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Practicesasking 250K to 500KUnder 1.5x earnings: often includes a licensed owner's own pay | $362,351 | $399,373middle half $199,529 to $608,796 | $52,805 | $28,881 | 26 yrs | 32 |
| Aviationall sizesUnder 1.5x earnings: often includes a licensed owner's own pay | $426,784 | $406,887middle half $377,745 to $422,331 | $62,195 | $28,724 | 18.5 yrs | 41 |
| Oil & Gasall sizes | $798,606 | $385,000middle half $359,463 to $825,000 | $116,381 | $22,385 | 10.5 yrs | 55 |
| Legal Servicesall sizes | $883,817 | $351,209middle half $173,903 to $664,750 | $128,799 | $18,534 | 23 yrs | 66 |
| Energy Servicesall sizes | $859,346 | $333,623middle half $168,750 to $623,557 | $125,232 | $17,366 | 12 yrs | 64 |
| Kitchen & Bathroom Fittingall sizes | $862,974 | $321,382middle half $209,250 to $454,896 | $125,761 | $16,302 | 13.5 yrs | 76 |
| Seafood & Sushi Restaurantsasking 500K to 1M | $758,054 | $306,000middle half $240,000 to $350,000 | $110,471 | $16,294 | 9 yrs | 41 |
| Care Homes & Home Careasking 250K to 500KUnder 1.5x earnings: often includes a licensed owner's own pay | $288,150 | $237,375middle half $137,246 to $285,302 | $41,992 | $16,282 | 16 yrs | 104 |
| Roofingasking 500K to 1M | $738,572 | $292,481middle half $217,500 to $338,453 | $107,632 | $15,404 | 15 yrs | 36 |
| Environmental & Waste Servicesasking 250K to 500KUnder 1.5x earnings: often includes a licensed owner's own pay | $299,119 | $228,300middle half $118,950 to $274,149 | $43,591 | $15,392 | 7 yrs | 71 |
| HVACasking 100K to 250KUnder 1.5x earnings: often includes a licensed owner's own pay | $217,540 | $213,400middle half $125,000 to $221,948 | $31,702 | $15,141 | 15 yrs | 81 |
| Carpentry & Joineryall sizes | $770,083 | $288,000middle half $127,219 to $360,955 | $112,224 | $14,648 | 22 yrs | 114 |
| Medical Practicesasking 500K to 1M | $730,660 | $280,000middle half $211,861 to $378,130 | $106,479 | $14,460 | 19 yrs | 87 |
| Glazingasking 250K to 500K | $427,039 | $235,426middle half $124,209 to $273,940 | $62,232 | $14,433 | 21 yrs | 50 |
| Building & Property Maintenanceasking 500K to 1M | $777,154 | $286,129middle half $221,745 to $361,654 | $113,254 | $14,406 | 10 yrs | 40 |
With more cash
- Management Consulting: about $102,339 down on a $1,023,393 business (all sizes), $23,889 a month after the loan.
- Veterinary Clinics: about $105,605 down on a $1,056,046 business (all sizes), $13,009 a month after the loan.
- Plastics & Glass Manufacturing: about $107,068 down on a $1,070,683 business (all sizes), $11,992 a month after the loan.
- IT Services: about $130,743 down on a $1,307,425 business (all sizes), $15,016 a month after the loan.
- Construction Supply: about $186,675 down on a $1,866,749 business (all sizes), $13,395 a month after the loan.
- Civil Engineering: about $307,602 down on a $3,076,017 business (all sizes), $30,233 a month after the loan.
Short answer
Most established small businesses earn their owner $10,000 a month before any loan: in 100 of 122 industries, the median business for sale states $120,000+ a year in owner earnings (SDE). The catch is the purchase loan. With $100,000 down on standard SBA terms, the typical business still leaves $10,000 a month after loan payments in 52 industries, led by dental practices, aviation and oil & gas.
What business makes $10,000 a month?
Measured by what owners of established businesses actually report, $10,000 a month is common. 100 of 122 industries have a median business stating at least $120,000 a year of seller's discretionary earnings (SDE), the profit before the owner's own pay. The question that matters is what is left after you pay for the business. With $100,000 in cash and a 10% down SBA-style loan, 52 business types have a typical business in your price range that still clears $10,000 a month after loan payments. These lead:
| Business type | Typical price | Median owner earnings | Take-home after loan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Practices | $362,351 | $399,373 a year | $28,881 a month |
| Aviation | $426,784 | $406,887 a year | $28,724 a month |
| Oil & Gas | $798,606 | $385,000 a year | $22,385 a month |
| Legal Services | $883,817 | $351,209 a year | $18,534 a month |
| Energy Services | $859,346 | $333,623 a year | $17,366 a month |
| Kitchen & Bathroom Fitting | $862,974 | $321,382 a year | $16,302 a month |
| Seafood & Sushi Restaurants | $758,054 | $306,000 a year | $16,294 a month |
| Care Homes & Home Care | $288,150 | $237,375 a year | $16,282 a month |
| Roofing | $738,572 | $292,481 a year | $15,404 a month |
| Environmental & Waste Services | $299,119 | $228,300 a year | $15,392 a month |
Home and trade services such as HVAC, plumbing, roofing and lawn care make up the largest group, because a lot of their earnings is the owner's own work and they sell for modest multiples. Our study of the most profitable small businesses ranks all of them by owner earnings and margin.
