NAICS 2022 · in 51821
518210
Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
Analysis
NAICS 518210 is the 2022 national industry for computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services, part of 51821 (Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services). Census lists 32 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 18,544 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 629,527 people at an average annual payroll of $147,665 per employee (96th percentile of national industries). 56% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Census lists 12 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 516210, 512191, 561410 and 513210. 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.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include application hosting (excluding software publishing), automated data processing services, cloud computing services (except software publishing and… and cloud storage services, among 32 in all.
For example, providing video and audio streaming distribution services are classified in 516210 (Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers) instead.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 6% and employment rose 15%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing computing infrastructure, data processing services, Web hosting services (except software publishing), and related services, including streaming support services (except streaming distribution services). Data processing establishments provide complete processing and specialized reports from data supplied by clients or provide automated data processing and data entry services.
Illustrative Examples:
Application hosting Cloud storage services Computer data storage services Computing platform infrastructure provision Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) Optical scanning services Platform as a service (PaaS) Video and audio technical streaming support services Web hosting
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Providing video and audio streaming distribution services | 516210 Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers |
| Providing audiovisual postproduction services, including film/tape transfers and digitization (except digitization as a technical streaming support service) | 512191 Teleproduction and Other Postproduction Services |
| Providing text processing and related document preparation activities | 561410 Document Preparation Services |
| Software design, development, and publishing, or software publishing only | 513210 Software Publishers |
| Developing custom software to meet the needs of a particular customer, without providing infrastructure or hosting services | 541511 Custom Computer Programming Services |
| Providing computer hardware, software, and communication technologies integration services, with or without product sales | 541512 Computer Systems Design Services |
| Selling computer hardware, packaged software, and communications equipment without providing systems integration services | 42 Wholesale Trade, or Sector 44-45, Retail Trade |
| Providing on-site management and operation of a client's data processing facilities | 541513 Computer Facilities Management Services |
| Providing wired broadband Internet access services using own operated telecommunications infrastructure, in combination with Web hosting | 517111 Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
| Providing Internet access via client-supplied telecommunications connections in combination with Web hosting | 517810 All Other Telecommunications |
| Operating Web search portals | 519290 Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services |
| Providing access to computers and office equipment, as well as other office support services | 56143 Business Service Centers |
Index entries (32)
- Application hosting (excluding software publishing)
- Automated data processing services
- Cloud computing services (except software publishing and computer systems design)
- Cloud storage services
- Colocation services (i.e., rental of server and networking space in data centers)
- Computer data storage services
- Computer input preparation services
- Computer time leasing
- Computer time rental
- Computer time sharing services
- Computing infrastructure provision
- Computing platform infrastructure provision
- Data capture imaging services
- Data entry services
- Data processing computer services
- Data processing services (except payroll services, financial transaction processing services)
- Disk and diskette conversion services
- Disk and diskette recertification services
- Electronic data processing services
- Game server hosting providers
- Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
- Media streaming data storage services
- Media streaming technical support services
- Microfiche recording and imaging services
- Microfilm recording and imaging services
- Optical scanning services
- Platform as a service (PaaS)
- Scanning services, optical
- Video and audio technical streaming support services
- Video tape and film stock technical streaming support services
- Virtual currency (cryptocurrency) mining
- Web hosting (excluding software publishing)