Size of the US Information industry
NAICS 51, Information. Every figure on this page was published by a federal statistical agency and carries its source and period. Palanor does not estimate: a period the agency didn’t publish shows as missing, and a figure it withheld shows as withheld.
Key figures
- Receipts (sales, shipments or revenue)
- $2.21 trillion
- 2022 · Economic Census
All establishments, current dollars - Revenue, not seasonally adjusted
- $702 billion
- 2026-Q2 · Quarterly Services Survey
Employer firms, current dollars - Employment
- 2,853,269
- 2026-Q1 · Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
Private-sector jobs in the third month of each quarter
Over time
How it has changed
Show the numbers
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2026-Q2 | $704 billion |
| 2026-Q1 | $686 billion |
| 2025-Q4 | $665 billion |
| 2025-Q3 | $649 billion |
| 2025-Q2 | $641 billion |
| 2025-Q1 | $627 billion |
| 2024-Q4 | $616 billion |
| 2024-Q3 | $611 billion |
| 2024-Q2 | $596 billion |
| 2024-Q1 | $587 billion |
| 2023-Q4 | $573 billion |
| 2023-Q3 | $568 billion |
| 2023-Q2 | $562 billion |
| 2023-Q1 | $557 billion |
| 2022-Q4 | $549 billion |
| 2022-Q3 | $548 billion |
| 2022-Q2 | $551 billion |
| 2022-Q1 | $539 billion |
| 2021-Q4 | $525 billion |
| 2021-Q3 | $514 billion |
| 2021-Q2 | $507 billion |
| 2021-Q1 | $489 billion |
| 2020-Q4 | $474 billion |
| 2020-Q3 | $451 billion |
| 2020-Q2 | $429 billion |
| 2020-Q1 | $445 billion |
| 2019-Q4 | $445 billion |
| 2019-Q3 | $439 billion |
| 2019-Q2 | $434 billion |
| 2019-Q1 | $427 billion |
| 2018-Q4 | $426 billion |
| 2018-Q3 | $423 billion |
| 2018-Q2 | $416 billion |
| 2018-Q1 | $408 billion |
| 2017-Q4 | $401 billion |
| 2017-Q3 | $398 billion |
| 2017-Q2 | $392 billion |
| 2017-Q1 | $390 billion |
| 2016-Q4 | $386 billion |
| 2016-Q3 | $383 billion |
| 2016-Q2 | $378 billion |
| 2016-Q1 | $376 billion |
| 2015-Q4 | $367 billion |
| 2015-Q3 | $357 billion |
| 2015-Q2 | $354 billion |
| 2015-Q1 | $348 billion |
| 2014-Q4 | $346 billion |
| 2014-Q3 | $342 billion |
| 2014-Q2 | $340 billion |
| 2014-Q1 | $336 billion |
| 2013-Q4 | $330 billion |
| 2013-Q3 | $325 billion |
| 2013-Q2 | $318 billion |
| 2013-Q1 | $316 billion |
| 2012-Q4 | $317 billion |
| 2012-Q3 | $310 billion |
| 2012-Q2 | $307 billion |
| 2012-Q1 | $304 billion |
| 2011-Q4 | $298 billion |
| 2011-Q3 | $297 billion |
| 2011-Q2 | $294 billion |
| 2011-Q1 | $287 billion |
| 2010-Q4 | $284 billion |
| 2010-Q3 | $282 billion |
| 2010-Q2 | $277 billion |
| 2010-Q1 | $275 billion |
| 2009-Q4 | $272 billion |
| 2009-Q3 | $269 billion |
| 2009-Q2 | $268 billion |
| 2009-Q1 | $268 billion |
| 2008-Q4 | $274 billion |
| 2008-Q3 | $281 billion |
| 2008-Q2 | $278 billion |
| 2008-Q1 | $276 billion |
| 2007-Q4 | $272 billion |
| 2007-Q3 | $270 billion |
| 2007-Q2 | $266 billion |
| 2007-Q1 | $264 billion |
| 2006-Q4 | $262 billion |
| 2006-Q3 | $258 billion |
| 2006-Q2 | $255 billion |
| 2006-Q1 | $251 billion |
| 2005-Q4 | $247 billion |
| 2005-Q3 | $247 billion |
| 2005-Q2 | $244 billion |
| 2005-Q1 | $242 billion |
| 2004-Q4 | $238 billion |
| 2004-Q3 | $235 billion |
| 2004-Q2 | $233 billion |
| 2004-Q1 | $229 billion |
| 2003-Q4 | $230 billion |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Services Survey · Employer firms, current dollars · Agency label: Information
Show the numbers
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2026-Q1 | $1.79 trillion |
| 2025-Q4 | $1.76 trillion |
| 2025-Q3 | $1.72 trillion |
| 2025-Q2 | $1.67 trillion |
| 2025-Q1 | $1.63 trillion |
| 2024-Q4 | $1.63 trillion |
| 2024-Q3 | $1.61 trillion |
| 2024-Q2 | $1.58 trillion |
| 2024-Q1 | $1.55 trillion |
| 2023-Q4 | $1.54 trillion |
| 2023-Q3 | $1.52 trillion |
| 2023-Q2 | $1.47 trillion |
| 2023-Q1 | $1.44 trillion |
| 2022-Q4 | $1.42 trillion |
| 2022-Q3 | $1.39 trillion |
| 2022-Q2 | $1.37 trillion |
| 2022-Q1 | $1.35 trillion |
| 2021-Q4 | $1.37 trillion |
| 2021-Q3 | $1.32 trillion |
