There is no single NAICS code for consulting. Many management, environmental, scientific, and technical consulting firms are classified in NAICS 5416, Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services, but consulting businesses can also belong in computer services, engineering, finance, advertising and public relations, employment services, education, and other industries.
The correct code follows the service the establishment primarily delivers. The word consultant, the client's industry, and the firm's preferred marketing label do not determine the NAICS classification by themselves.
The central classification question is what the client is actually buying: management advice, HR advice, marketing advice, logistics advice, environmental expertise, scientific or technical advice, computer systems design, engineering, investment advice, public relations, research, recruiting, training, or another service.
The table below covers common consulting searches under the 2022 NAICS structure. A business should not select 5416 simply because it calls itself a consulting firm. The boundary column shows when another industry better describes the service being sold.
| Consulting activity | 2022 NAICS | Industry | Classification boundary to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative, strategy, organizational, or general management consulting | 541611 | Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services | Use when the establishment provides operating advice and assistance on general or administrative management issues. Specialized HR, marketing, or logistics consulting can fit separate 54161 industries. |
| Human resources, benefits, compensation, or personnel-policy consulting | 541612 | Human Resources Consulting Services | HR advice belongs here. Executive recruitment and placement is a different activity and can fall in 561312. |
| Marketing strategy and marketing-management consulting | 541613 | Marketing Consulting Services | Marketing advice is different from creating and placing advertising campaigns, public relations campaigns, or conducting market research. |
| Operations, process, distribution, supply-chain, or logistics consulting | 541614 | Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services | Use for operating advice on processes, productivity, distribution, inventory, and logistics. Engineering design of industrial processes or systems can instead fit 541330. |
| Other management consulting not classified in 541611 through 541614 | 541618 | Other Management Consulting Services | 541618 is a residual management-consulting industry, not a generic code for every consultant. Check 541611, 541612, 541613, and 541614 first. |
| Environmental consulting | 541620 | Environmental Consulting Services | Use for advice and assistance on environmental issues. Engineering design and engineering services remain 541330 even when the subject is environmental. |
| Other scientific or technical consulting | 541690 | Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services | Use for scientific and technical advice not classified elsewhere and not environmental consulting. Engineering services and computer systems consulting have more specific industries. |
| Computer hardware, software, or systems integration consulting | 541512 | Computer Systems Design Services | Census includes computer hardware and software consulting and systems integration design here. Writing custom software for a client is 541511. |
| Custom software programming or development for clients | 541511 | Custom Computer Programming Services | If the deliverable is custom programming rather than advice or systems design, classify by the programming activity. |
| Engineering consulting and engineering design | 541330 | Engineering Services | Census explicitly includes engineering consulting services in 541330. Do not move engineering consulting into 541690 merely because the work is technical. |
| Financial management consulting, excluding investment advice | 541611 | Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services | Financial planning and budgeting for business management can fit 541611. Customized investment advice to clients is 523940. |
| Investment advice or portfolio management | 523940 | Portfolio Management and Investment Advice | This is a Finance and Insurance activity. It is not management consulting merely because the provider describes the service as financial consulting. |
| Public relations, lobbying, or political consulting | 541820 | Public Relations Agencies | Census includes public relations consulting and political consulting here. Marketing consulting under 541613 is a different activity. |
| Marketing research or public opinion research | 541910 | Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling | Gathering and presenting market or opinion data is different from advising a client on marketing strategy under 541613. |
| Executive search and executive placement consulting | 561312 | Executive Search Services | Recruiting and placement is an employment service. HR policy, benefits, and compensation consulting remain 541612. |
| Professional or management development training | 611430 | Professional and Management Development Training | Teaching courses or seminars is an educational service. Advising management on organizational or administrative issues can fit 541611. |
| Educational consulting and educational support | 611710 | Educational Support Services | Census includes educational consultants here. General management consulting to a school or university is still classified by the consulting service, not the client's education industry. |
NAICS 5416 is the main consulting industry group for establishments primarily engaged in providing advice and assistance to businesses and other organizations on management, environmental, scientific, and technical issues. It does not include every service marketed as consulting.
This group covers advice and assistance on management issues such as strategic and organizational planning, financial planning and budgeting, marketing objectives and policies, human resource policies and practices, production scheduling, process improvement, and related management matters.
Environmental consulting covers advice and assistance on environmental issues such as contamination, pollutants, hazardous materials, remediation planning, environmental risk, and related technical matters. The corresponding U.S. six-digit industry is 541620.
This group covers scientific and technical advice not classified in a more specific industry and excludes environmental consulting. Examples can include economic, energy, safety, security, biological, chemical, and other specialized technical consulting. The corresponding U.S. six-digit industry is 541690.
