Small business employment

Small businesses (defined as having fewer than 500 employees) represent a major part of the economy and account for 50% of employment in the United States, and according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, create 60 to 80% of new jobs.

The U.S. Bureau of the Census reports that of 113.4 million non-farm private sector workers in 2003, small firms with fewer than 500 workers employed 57.4 million (50.6%). Firms with fewer than 100 employees employed 41.0 million (36%).