Analysis
NAICS 541511 is the 2022 national industry for custom computer programming services, part of 54151 (Computer Systems Design and Related Services). Census lists 18 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 68,051 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 1,012,250 people at an average annual payroll of $124,254 per employee (92nd percentile of national industries). 72% 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 Computer Systems Design and Related Services, with 46.7% of them.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include applications software programming services, custom computer, computer program or software development, custom, computer programming services, custom and computer software analysis and design services, custom, among 18 in all.
Census lists 3 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 513210, 518210 and 541512. 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, software design, development, and publishing, or software publishing only are classified in 513210 (Software Publishers) instead.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in writing, modifying, testing, and supporting software to meet the needs of a particular customer.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Software design, development, and publishing, or software publishing only | 513210 Software Publishers |
| Providing computing infrastructure, data processing services, Web hosting services (except software publishing), and related services, including streaming support services (except streaming distribution services) | 518210 Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services |
| Planning and designing computer systems that integrate computer hardware, software, and communication technologies, even though such establishments may provide custom software as an integral part of their services | 541512 Computer Systems Design Services |
Index entries (18)
- Applications software programming services, custom computer
- Computer program or software development, custom
- Computer programming services, custom
- Computer software analysis and design services, custom
- Computer software programming services, custom
- Computer software support services, custom
- Industrial robot automation applications/software design and development services
- Industrial robot programming services
- Machine vision software design and development services
- Material handling robot applications/software design and development services
- Programming services, custom computer
- Robotics applications/software design and development services
- Robotics process automation software design and development services
- Search engine optimization (SEO) services, custom (except hosting and infrastructure support services)
- Software analysis and design services, custom computer
- Software programming services, custom computer
- Web (i.e., Internet) page design services, custom
- Welding robot applications/software design and development services