NAICS

The Area and Industry Statistics sections of the ocouha website (on most occupation information pages) displays earnings and employment data by "2-digit" NAICS industry sector code. Additional earnings and employment data, by "2-digit" and "3-digit" NAICS code are shown on the OES Estimates by Industry pages.

NAICS, (pronounced nakes or na-icks) is the North American Industry Classification System. It is the official system used by U.S. government (and also the Canadian and Mexican government) statistical agencies to define industries. Once industries are defined and employers are assigned to the proper industry classification, various industry statistics can be calculated and published.

NAICS allows every establishment (that is, every employer: places of business or economic activity such as a factories, offices, stores, also non-profit corporations and government organizations) to be classified with other similar establishments thus defining an industry.

NAICS is a taxonomy system, a containment hierarchy, wherein supersets are broken down into smaller subsets, which are also divided into yet smaller subsets. The smallest sets are the "6-digit" industries (so called because they are assigned 6-digit industry codes). These are combined to form "5 digit" industry groups, which then combine to form "4-digit" groups, and so on. The broadest sets, with 2-digit codes, are called sectors.

For example, all establishments engaged in Automobile Manufacturing are assigned to NAICS code 336111. Establishments that are engaged in Light Truck and Utility Vehicle Manufacturing are assigned to NAICS code 336112. Both of these "6-digit" industries are part of the "5-digit" industry group NAICS 33611 - Automobile and Light Duty Motor Vehicle Manufacturing. This "5-digit" industry group, along with others, is part of NAICS 3361 - Motor Vehicle Manufacturing. Along with other "4-digit" industry groups, NAICS 3361 is part of the "3-digit" industry group known as NAICS 336 - Transportation Equipment Manufacturing. Along with other manufacturers, NAICS 336 is part of the "2-digit" sector NAICS 31-33 - Manufacturing.

Similarly, Full-Service Restaurants (NAICS 7221), Limited-Service Eating Places (NAICS 7222), Special Food Services (NAICS 7223), and Drinking Places (NAICS 7224) are combined to form Food Services and Drinking Places (NAICS 722). The Food Services and Drinking Places industry group and the Accommodation industry group (NAICS 721) combined form the Accommodation and Food Services sector (NAICS 72).

The NAICS sectors:

• Sector 11
  - Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
• Sector 21
  - Mining
• Sector 23
  - Construction
• Sector 31-33
  - Manufacturing
• Sector 42
  - Wholesale trade
• Sector 44-45
  - Retail trade
• Sector 48-49
  - Transportation and warehousing
• Sector 22
  - Utilities
• Sector 51
  - Information
• Sector 52
  - Finance and insurance
• Sector 53
  - Real estate and rental and leasing
• Sector 54
  - Professional, scientific, and technical services
• Sector 55
  - Management of companies and enterprises
• Sector 56
  - Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
• Sector 61
  - Education services
• Sector 62
  - Health care and social assistance
• Sector 71
  - Arts, entertainment, and recreation
• Sector 72
  - Accommodation and food services
• Sector 81
  - Other services, except public administration
• Sector 92
  - Public administration

For more information, see North American Industry Classification System (U.S. Census Bureau) and North American Industry Classification System at BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics). A brief statistical overview of the NAICS sectors can be found on Industry at a Glance (BLS).