BUS 200: Principles of Marketing: Industry Classification

Businesses identify North American Industry Classification codes to their business establishments when they participate in federal data collection and reporting. You'll find them useful if you search data.census.gov, and other federal business data sources. Many research resources, such as databases, utilize NAICS codes for searching purposes, to provide a uniform name for industries.

The system divides the North American economy into sectors that are represented by 2-digit numeric codes. Sub-sectors are represented by larger and larger numbers up to 6-digit codes. Some subscription databases further extend these codes to identify and provide data on even smaller sectors.

Examples:

11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting

22 Utilities

31-33 Manufacturing

44-45 Retail Trade

48-49 Transportation and Warehousing

71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

72 Accommodation and Food Services

Note: some subscription databases also display "SIC" / Standard Industrial Classification numbers, which have not been updated since 1987 but are still widely used. See "What is the difference between NAICS Codes and SIC Codes?" for more information.

* Search NAICS: Search or browse the NAICS system directly.

OR

* Acquire NAICS code from company profile using Mergent Market Atlas -- Look up a company and then look for Description and Contact Information on the Overview page. Best if the company is publicly traded.