541840

Analysis

NAICS 541840 is the 2022 national industry for media representatives, part of 54184 (Media Representatives). Census lists 8 example activities under it in the official index.

County Business Patterns counts 1,233 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 23,093 people at an average annual payroll of $133,056 per employee (95th percentile of national industries). 77% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.

Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include advertising media representatives (i.e., independent of…, magazine advertising representatives (i.e., independent of…, media advertising representatives (i.e., independent of… and media representatives (i.e., independent of media owners), among 8 in all.

Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 7% and employment rose 34%. 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.

For example, purchasing advertising time or space from media outlets and reselling it directly to advertising agencies or individual companies are classified in 541830 (Media Buying Agencies) instead.

Census lists 2 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 541830 and 541810. 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.