Table of Contents

• Industry Research Home Page
• Industry Codes
• Reference Room Resources
• Industry Profiles & Surveys
• Financial Ratios
• Government Sources of Industry Information
• Finding Books
• Business Databases: Finding Articles & News Stories
• Web Resources

Industry Codes

In the United States, there are two primary numbering systems used to identify industries. Because several of the databases allow you to search by these codes, locating the relevant code can be very useful when researching an industry.

The SIC or Standard Industrial Classification is the older of the two systems. SIC numbers are gradually being phased out, but are still used in databases and some print sources. SIC codes have been traditionally used for U.S. industries.

The NAICS or North American Industrial Classification System is the newer of the two systems and is gradually being established as the standard classification system for industries in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It is revised every five years.

Industry codes can be located through print or online sources. The resources below will assist you in locating the
code(s) for your industry:

• Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Govt Docs PREX 2.6/2:IN 27/987 (3rd Floor)
  Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget

• Standard Industrial Classification System Search
  U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration. This website allows the user to search the 1987 version SIC manual by keyword, to access descriptive information for a specified 2, 3, or 4-digit SIC, and to examine the manual structure.

• SIC Division Structure
  U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration

• North American Industry Classification System: United States, 2007
  READY REF HF1042 .N67 2007 AND Govt Docs PREX 2.6/4:2007 (3rd Floor)
  Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget

• U.S. Census Bureau: North American Industry Classification System
  The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. NAICS was developed under the auspices of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and adopted in 1997 to replace the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. It was developed jointly by the U.S. Economic Classification Policy Committee (ECPC), Statistics Canada, and Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Geografia e Informatica, to allow for a high level of comparability in business statistics among the North American countries. This official U.S. Government Web site provides the latest information on plans for NAICS revisions, as well as access to various NAICS reference files and tools.
• 2007 NAICS and Downloadable Files

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: North American Industry Classification System at BLS
  Includes: Implementation Schedule for the BLS, BLS NAICS Aggregation Titles, Industry at a Glance, SIC Search, NAICS Search, NAICS to SIC/SIC to NAICS, Census Background Papers, BLS Background Papers, and Census NAICS Page.