MSP·SIGNAL

Operating picture · measured 2026-08-11

The median US MSP has 9 employees. 52% are under 10.

This is a small-business industry, whatever the conference stage suggests.

9

employees at the median US MSP

17,792 in-scope firms with a headcount on file. as of 2026-08-11.

MSPs with a headcount on file
52.0% Under 10 employees · 9,25210 or more employees · 8,540

base 17,792

What we found

Across 17,792 firms with a headcount on file, the median MSP employs nine people. Just over half — 52% — have fewer than ten.

The industry's public conversation is shaped by firms an order of magnitude larger than the median. The typical provider is a nine-person business.

Why it matters

It explains most of the other findings on this page. A nine-person firm does not have a marketing function, which is why the blog is dead and the pricing page does not exist. It has one person who does sales alongside delivery.

It also explains why buyer-side diligence is hard: at this size the difference between firms is largely the difference between individuals, and that does not show up in a capabilities deck.

What this number can't tell you

  • ·Headcount is on file for 17,792 of 21,555 in-scope firms; the remainder are excluded rather than assumed.
  • ·Employment figures come from public sources and lag real headcount, particularly for firms that grew recently.

What to do about it

  • ▸Benchmark against the median, not the conference stage. Nine people is the market.
  • ▸At this size, the highest-leverage marketing investment is usually the one that does not need maintaining — a complete profile, listed certifications, a working booking link.

Where does your firm sit on this?

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More findings

◂ All twelve findings