| 2021-Q2 | $1.30 trillion |
| 2021-Q1 | $1.26 trillion |
| 2020-Q4 | $1.23 trillion |
| 2020-Q3 | $1.20 trillion |
| 2020-Q2 | $1.14 trillion |
| 2020-Q1 | $1.16 trillion |
| 2019-Q4 | $1.17 trillion |
| 2019-Q3 | $1.16 trillion |
| 2019-Q2 | $1.14 trillion |
| 2019-Q1 | $1.09 trillion |
| 2018-Q4 | $1.06 trillion |
| 2018-Q3 | $1.05 trillion |
| 2018-Q2 | $1.04 trillion |
| 2018-Q1 | $1.02 trillion |
| 2017-Q4 | $1.02 trillion |
| 2017-Q3 | $1.02 trillion |
| 2017-Q2 | $1.00 trillion |
| 2017-Q1 | $997 billion |
| 2016-Q4 | $988 billion |
| 2016-Q3 | $982 billion |
| 2016-Q2 | $966 billion |
| 2016-Q1 | $963 billion |
| 2015-Q4 | $942 billion |
| 2015-Q3 | $924 billion |
| 2015-Q2 | $903 billion |
| 2015-Q1 | $883 billion |
| 2014-Q4 | $857 billion |
| 2014-Q3 | $852 billion |
| 2014-Q2 | $846 billion |
| 2014-Q1 | $840 billion |
| 2013-Q4 | $860 billion |
| 2013-Q3 | $837 billion |
| 2013-Q2 | $827 billion |
| 2013-Q1 | $818 billion |
| 2012-Q4 | $756 billion |
| 2012-Q3 | $764 billion |
| 2012-Q2 | $772 billion |
| 2012-Q1 | $759 billion |
| 2011-Q4 | $763 billion |
| 2011-Q3 | $759 billion |
| 2011-Q2 | $769 billion |
| 2011-Q1 | $762 billion |
| 2010-Q4 | $772 billion |
| 2010-Q3 | $769 billion |
| 2010-Q2 | $745 billion |
| 2010-Q1 | $734 billion |
| 2009-Q4 | $737 billion |
| 2009-Q3 | $715 billion |
| 2009-Q2 | $714 billion |
| 2009-Q1 | $719 billion |
| 2008-Q4 | $728 billion |
| 2008-Q3 | $758 billion |
| 2008-Q2 | $755 billion |
| 2008-Q1 | $734 billion |
| 2007-Q4 | $737 billion |
| 2007-Q3 | $721 billion |
| 2007-Q2 | $697 billion |
| 2007-Q1 | $675 billion |
| 2006-Q4 | $658 billion |
| 2006-Q3 | $665 billion |
| 2006-Q2 | $652 billion |
| 2006-Q1 | $633 billion |
| 2005-Q4 | $639 billion |
| 2005-Q3 | $639 billion |
| 2005-Q2 | $649 billion |
| 2005-Q1 | $640 billion |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by Industry · Current dollars · Agency label: Information
NAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
| Period | Value | NAICS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q1 | 2,853,269 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q4 | 2,833,843 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q3 | 2,827,304 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q2 | 2,856,405 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q1 | 2,852,233 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q4 | 2,883,121 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q3 | 2,887,757 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q2 | 2,912,547 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q1 | 2,934,107 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q4 | 2,930,398 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q3 | 2,909,744 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q2 | 2,989,420 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q1 | 3,040,592 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q4 | 3,071,179 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q3 | 3,075,162 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q2 | 3,067,316 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q1 | 3,003,458 | 2022 |
| 2021-Q4 | 2,956,061 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q3 | 2,876,064 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q2 | 2,814,244 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q1 | 2,754,478 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q4 | 2,705,608 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q3 | 2,651,783 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q2 | 2,598,917 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q1 | 2,880,236 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q4 | 2,865,253 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q3 | 2,843,548 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q2 | 2,858,654 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q1 | 2,833,342 | 2017 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private-sector jobs in the third month of each quarter
