Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) Statistics
Last updated: June 2026 · 5 sourced statistics
Days sales outstanding measures how long revenue sits in receivables before becoming cash. The metric varies enormously by industry — construction can run triple the DSO of software — but cross-industry benchmarks give a useful baseline. Sources: The Hackett Group, the Credit Research Foundation, Atradius, and QuickBooks.
Key takeaways
- Large US companies average around 40 days DSO (Hackett Group).
- Median US DSO in credit-industry surveys sits in the high 30s (Credit Research Foundation).
- Each 10-day DSO improvement on $1M of annual revenue frees roughly $27,000 of working capital.
At a glance
Every figure on this page in one table, each linked to its named source. Scroll down for the full context behind each number.
| Figure | What it measures | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~40 days | DSO for the 1,000 largest US public companies averages around 40 days (The Hackett Group working capital survey). | The Hackett Group | 2024 |
| high 30s | Credit-industry benchmarking consistently places median US DSO in the high 30s (Credit Research Foundation member surveys). | Credit Research Foundation | 2024 |
| ~10% | Nearly 1 in 10 US small-business invoices is over 30 days past due — directly inflating effective DSO (QuickBooks). | Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Late Payments Report | 2025 |
| 40% | With 40% of North American B2B invoice value overdue (Atradius), realized DSO routinely runs 1–3 weeks past stated terms. | Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, North America | 2025 |
| $27K | A 10-day DSO improvement on $1 million of annual credit sales releases roughly $27,000 of working capital (10/365 × revenue) — pure balance-sheet math. | Standard working-capital formula | 2026 |
The statistics
DSO for the 1,000 largest US public companies averages around 40 days (The Hackett Group working capital survey).
Source:The Hackett Group2024
Credit-industry benchmarking consistently places median US DSO in the high 30s (Credit Research Foundation member surveys).
Source:Credit Research Foundation2024
Nearly 1 in 10 US small-business invoices is over 30 days past due — directly inflating effective DSO (QuickBooks).
Source:Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Late Payments Report2025
With 40% of North American B2B invoice value overdue (Atradius), realized DSO routinely runs 1–3 weeks past stated terms.
Source:Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, North America2025
A 10-day DSO improvement on $1 million of annual credit sales releases roughly $27,000 of working capital (10/365 × revenue) — pure balance-sheet math.
Source:Standard working-capital formula2026
When these numbers don't apply
Aggregate statistics hide a lot. Read these caveats before quoting a figure as if it describes your specific situation.
- DSO is highly industry-specific — compare against your sector, not a cross-industry average.
- Seasonal businesses see DSO swing widely within a year; a single-quarter reading can mislead.
- The $27K working-capital figure is straight arithmetic (10/365 × revenue), an illustration rather than a measured outcome.
How we compiled this data
Compiled June 2026 from The Hackett Group's working capital research, Credit Research Foundation benchmarks, Atradius and QuickBooks surveys, plus standard formula-derived illustrations (labeled as such). Industry-specific DSO varies widely; treat cross-industry averages as orientation, not targets.
We hand-collected each figure from its original publisher rather than recycling secondary round-ups, cross-checked the headline numbers against the source documents in June 2026, and link every statistic to the report it came from so you can verify it yourself. Where a publisher issues annual updates, we cite the report edition and flag the year inline.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate DSO?
DSO = (Average accounts receivable ÷ Total credit sales) × Number of days in the period. Calculate it quarterly on trailing data for stability.
What's a healthy DSO?
Under 35 days is strong for most B2B businesses; large-company averages run around 40 (Hackett). Construction, government contracting, and healthcare naturally run higher.
Why does DSO matter?
It quantifies how much cash is trapped in receivables. Every 10 days of DSO on $1M of revenue ties up about $27K you can't spend, invest, or use as buffer.
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