How many digits are in a NAICS code?
A detailed U.S. NAICS National Industry uses six digits. Broader levels use two through five digits.
Structure of NAICS Codes
NAICS is a six-digit hierarchical industry classification system. The structure moves from a broad two-digit Sector to a six-digit National Industry: Sector, Subsector, Industry Group, NAICS Industry, and National Industry.
The current 2022 NAICS United States structure contains 20 Sectors, 96 Subsectors, 308 Industry Groups, 689 five-digit NAICS Industries, and 1,012 six-digit U.S. National Industries.
NAICS is production-oriented. Establishments are grouped according to similarities in the processes used to produce goods or services. The 2027 revision process is underway, but 2022 NAICS remains the current U.S. classification as of September 2026.
Updated: September 2026 · Reviewed by the SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team
The five levels of the NAICS hierarchy
Each additional digit narrows the classification within the level above it. The six-digit National Industry is the most detailed level in NAICS United States.
Example path for 311811, Retail Bakeries. Select a level to highlight the matching digits, then open that classification.
Selected: 311811 Retail Bakeries, 6-digit National Industry.
| Level | Code length | What the level represents | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector | 2 digits | Broadest NAICS industry level. | 31-33, Manufacturing |
| Subsector | 3 digits | Groups related Industry Groups within a Sector. | 311, Food Manufacturing |
| Industry Group | 4 digits | Groups related five-digit NAICS Industries. | 3118, Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing |
| NAICS Industry | 5 digits | The level typically used for trilateral comparability among the United States, Canada, and Mexico, although comparability stops at a broader level in some parts of the structure. | 31181, Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing |
| National Industry | 6 digits | Country-specific detail below the NAICS Industry where national detail is needed. | 311811, Retail Bakeries |
What each digit in a NAICS code represents
A six-digit NAICS code contains the hierarchy above it. The first two digits identify the Sector, the first three identify the Subsector, the first four identify the Industry Group, the first five identify the NAICS Industry, and all six identify the National Industry.
- 31-33
- Sector, Manufacturing
- 311
- Subsector, Food Manufacturing
- 3118
- Industry Group, Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing
- 31181
- NAICS Industry, Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing
- 311811
- U.S. National Industry, Retail Bakeries
Reading the code from left to right shows where a detailed industry sits within the broader NAICS structure.
NAICS is built around production processes
NAICS groups establishments into industries according to similarities in how goods and services are produced. The conceptual framework focuses on production processes rather than grouping businesses only by product name, customer type, or marketing category.
As the hierarchy becomes more detailed, the production distinctions become narrower. This structure supports statistical analysis of inputs and outputs, productivity, employment, capital, and related economic measures.
The unit of classification in official U.S. NAICS statistical use is the establishment. A company with multiple establishments can therefore have locations classified in different NAICS industries when the activities at those establishments differ. See Establishment-Level vs Company-Level NAICS for how that unit of classification works in practice.
The 20 NAICS sectors
The 2022 U.S. NAICS structure has 20 Sectors. Three are represented by ranges of two-digit codes: Manufacturing uses 31-33, Retail Trade uses 44-45, and Transportation and Warehousing uses 48-49. Each range represents one Sector, not several separate Sectors.
How many NAICS industries are in the 2022 structure?
The 2022 NAICS United States structure contains 96 Subsectors, 308 Industry Groups, 689 five-digit NAICS Industries, and 1,012 six-digit U.S. National Industries.
| Level | Code length | 2022 U.S. count |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | 2 digits | 20 |
| Subsector | 3 digits | 96 |
| Industry Group | 4 digits | 308 |
| NAICS Industry | 5 digits | 689 |
| U.S. National Industry | 6 digits | 1,012 |
The 1,012 figure is the count of detailed six-digit U.S. National Industries. It should not be added to the broader hierarchy levels as though every level were a separate set of terminal industries.
2022 NAICS structure by sector
The Census Bureau's 2022 structure table shows how many classifications exist at each level within each Sector. “U.S. detail” identifies five-digit NAICS Industries that are divided into more specific six-digit U.S. National Industries. “Same as 5-digit” identifies cases where the United States does not create additional national detail below the five-digit industry.
| Sector | Title | 3-digit Subsectors | 4-digit Industry Groups | 5-digit NAICS Industries | 6-digit U.S. detail | 6-digit same as 5-digit | Total 6-digit Industries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 19 | 42 | 32 | 32 | 64 |
| 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 3 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 7 | 21 |
| 22 | Utilities | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| 23 | Construction | 3 | 10 | 28 | 4 | 27 | 31 |
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 21 | 86 | 176 | 249 | 97 | 346 |
| 42 | Wholesale Trade | 3 | 19 | 69 | 0 | 69 | 69 |
| 44-45 | Retail Trade | 9 | 24 | 48 | 16 | 41 | 57 |
| 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | 11 | 29 | 42 | 25 | 32 | 57 |
| 51 | Information | 6 | 11 | 24 | 10 | 19 | 29 |
| 52 | Finance and Insurance | 5 | 11 | 27 | 13 | 22 | 35 |
| 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 3 | 8 | 17 | 11 | 13 | 24 |
| 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 9 | 35 | 20 | 29 | 49 |
| 55 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2 | 11 | 29 | 25 | 19 | 44 |
| 61 | Educational Services | 1 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 17 |
| 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 18 | 30 | 16 | 23 | 39 |
| 71 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3 | 9 | 23 | 3 | 22 | 25 |
| 72 | Accommodation and Food Services | 2 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 15 |
| 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4 | 14 | 30 | 24 | 20 | 44 |
| 92 | Public Administration | 8 | 8 | 29 | 0 | 29 | 29 |
| Total | 96 | 308 | 689 | 490 | 522 | 1,012 |
What the sixth digit means in NAICS
NAICS agreements allow each country to create national detail below the agreed NAICS Industry level. In the United States, the sixth digit identifies the U.S. National Industry.
