Which industries create the most jobs per SBA dollar?
SBA 7(a) and 504 loans report supporting 11,014,159 jobs, about 22.1 jobs for every $1M lent. But that ratio swings widely by industry: Administrative and Support reports 40.2, roughly 4.7x Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing.
By Mario Bailey·
Source: SBA FOIA 7(a) and 504 data, as of 2026-03-31
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What we measured. Jobs supported (as reported on each
loan) divided by dollars approved, by industry sector, for sectors with at least 5,000 loans.
Jobs counts are self-reported by borrowers, and this is a ratio, not a causal estimate.
Jobs reported per $1M lent, by industry
Administrative and Support 40.2 jobs/$1M · 49,366 loans
Construction 28.7 jobs/$1M · 113,705 loans
Educational Services 26.5 jobs/$1M · 15,056 loans
Accommodation and Food Services 26.3 jobs/$1M · 135,354 loans
Transportation and Warehousing 25.5 jobs/$1M · 53,302 loans
Labor-intensive sectors like Administrative and Support report the most jobs per dollar, while
capital-intensive sectors like Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing report the fewest, because their loans
fund real estate and equipment more than payroll. It is a useful lens on the economic footprint
of SBA lending, not a measure of which businesses are better bets. See how lending breaks down by
industry.
Method, sources, and disclaimer. Computed from the public
SBA FOIA 7(a) and 504 data (as of 2026-03-31); see our
methodology. Jobs supported is a
borrower-reported field. SBA Loan Index is not affiliated with the SBA and is not a lender,
broker, or financial advisor.
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