What business makes $1,000 a day?
$1,000 a day is about $365,000 a year. Before any loan, the median business clears that in only 9 of 122 industries. After paying for one, it is out of reach: even with $300,000 down, no business type's typical business leaves $1,000 a day after the loan. Businesses that do make that much exist, but they are the top quarter of their industry, or larger companies with managers, not typical owner-operated ones.
What business can make $500 a day?
$500 a day is about $15,200 a month. Before any loan, 57 of 122 industries have a median business at that level. After buying one with $150,000 down, 13 business types still clear it. Use the $500 a day button in the tool to see them.
How much money do you need to buy a business that makes $10,000 a month?
On our data, the first business types appear at about $20,000 of cash, and the list grows quickly: 20 types at $50,000, 52 at $100,000 and 64 at $250,000. Below that, the loan payments on any established business large enough to earn $120,000 a year eat too much of the earnings. Seller financing can stretch your cash, and our budget guide shows what each price band buys.
What business can I start with $10,000?
$10,000 rarely buys an established business that pays a salary. It does start a service business where you are the product: commercial cleaning, lawn care, painting, pool service or bookkeeping. Established businesses in each of those types clear $10,000 a month after the loan in our data, so starting one is a path to the same income, just slower. Our guides to what business to start and what it costs to start a business cover the start path.
Why “makes $10,000 a month” and “pays you $10,000 a month” are different
Lists of businesses that make $10,000 a month quote revenue or owner earnings and stop there. If you buy the business, you also pay for it. A $500,000 purchase with 10% down at 10.5% over 10 years costs about $73,000 a year in loan payments, which is most of $10,000 a month. That is why the tool subtracts the loan, and why a cheaper business with lower earnings often pays you more in the first ten years.
Two more gaps to keep in mind. Take-home here is before your income tax. And many of these businesses need you working in them full time; a very low price compared with earnings (under 1.5x) usually means the earnings include a licensed professional's own pay, as with dentists and pilots. Our study of how long businesses last adds the other half of the picture: which types keep going for decades.
How the tool works, and its limits
| Step | How | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| What you can pay | Cash ÷ down payment share, loan capped at the $5M SBA 7(a) maximum | Lenders also look at your credit, experience and the business's tax returns |
| Typical business | Median SDE in each asking-price band × that band's median asking multiple, 30+ listings per figure | Half of businesses earn less than the median; earnings are stated by sellers |
| Take-home | Median SDE minus annual payments on a fully amortising loan | Before income tax, capex and working capital; assumes you run it yourself |
| Prices | Asking prices from U.S. listings in BigIdeasDB's Main Street Index | Asking, not sold; deals usually close lower, which would raise take-home |
Data as of 2026-09-30. Method and every known gap are in the Main Street Index docs. Found a listing? Check its asking price with the free Business Price Checker.
Frequently asked questions
What business makes $10,000 a month?
Most established ones, before you pay for them: in 100 of 122 industries the median U.S. business for sale states $120,000+ a year in owner earnings (SDE). After buying one with $100,000 down on standard SBA terms, 52 business types still have a typical business that clears $10,000 a month, led by dental practices, aviation and oil & gas.
What business makes $1,000 a day?
$1,000 a day is about $365,000 a year. The median business clears that before any loan in only 9 of 122 industries, and after the purchase loan no business type's typical business does, even with $300,000 down. Businesses that make $1,000 a day exist, but they are the top quarter of their industry or larger companies with managers.
What business can make $500 a day?
$500 a day is about $15,200 a month. Before any loan, 57 of 122 industries have a median business at that level; after buying one with $150,000 down, 13 business types still clear it.
How much money do I need to buy a business that makes $10,000 a month?
On U.S. listings, the first business types that leave $10,000 a month after the loan appear at about $20,000 of cash with 10% down. At $50,000 it is 20 types, at $100,000 it is 52 and at $250,000 it is 64.
What business can I start with $10,000?
A service business where you do the work: commercial cleaning, lawn care, painting, pool service or bookkeeping. $10,000 rarely buys an established business that pays a salary, but established businesses in each of those types clear $10,000 a month after the loan in our data.
Is the take-home figure after tax?
No. Take-home is the median owner earnings (SDE) minus loan payments, before your income tax, capital spending and working capital. It also assumes you run the business yourself.
Why do some businesses show earnings almost as high as their price?
A multiple under about 1.5x usually means the earnings include a licensed professional's own pay, as in dental practices or aviation, or that the business depends heavily on the owner. Those earnings are partly a salary for a job you would need to be qualified to do.
Where does the data come from?
BigIdeasDB's Main Street Index: U.S. business-for-sale listings from BizBuySell and BusinessesForSale, with businesses listed twice counted once. Each figure uses an industry and asking-price band with at least 30 listings that state both price and owner earnings. Asking prices, not closed sales.