When a five-digit NAICS Industry is not divided into additional U.S. industries, the six-digit code normally adds a zero and represents the same scope as the five-digit industry. When U.S.-specific detail is needed, multiple six-digit industries can sit below the same five-digit NAICS Industry.
This is why the Census Bureau's structure table distinguishes between six-digit U.S. detail and six-digit industries that are the same as the five-digit level.
North American comparability does not always stop at the same digit
NAICS was developed jointly by statistical agencies in the United States, Canada, and Mexico to support comparable business statistics. Typically, comparable data are available at the five-digit NAICS Industry level.
That is not universal across the entire classification. In some parts of NAICS, the three countries agreed on common boundaries at a broader level, such as the Sector, Subsector, or Industry Group. The sixth digit is national detail and can differ among the three countries.
A five-digit or six-digit code should not automatically be assumed to have identical scope in all three countries. Check the applicable national NAICS version and the official comparability indicators when cross-country consistency matters.
NAICS revisions can change the hierarchy
NAICS is reviewed on a five-year cycle. Revisions can add, remove, split, combine, or redefine industries as the economy changes. A code should therefore be interpreted with its version year.
| Level | 2017 NAICS | 2022 NAICS |
|---|---|---|
| Subsectors | 99 | 96 |
| Industry Groups | 311 | 308 |
| 5-digit NAICS Industries | 709 | 689 |
| 6-digit U.S. National Industries | 1,057 | 1,012 |
As of September 2026, 2022 NAICS remains the current U.S. classification. The U.S. Economic Classification Policy Committee and Office of Management and Budget are working through the 2027 revision process, so proposed 2027 changes should not yet be treated as the current classification.
NAICS digit levels are not equivalent to SIC digit levels
NAICS and SIC use different hierarchies. A two-digit NAICS Sector is much broader than a two-digit SIC Major Group, so codes should not be compared simply by the number of digits.
| NAICS | SIC |
|---|---|
| Sector, 2 digits | Division, letter level |
| Subsector, 3 digits | Major Group, 2 digits |
| Industry Group, 4 digits | Industry Group, 3 digits |
| NAICS Industry, 5 digits | Industry, 4 digits |
| U.S. National Industry, 6 digits | No additional official U.S. SIC level below four digits |
NAICS is not SIC with two additional digits. The systems use different classification concepts and industry boundaries, so a SIC-to-NAICS or NAICS-to-SIC crosswalk can produce one-to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-one relationships.
See NAICS vs SIC Codes for the broader comparison.
Using the NAICS hierarchy correctly
The appropriate level depends on the purpose of the analysis and the requirements of the system using the code.
- Use the six-digit U.S. National Industry when a detailed U.S. NAICS classification is required.
- Use the five-digit NAICS Industry when working at the common NAICS industry level, while checking whether that level is comparable across the countries involved.
- Use the four-digit Industry Group or three-digit Subsector for broader industry aggregation.
- Use the two-digit Sector for the broadest NAICS industry view.
- Record the NAICS version with the code when combining data from different years.
Hierarchy alone does not identify the correct code. The activity of the establishment should be compared with the applicable NAICS definitions, cross-references, and classification guidance.
Primary sources
The hierarchy, counts, production-oriented framework, comparability guidance, and revision status on this page are based on U.S. Census Bureau NAICS references.
-
U.S. Census Bureau, North American Industry Classification System
Current U.S. NAICS portal, 2022 reference files, search tools, concordances, and 2027 revision announcements. -
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS Manual
Official 2022 NAICS United States manual, including the production-oriented framework, hierarchy, national detail, comparability guidance, and structure counts. -
U.S. Census Bureau, Understanding NAICS
Explains the establishment focus, production-oriented concept, hierarchy levels, and three Sectors represented by two-digit ranges. -
U.S. Census Bureau, NAICS Update Process Fact Sheet
Describes the five-year revision process, development principles, coding structure, and schedule for the 2027 revision.
Questions about NAICS code structure
What are the levels of NAICS?
The hierarchy is Sector at two digits, Subsector at three digits, Industry Group at four digits, NAICS Industry at five digits, and National Industry at six digits.
How many six-digit NAICS industries are there?
The 2022 NAICS United States structure contains 1,012 six-digit U.S. National Industries.
How many NAICS sectors are there?
There are 20 Sectors in 2022 NAICS. Manufacturing, Retail Trade, and Transportation and Warehousing are each represented by a range of two-digit codes.
What does the sixth digit of a NAICS code mean?
The sixth digit identifies national industry detail. In NAICS United States it defines the U.S. National Industry below the five-digit NAICS Industry.
Are five-digit NAICS codes identical in the United States, Canada, and Mexico?
Often, but not in every part of the classification. The five-digit NAICS Industry is typically the comparable level, while some areas have agreed comparability only at a broader level. Six-digit detail is national.
Is 2027 NAICS already the current version?
No. As of September 2026, 2022 NAICS remains the current U.S. classification. The 2027 revision process is underway.
Is a two-digit NAICS code equivalent to a two-digit SIC code?
No. A two-digit NAICS code is a Sector, while a two-digit SIC code is a much more specific Major Group. The hierarchy levels are not equivalent by digit count.