Analysis
NAICS 541 is the 2022 subsector for professional, scientific, and technical services, part of 54 (Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services). Census lists 557 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 989,182 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 10,401,442 people at an average annual payroll of $107,141 per employee (87th percentile of national industries). 71% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
Across its national industries Census lists 557 index entries; typical ones are attorneys' offices, settlement offices, real estate, jury consulting services and accountants' (i.e., CPAs) offices, certified public.
It splits into 9 more detailed codes. The largest by establishments is 5416 (Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services) with 225,945.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 7% and employment rose 14%. 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.
Its more detailed codes are 5411 Legal Services (181,092 establishments), 5412 Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (137,069 establishments), 5413 Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (117,417 establishments), 5414 Specialized Design Services (37,685 establishments), 5415 Computer Systems Design and Related Services (145,813 establishments) and 5416 Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (225,945 establishments) and 3 more.
Official definition
Industries in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services subsector group establishments engaged in processes where human capital is the major input. These establishments make available the knowledge and skills of their employees, often on an assignment basis, where an individual or team is responsible for the delivery of services to the client. The individual industries of this subsector are defined on the basis of the particular expertise and training of the services provider.
The distinguishing feature of the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services subsector is the fact that most of the industries grouped in it have production processes that are almost wholly dependent on worker skills. Thus, the establishments classified in this subsector sell expertise. Much of the expertise requires degrees, though not in every case.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Index entries (557)
- Attorneys' offices
- Settlement offices, real estate
- Jury consulting services
- Accountants' (i.e., CPAs) offices, certified public
- Income tax compilation services
- Motion picture production payroll services
- Accountants' (except CPAs) offices
- Architects' (except landscape) offices
- Architects' offices, landscape
- Acoustical engineering consulting services
- Blueprint drafting services
- Building inspection bureaus
- Aerial geophysical surveying services
- Aerial surveying (except geophysical) services
- Acoustics testing laboratories or services
- Decorating consulting services, interior
- Automobile industrial design services
- Art services, commercial
- Clothing design services
- Applications software programming services, custom computer
- Audio visual and IT (information technology) systems integration design services
- Computer systems facilities (i.e., clients' facilities) management and operation services
- Computer disaster recovery services
- Administrative management consulting services
- Actuarial consulting services (except insurance actuarial services)
- Customer service management consulting services
- Customs consulting services
- Telecommunications management consulting services
- Ecological restoration consulting services
- Agricultural consulting services
- Nanobiotechnologies research and experimental development laboratories
- Biotechnology research and development laboratories or services (except nanobiotechnology research and development)
- Aerospace research and development (except prototype production)
- Archeological research and development services
- Advertising agencies
- Lobbying services
- Media buying agencies
- Advertising media representatives (i.e., independent of media owners)
- Advertising services, indoor or outdoor display
- Advertising material preparation services for mailing or other direct distribution