Collecting and Using Industry and Occupation Data

Census industry and occupation codes were developed to code written responses to the surveys sponsored by the Census Bureau, such as the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey. Census industry and occupation codes are derived from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). Census codes are revised after the NAICS and SOC codes are updated.

Within the Census coding scheme, industry is coded first, then occupation. This is because sometimes the Census industry code limits which occupation codes are valid. For example, the Census occupation code for a laborer within the agriculture industry is different than the Census occupation code for a laborer within the construction industry.

• Census industry codes are based on NAICS and generally correspond to NAICS 3- or 4-digit codes.
• Census occupation codes are based on SOC and generally correspond to SOC broad or detailed occupation codes.
• For both industry and occupation, the Census codes are less detailed than the NAICS or SOC codes to protect individual respondents of Census surveys or health surveys.

Here is an example of how NAICS codes are related to Census industry codes:
The Census industry code 0770 for CONSTRUCTION includes the following NAICS codes (as well as others):

The Census industry code 0770 for CONSTRUCTION includes the following NAICS codes (as well as others):

Roof Contracting (NAICS 238160) House Painting Contracting (NAICS 238320) Building Contractor (NAICS 238120)

Construction (Census industry code 0770)

Here is an example of how SOC codes are related to Census occupation codes:
The Census occupation code 9120 for BUS DRIVER includes the following SOC codes (as well as others):

The Census occupation code 9120 for BUS DRIVER includes the following SOC codes (as well as others):

School bus drivers (SOC 53-3022) Transit and intercity bus drivers (SOC 53-3021)

Bus Driver (Census occupation code 9120)

More detailed information about Census codes can be found on the Census Bureauexternal icon

Alphabetical Indexes of Industries and Occupationsexternal icon is a comprehensive lists of specific industry and occupation titles for Census. Because multiple industry and occupation titles map to a single Census industry and occupation code, these indexes contain over 21,000 industry and 31,000 occupation titles in alphabetical order with corresponding numeric codes. The indexes can help you understand what types of specific industries and occupations fall within each code. The indexes are continuously updated through review of Census and survey responses.

2012
Census 2012 Industry Codesexcel icon
Census 2012 Occupation Codesexcel icon

2010
Census 2010 Industry and Occupation Coding Instruction Manualpdf icon
Census 2010 Industry Codesexcel icon
Census 2010 Occupation Codesexcel icon

2002
Census 2002 Industry and Occupation Coding Instruction Manualpdf icon
Census 2002 Industry Codesexcel icon
Census 2002 Occupation Codesexcel icon

2000
Census 2000 Industry and Occupation Coding Instruction Manualpdf icon
Census 2000 Industry Codespdf icon
Census 2000 Occupation Codespdf icon

Crosswalk coding is the mapping of a code from one industry and occupation coding scheme to another or to a different code within the same industry and occupation coding scheme for a different year.

• Census Industry Crosswalk 2007 to 2012excel icon
• Census 2002 Industry to NAICS Industryexcel icon
• Census 2002 Occupation to SOC Occupationexcel icon
• Census Industry Crosswalks 1990, 2000, 2002, 2007excel icon
• Census Occupation Crosswalk 2002 to 2010excel icon
• Census Occupation Crosswalk 2000 to 2002excel icon
• Census Occupation Crosswalk 1990 to 2000excel icon
• NAICS Revision Crosswalksexternal icon
• Census Code Lists & Crosswalks Methodologyexternal icon

NAICS codes are updated every 5 years by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to include industry and economic changes.  A NAICS code may be up to 6-digits. Each digit in the code is part of a series of progressively narrower industry categories, and more digits in the code signifies greater classification detail.

In a NAICS code, the first two digits define the 20 broad sector groupings:

Within each of the sectors, the groupings are broken down farther.

• The first 2-digits represent the sector.
• The first 3-digits represent the sub sectors within a sector.
• The first 4-digits represent the industry groupings with a subsector.
• The 5-digit code is the NAICS code for each industry grouping.
• The 6-digit code is the national industry.

For example, 331221 is the 6-digit NAICS code for the industry: Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing

33 Sector code for Manufacturing

331 Subsector code for Primary Metal Manufacturing

3312 Industry grouping code for Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel

33121 National industry code for Iron and Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing from Purchased Steel

SOC codes are updated by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and may be up to 6-digits. The occupations in SOC do not relate to any industry code. SOC codes are updated every 5 years.

The first two digits define the 23 major groupings.

Each of the major groups are broken down further:

• Major group: first 2-digits
• Minor group: 3^rd digit
• Broad occupations: 4^th and 5^th digits
• Detailed occupations: 6^th digit

For example, 47-2131 is the SOC code for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall

• 47-2131           47 is the major group code for Construction and Extraction
• 47-2131           47-2 is the minor group code for Construction Trade Workers
• 47-2131           47-213 is the broad category code for Insulation Workers
• 47-2131           47-2131 is the detailed occupation code for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall