Analysis
NAICS 621511 is the 2022 national industry for medical laboratories, part of 62151 (Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories). Census lists 19 example activities under it in the official index.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 38% and employment rose 16%. 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 16,635 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 232,333 people at an average annual payroll of $74,156 per employee (60th percentile of national industries). 69% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
By establishments it ranks 1st of the 2 codes at this level within Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories, with 70.5% of them.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include bacteriological laboratories, diagnostic, bacteriological laboratories, medical, biological laboratories, diagnostic and blood analysis laboratories, among 19 in all.
Census lists 4 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 339116, 339115, 339113 and 621999. 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 known as medical laboratories primarily engaged in providing analytic or diagnostic services, including body fluid analysis, generally to the medical profession or to the patient on referral from a health practitioner.
Illustrative Examples:
Blood analysis laboratories Medical pathology laboratories Medical bacteriological laboratories Medical testing laboratories Medical forensic laboratories
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Establishments known as dental laboratories primarily engaged in making dentures, artificial teeth, and orthodontic appliances to prescription | 339116 Dental Laboratories |
| Establishments known as optical laboratories primarily engaged in grinding lenses to prescription | 339115 Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
| Establishments known as orthopedic laboratories primarily engaged in making orthopedic or prosthetic appliances to prescription | 339113 Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing |
| Providing health screening or physical fitness evaluation services (except by offices of health practitioners) | 621999 All Other Miscellaneous Ambulatory Health Care Services |
Index entries (19)
- Bacteriological laboratories, diagnostic
- Bacteriological laboratories, medical
- Biological laboratories, diagnostic
- Blood analysis laboratories
- Cytology health laboratories
- DNA testing laboratories
- Forensic laboratories, medical
- Genetic testing laboratories
- Laboratories, medical (except radiological, X-ray)
- Laboratory testing services, medical (except radiological, X-ray)
- Medical laboratories (except radiological, X-ray)
- Medical pathology laboratories
- Mycology health laboratories
- Parasitology health laboratories
- Pathological analysis laboratories
- Pathology laboratories, medical
- Testing laboratories, medical
- Toxicology health laboratories
- Urinalysis laboratories