54161 should be narrowed when the management specialty is clear. The distinction is based on the subject of the management advice, not the client's industry.
| NAICS | Management consulting specialty | Typical subject of advice |
|---|---|---|
| 541611 | Administrative and general management | Strategy, organization, administrative management, financial planning and budgeting, site selection, business start-up, records management, and broad general-management engagements. |
| 541612 | Human resources | Personnel policies, employee benefits, compensation systems, wage and salary administration, and related HR advice. |
| 541613 | Marketing | Marketing objectives and policies, sales forecasting, product planning, pricing, licensing and franchise planning, and marketing strategy. |
| 541614 | Process, distribution, and logistics | Manufacturing operations improvement, productivity, production planning, quality systems, inventory, distribution networks, transportation, warehousing use, and materials management. |
| 541618 | Other management consulting | Management consulting not classified in the four more specific management-consulting industries. Telecommunications and utilities management consulting are included examples. |
541618 is not the default code for a consulting company. It should be used only after checking whether 541611, 541612, 541613, or 541614 more specifically describes the management consulting service.
Write a short description of what the consultant is paid to provide, such as HR policy advice, marketing strategy, computer systems design, engineering analysis, executive recruitment, or investment advice.
Management, environmental, scientific, and technical advice often fits 5416. Computer systems design, engineering, investment advice, public relations, recruiting, training, and other professional services can belong elsewhere.
If a specific six-digit industry fits, use it instead of a broader residual consulting category.
A firm that writes custom software, runs advertising campaigns, recruits executives, provides training, or manages client computer facilities may be classified by that operating service rather than by a consulting label.
When several activities are performed, identify the establishment's primary activity using the classification methodology appropriate to the purpose. Revenue can be useful evidence, but it is not an automatic universal rule.
There is no universal 51 percent revenue rule for assigning a NAICS code. The 2022 NAICS Manual describes measures tied to production, such as relative production costs and capital investment, as preferred conceptual measures for identifying the principal activity. Revenue, shipments, employment, and other available measures may be used as practical proxies when the preferred measures are not available.
A consulting firm should generally be classified by the service it provides, not by the industry of the client receiving the advice. A consultant serving hospitals, restaurants, manufacturers, utilities, or real estate companies can still belong in the same consulting industry if the underlying service is the same.
| Example | Code to review | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare strategy consultant | 541611 | The service is general or administrative management consulting even though the client operates in healthcare. |
| Restaurant marketing consultant | 541613 | The service is marketing advice rather than restaurant operations. |
| Manufacturing logistics consultant | 541614 | The service is process, distribution, and logistics consulting rather than manufacturing production. |
| Utility management consultant | 541618 | Census includes utilities management consulting in 541618. The client being a utility does not move the consultant into the Utilities sector. |
| Petroleum engineering consultant | 541330 | The service is engineering, so the engineering industry applies even though the client may be in oil and gas. |
| Educational consultant | 611710 | Census specifically includes educational consultants in Educational Support Services. |
IT consulting is not one six-digit NAICS industry. The classification depends on whether the establishment designs integrated computer systems, writes custom software, manages client systems or data-processing facilities, or provides another computer-related service.
| Technology service | NAICS | Boundary to check |
|---|---|---|
| Computer systems design, systems integration, hardware or software consulting | 541512 | Census explicitly includes computer hardware and software consulting and systems integration design in this industry. |
| Custom programming and software development for a client | 541511 | The primary deliverable is writing, modifying, testing, or supporting custom software. |
| On-site management and operation of a client's computer systems or data-processing facilities | 541513 | This is computer facilities management rather than consulting or systems design. |
| Other computer-related services not covered by 541511, 541512, or 541513 | 541519 | This is a residual computer-services industry and should not be used when a more specific 54151 industry applies. |
| Classification question | Usually applies when | Boundary to check |
|---|---|---|
| 541611 vs. 541618 | 541611 covers administrative and general management consulting. 541618 covers other management consulting not classified in the more specific 54161 industries. | Do not use 541618 simply because a firm is broadly described as a business consultant. Check the specific management subject first. |
| HR consulting vs. executive search | 541612 covers HR policies, benefits, compensation, and personnel advice. 561312 covers executive recruitment and placement. | Advising the employer about HR systems is different from finding and placing executives. |
| Marketing consulting vs. advertising agency | 541613 covers marketing advice and strategy. 541810 covers creating advertising campaigns and placing advertising in media. | Advice about marketing objectives is different from operating an advertising campaign. |
| Marketing consulting vs. marketing research | 541613 covers marketing advice. 541910 covers systematically gathering, recording, tabulating, and presenting marketing or public-opinion data. | Research can inform strategy, but the primary deliverable determines the classification. |
| Marketing consulting vs. public relations consulting | 541613 covers marketing-management advice. 541820 includes public relations consulting, lobbying, and political consulting. | PR campaign and public-image services are not automatically marketing consulting. |
| Financial management consulting vs. investment advice | 541611 can include financial management consulting except investment advice. 523940 covers customized investment advice and portfolio management. | Business budgeting and management advice is different from advising clients about investments. |
| Environmental consulting vs. environmental engineering | 541620 covers environmental advice and assistance. 541330 covers engineering services, including environmental engineering. | The presence of environmental subject matter does not override the distinction between consulting advice and professional engineering services. |
| Scientific or technical consulting vs. engineering consulting | 541690 covers qualifying scientific and technical advice not classified elsewhere. 541330 explicitly includes engineering consulting services. | Use the professional engineering industry when the service is engineering, rather than treating 541690 as a general technical catch-all. |
| Computer consulting vs. custom programming | 541512 includes computer hardware and software consulting and systems integration design. 541511 covers custom programming. | Planning and designing a computer system is different from writing custom software, though one firm may provide both. |
| Management consulting vs. management training | 541611 and related consulting industries cover advice and assistance. 611430 covers professional and management development courses and seminars. | Advising an organization is different from delivering a training program, even when the subject matter overlaps. |
| Management consulting vs. office administrative services | 541611 covers advice and assistance. 561110 covers providing a range of day-to-day office administrative services. | Recommending how an office should operate is different from performing its ongoing administrative functions. |
| Management consulting vs. managing offices of the same company | 541611 covers consulting for clients. 551114 covers establishments administering and managing other establishments of the same company or enterprise. | Internal enterprise management is not consulting merely because management expertise is being provided. |
Consulting is a common commercial label rather than a single industry definition. When another industry more specifically describes the service, the more specific industry should be reviewed before using a 5416 code.
