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Collecting and Using Industry and Occupation Data

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Census Industry and Occupation Codes

Census industry and occupation codes were developed to translate text responses into standard numeric values or codes for surveys sponsored by the Census Bureau, such as the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey. The Census industry and occupation codes are also used to code surveys done by other organizations, including the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

Within the Census classification system, industry is coded first, then occupation. This is because the Census industry code sometimes limits which occupation codes may be included in an industry. For example, the Census occupation code for a laborer within the agriculture industry (coded as 6050) is different from the Census occupation code for a laborer within the construction industry (which is coded as 6260).

  • Census industry codes are derived from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), and generally correspond to NAICS 2 to 6-digit codes. NAICS codes are more detailed than Census industry codes.
  • Census occupation codes are derived from the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), and generally correspond to SOC 6-digit codes. SOC codes are more detailed than Census occupation codes.
  • For both industry and occupation, the Census codes are less detailed than the NAICS or SOC codes to protect individual respondents participating in 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):
  • Roof Contracting (NAICS 238160)
  • House Painting Contracting (NAICS 238320)
  • Building Contractor (NAICS 238120)
 blue bracket 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):
  • School bus drivers (SOC 53-3022)
  • Transit and intercity bus drivers (SOC 53-3021)
 blue bracket Bus Driver (Census occupation code 9120)

More detailed information about Census codes can be found on the Census Bureau website

The Alphabetical Indexes of Industries and Occupations are comprehensive lists of specific industry and occupation titles used to describe Census industry and occupation codes. 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 with new industry and occupation titles by reviewing participant responses from the most recent Census and other public health surveys.

CDC Census Coding Schemes

CDC Census Coding Schemes supplement the Census Bureau’s industry and occupation codes. The CDC Census Coding Schemes include two classification systems: (1) Census industry codes and the corresponding NAICS codes, or (2) Census occupation codes and the corresponding SOC codes; they also include NIOSH/NCHS military and non-paid worker codes.

NIOSH/NCHS Military, Non-paid Worker, and Insufficient Information Codes

Since the 1980s the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and NIOSH have collaborated on coding death certificates and in doing so, agreed to:

  • identify non-census codes for those whose longest industry and occupation was military service since death certificates do not include as much detail as the Census.
  • include certain codes for people who were not in the civilian workforce, such as housewives, volunteers, students, and those without sufficient information to assign Census codes.
Military and Non-paid Tables

These NIOSH/NCHS codes continue to be assigned in the NIOSH Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System (NIOCCS). They are not Census codes and would not be found in Census documentation. These have changed over the years when Census assigned actual industries or occupations for codes we used previously. In 2002, the NIOSH/NCHS codes changed to 4-character codes when Census changed to 4-character industry and occupation codes.

If you have further questions about CDC Census Coding Schemes, please email NIOCCS@cdc.gov.

2018

Census 2018 Industry Codes [XLS – 34 KB]
Census 2018 Occupation Codes [XLS – 59 KB]

2012

Census 2012 Industry Codes
Census 2012 Occupation Codes

2010

Census 2010 Industry Codes
Census 2010 Occupation Codes

2002

Census 2002 Industry Codes
Census 2002 Occupation Codes

2000

Census 2000 Industry Codes
Census 2000 Occupation Codes
Census 2000 Military and Non Paid Worker Industry and Occupation Codes [XLS – 11 KB]

Census Crosswalks

Crosswalk coding is the mapping of a code from one industry and occupation classification system to another or to a different code within the same industry and occupation classification system for a different year.  NAICS and SOC are regularly revised. Census codes are revised following NAICS and SOC revisions. Crosswalks can be found on the Census website.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

NAICS codes are updated every 5 years by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to include industry and economic changes. To find crosswalks for NAICS, visit the Census website and under the Section entitled “Reference Files,” click on “Concordances.”
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:
Sector Description
11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
21 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
22 Utilities
23 Construction
31-33 Manufacturing
42 Wholesale Trade
44-45 Retail Trade
48-49 Transportation and Warehousing
51 Information
52 Finance and Insurance
53 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
54 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
55 Management of Companies and Enterprises
56 Administrative Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
61 Educational Services
62 Health Care and Social Assistance
71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
72 Accommodation and Food Services
81 Other Services (except Public Administration)
92 Public Administration

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, 111110 is the 6-digit NAICS code for the industry: Soybean Farming

11 Sector code for Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

111 Subsector code for Crop Production

1111 Industry grouping code for Oilseed and Grain Farming

11111 NAICS industry code for Soybean Farming

111110 National industry code for Soybean Farming

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)

SOC codes are updated by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 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. Crosswalks can be found on the BLS SOC website.

The first two digits define the 23 major groupings.
Major Group Description
00-0000 All Occupations
11-0000 Management
13-0000 Business and Financial Operations
15-0000 Computer and Mathematical
17-0000 Architecture and Engineering
19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science
21-0000 Community and Social Service
23-0000 Legal
25-0000 Education, Training, and Library
27-0000 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
29-0000 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
31-0000 Healthcare Support
33-0000 Protective Services
35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving Related
37-0000 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
39-0000 Personal Care and Service
41-0000 Sales and Related
43-0000 Office and Administrative Support
45-0000 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
47-0000 Construction and Extraction
49-0000 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
51-0000 Production
53-0000 Transportation and Material Moving

Each of the major groups are broken down further:

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