Analysis
NAICS 236220 is the 2022 national industry for commercial and institutional building construction, part of 23622 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction). Census lists 101 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 39,072 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 640,858 people at an average annual payroll of $97,254 per employee (82nd percentile of national industries). 48% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include addition, alteration and renovation, commercial and…, addition, alteration and renovation, commercial warehouse, addition, alteration and renovation, for-sale builders… and addition, alteration and renovation, for-sale builders…, among 101 in all.
Census lists 3 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 2371, 238 and 5311. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
For example, constructing structures that are integral parts of utility systems (e.g., storage tanks, pumping stations) or are used to produce products for these systems (e.g., power plants, refineries) are classified in 2371 (Utility System Construction, based on the type of construction project) instead.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction (including new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs) of commercial and institutional buildings and related structures, such as stadiums, grain elevators, and indoor swimming facilities. This industry includes establishments responsible for the on-site assembly of modular or prefabricated commercial and institutional buildings. Included in this industry are commercial and institutional building general contractors, commercial and institutional building for-sale builders, commercial and institutional building design-build firms, and commercial and institutional building project construction management firms.
Illustrative Examples:
Airport building construction Office building construction Arena construction Parking garage construction Barrack construction Prison construction Farm building construction Radio and television broadcast studio construction Fire station construction Grain elevator or bin construction Data center construction Religious building (e.g., church, synagogue, mosque, temple) construction Restaurant construction Hospital construction School building construction Hotel construction Shopping mall construction Indoor swimming facility construction Warehouse construction (e.g., commercial, industrial, manufacturing, private)
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Constructing structures that are integral parts of utility systems (e.g., storage tanks, pumping stations) or are used to produce products for these systems (e.g., power plants, refineries) | 2371 Utility System Construction, based on the type of construction project |
| Performing specialized construction work on commercial and institutional buildings, generally on a subcontract basis | 238 Specialty Trade Contractors |
| Constructing buildings on their own account for rent or lease | 5311 Lessors of Real Estate |
Index entries (101)
- Addition, alteration and renovation, commercial and institutional building
- Addition, alteration and renovation, commercial warehouse
- Addition, alteration and renovation, for-sale builders, commercial and institutional building
- Addition, alteration and renovation, for-sale builders, commercial warehouse
- Addition, alteration and renovation, for-sale builders, hotel and motel
- Addition, alteration and renovation, for-sale builders, industrial warehouse
- Addition, alteration and renovation, general contractors, commercial and institutional building
- Addition, alteration and renovation, general contractors, commercial warehouse
- Addition, alteration and renovation, general contractors, hotel and motel
- Addition, alteration and renovation, general contractors, industrial warehouse
- Addition, alteration and renovation, hotel and motel
- Addition, alteration and renovation, industrial warehouse
- Administration building construction
- Airport building construction
- Airport terminal construction
- Amusement facility construction
- Animal shelter and clinic construction
- Arena construction
- Armory construction
- Athletic court, indoor, construction
- Auditorium construction
- Bank building construction
- Barber shop construction
- Barrack construction
- Beauty salon construction
- Broadcasting station construction
- Bunkhouse construction
- Bus shelter construction
- Bus terminal construction
- Casino construction
- Cinema construction
- Civic center construction
- Clinic construction
- Cold storage plant construction
- Commercial building construction
- Commercial building construction for-sale builders
- Commercial building construction general contractors
- Construction management, commercial and institutional building
- Data center construction
- Dormitory construction