| Service | Code to review | Why it can fall outside 5416 |
|---|---|---|
| Computer systems design and computer consulting | 541512 | Computer systems design and hardware/software consulting are classified in Computer Systems Design and Related Services. |
| Engineering consulting | 541330 | Engineering advice, design, feasibility studies, and related professional engineering work are part of Engineering Services. |
| Investment advice | 523940 | Customized investment advice and portfolio management are financial activities. |
| Public relations or political consulting | 541820 | Census specifically includes public relations consulting and political consulting in Public Relations Agencies. |
| Marketing research and public opinion polling | 541910 | The service is research and presentation of marketing or opinion data rather than consulting on marketing strategy. |
| Executive search consulting | 561312 | Recruitment and executive placement are employment services. |
| Professional and management development training | 611430 | Courses, seminars, and structured management-development instruction are educational services. |
| Educational consulting | 611710 | Census includes educational consultants in Educational Support Services. |
A count for NAICS 5416 includes management, environmental, scientific, and technical consulting, while a count for 54161 includes only management consulting. A six-digit code such as 541611 or 541613 narrows the market further.
Broader keyword searches for consultant can also capture businesses outside 5416, including computer consultants, engineering consultants, investment advisers, PR consultants, recruiters, and educational consultants. Those businesses should not be added to a 5416 market count unless the research question intentionally includes them.
SICCODE.com publishes current business-data coverage on individual NAICS code pages. Current consulting coverage can be reviewed on the NAICS 5416 and NAICS 54161 pages and then narrowed to the relevant six-digit industry.
For a targeted company list by consulting NAICS code, geography, company size, consulting specialty, and contact criteria, see Business & Company Lists.
There is no single NAICS code for consulting. Many management, environmental, scientific, and technical consulting firms fall in 5416, but computer, engineering, financial, PR, recruiting, education, and other consulting activities can fall in different industries.
Management consulting is in NAICS 54161. The six-digit code depends on the management specialty, including 541611 for administrative and general management, 541612 for HR, 541613 for marketing, 541614 for process and logistics, and 541618 for other management consulting.
541611 covers administrative management and general management consulting. 541618 is for other management consulting not classified in the more specific 54161 industries. 541618 should not be used as the default code for every business consultant.
IT consulting can fall in several computer-service industries. Census includes computer hardware and software consulting and systems integration design in 541512. Custom programming is 541511, computer facilities management is 541513, and other computer-related services can fall in 541519.
541612 applies to consulting on HR policies, personnel practices, employee benefits, compensation systems, and wage and salary administration. Executive search and placement is different and can fall in 561312.
541613 applies to marketing consulting such as marketing strategy, objectives, policies, pricing, product planning, and sales forecasting. Advertising agencies, public relations firms, and marketing research companies have separate industries.
It depends on the service. Financial management consulting such as business budgeting and administrative financial planning can fall in 541611. Customized investment advice and portfolio management are classified in 523940.
541330 is the code to review for engineering consulting. Census explicitly includes engineering consulting services within Engineering Services, so engineering work should not be moved into 541690 merely because it is technical consulting.
Generally no. The consulting establishment is classified by the service it provides. A marketing consultant serving restaurants and a marketing consultant serving manufacturers can still have the same consulting classification if the underlying service is the same.
A company can perform several activities, and separate establishments can have different primary activities. For statistical classification, an individual establishment is classified according to its primary activity.
These official 2022 NAICS sources support the main consulting classifications and the boundaries between management consulting and related professional, technical, financial, advertising, research, employment, and educational services.
This reference can be cited as:
SICCODE.com. (2026). NAICS Code for Consulting: Management, IT, Engineering, Financial, and Other Consulting Services. Updated September 10, 2026. https://siccode.com/page/naics-code-for-consulting
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