Analysis
NAICS 541211 is the 2022 national industry for offices of certified public accountants, part of 54121 (Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services). Census lists 13 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 55,052 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 604,209 people at an average annual payroll of $100,691 per employee (84th percentile of national industries). 65% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
By establishments it ranks 1st of the 4 codes at this level within Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services, with 40.2% of them.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include accountants' (i.e., CPAs) offices, certified public, accountants' (i.e., CPAs) private practices, certified…, accounting (i.e., CPAs) services, certified public and auditing accountants' (i.e., CPAs) offices, among 13 in all.
Census lists 3 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 541213, 541214 and 541219. 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, providing tax return preparation services only are classified in 541213 (Tax Preparation Services) instead.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments of accountants that are certified to audit the accounting records of public and private organizations and to attest to compliance with generally accepted accounting practices. Offices of certified public accountants (CPAs) may provide one or more of the following accounting services: (1) auditing financial statements; (2) designing accounting systems; (3) preparing financial statements; (4) developing budgets; and (5) providing advice on matters related to accounting. These establishments may also provide related services, such as bookkeeping, tax return preparation, and payroll processing.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
Index entries (13)
- Accountants' (i.e., CPAs) offices, certified public
- Accountants' (i.e., CPAs) private practices, certified public
- Accounting (i.e., CPAs) services, certified public
- Auditing accountants' (i.e., CPAs) offices
- Auditing accountants' (i.e., CPAs) private practices
- Auditing services (i.e., CPA services), accounts
- Auditors' (i.e., CPAs) offices, accounts
- Auditors' (i.e., CPAs) private practices, accounts
- Certified accountants' offices
- Certified public accountants' (CPAs) offices
- CPAs' (certified public accountants) offices
- Public accountants' (CPAs) offices, certified
- Public accountants' (CPAs) private practices, certified