Analysis
NAICS 561311 is the 2022 national industry for employment placement agencies, part of 56131 (Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services). Census lists 32 example activities under it in the official index.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 23% and employment rose 54%. 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.
County Business Patterns counts 7,679 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 329,566 people at an average annual payroll of $49,577 per employee (17th percentile of national industries). 54% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
By establishments it ranks 1st of the 2 codes at this level within Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services, with 56.6% of them.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include babysitting bureaus (i.e., registries), casting agencies (i.e., motion picture, theatrical, video), casting agencies, motion picture or video and casting agencies, theatrical, among 32 in all.
Census lists 4 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 561312, 561320, 561330 and 711410. 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.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in listing employment vacancies and in recruiting, referring, or placing applicants for employment. The individuals referred or placed are not employees of the employment agencies.
Illustrative Examples:
Babysitting bureaus (i.e., registries) Employment registries Model registries Casting agencies or bureaus (i.e., motion picture, theatrical, video) Employment agencies
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Providing executive search, recruitment, and placement services | 561312 Executive Search Services |
| Supplying their own employees for limited periods of time to supplement the working force of a client's business | 561320 Temporary Help Services |
| Providing human resources and human resource management services to client businesses and households | 561330 Professional Employer Organizations |
| Representing models, entertainers, athletes, and other public figures as their agent or manager | 711410 Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures |
Index entries (32)
- Babysitting bureaus (i.e., registries)
- Casting agencies (i.e., motion picture, theatrical, video)
- Casting agencies, motion picture or video
- Casting agencies, theatrical
- Casting bureaus (e.g., motion picture, theatrical, video)
- Casting bureaus, motion picture or video
- Casting bureaus, theatrical
- Chauffeur registries
- Employee recruitment services (non-executive)
- Employment agencies
- Employment agencies, motion picture or video
- Employment agencies, radio or television
- Employment agencies, theatrical
- Employment placement agencies or services
- Employment referral agencies or services
- Employment registries
- Internet job listing services, including intermediary platform services
- Internet resume listing services, including intermediary platform services
- Maid registries
- Model registries
- Nurse registries
- Online employment registries or listing services, including intermediary platform services
- Placement agencies or services, employment
- Referral agencies or services, employment
- Registries, employment
- Registries, teacher
- Ship crew employment agencies
- Ship crew registries
- State operated employment job services offices
- Teacher registries
- Television employment agencies
- Theatrical employment agencies