Analysis
NAICS 62151 is the 2022 NAICS industry for medical and diagnostic laboratories, part of 6215 (Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories). Census lists 41 example activities under it in the official index.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 30% 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.
County Business Patterns counts 23,603 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 332,060 people at an average annual payroll of $74,389 per employee (61st percentile of national industries). 63% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
Across its national industries Census lists 41 index entries; typical ones are bacteriological laboratories, diagnostic and CAT (computerized axial tomography) scanner centers.
It splits into 2 more detailed codes. The largest by establishments is 621511 (Medical Laboratories) with 16,635.
For example, establishments, such as dental, optical, and orthopedic laboratories, primarily engaged in providing the following activities to the medical profession, respectively: making dentures, artificial teeth, and orthodontic… are classified in 33911 (Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing) instead.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments known as medical and diagnostic laboratories primarily engaged in providing analytic or diagnostic services, including body fluid analysis and diagnostic imaging, generally to the medical profession or to the patient on referral from a health practitioner.
Illustrative Examples:
Dental or medical X-ray laboratories Medical pathology laboratories Diagnostic imaging centers Medical testing laboratories Medical forensic laboratories
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Establishments, such as dental, optical, and orthopedic laboratories, primarily engaged in providing the following activities to the medical profession, respectively: making dentures, artificial teeth, and orthodontic appliances to prescription; grinding lenses to prescription; and making orthopedic or prosthetic appliances to prescription | 33911 Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing |
| Providing health screening or physical fitness evaluation services (except by offices of health practitioners) | 62199 All Other Ambulatory Health Care Services |
Index entries (41)
- Bacteriological laboratories, diagnostic
- CAT (computerized axial tomography) scanner centers