Show the numbers
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 3,809,059 |
| 2022 | 3,634,012 |
| 2021 | 3,414,629 |
| 2020 | 3,577,460 |
| 2019 | 3,572,352 |
| 2018 | 3,600,900 |
| 2017 | 3,507,966 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns · Paid employees in the pay period including March 12
NAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
| Period | Value | NAICS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q1 | 301,207 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q4 | 299,400 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q3 | 297,429 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q2 | 293,765 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q1 | 292,513 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q4 | 298,038 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q3 | 295,806 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q2 | 294,202 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q1 | 290,612 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q4 | 290,457 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q3 | 287,113 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q2 | 284,664 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q1 | 281,426 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q4 | 274,319 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q3 | 268,091 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q2 | 259,263 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q1 | 249,568 | 2022 |
| 2021-Q4 | 240,044 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q3 | 230,291 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q2 | 221,232 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q1 | 212,488 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q4 | 207,488 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q3 | 200,831 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q2 | 194,809 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q1 | 192,049 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q4 | 189,801 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q3 | 186,163 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q2 | 183,302 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q1 | 179,542 | 2017 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private ownership
Show the numbers
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 160,704 |
| 2022 | 160,946 |
| 2021 | 162,006 |
| 2020 | 160,930 |
| 2019 | 159,260 |
| 2018 | 157,766 |
| 2017 | 153,934 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
NAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
| Period | Value | NAICS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q1 | $153 billion | 2022 |
| 2025-Q4 | $135 billion | 2022 |
| 2025-Q3 | $137 billion | 2022 |
| 2025-Q2 | $125 billion | 2022 |
| 2025-Q1 | $148 billion | 2022 |
| 2024-Q4 | $129 billion | 2022 |
| 2024-Q3 | $121 billion | 2022 |
| 2024-Q2 | $119 billion | 2022 |
| 2024-Q1 | $138 billion | 2022 |
| 2023-Q4 | $114 billion | 2022 |
| 2023-Q3 | $113 billion | 2022 |
| 2023-Q2 | $110 billion | 2022 |
| 2023-Q1 | $125 billion | 2022 |
| 2022-Q4 | $108 billion | 2022 |
| 2022-Q3 | $111 billion | 2022 |
| 2022-Q2 | $105 billion | 2022 |
| 2022-Q1 | $119 billion | 2022 |
| 2021-Q4 | $117 billion | 2017 |
| 2021-Q3 | $106 billion | 2017 |
| 2021-Q2 | $99.4 billion | 2017 |
| 2021-Q1 | $111 billion | 2017 |
| 2020-Q4 | $98.9 billion | 2017 |
| 2020-Q3 | $87.8 billion | 2017 |
| 2020-Q2 | $82.8 billion | 2017 |
| 2020-Q1 | $100 billion | 2017 |
| 2019-Q4 | $86.2 billion | 2017 |
| 2019-Q3 | $82.4 billion | 2017 |
| 2019-Q2 | $79.9 billion | 2017 |
| 2019-Q1 | $92.2 billion | 2017 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private ownership
Show the numbers
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $568 billion |
| 2022 | $516 billion |
| 2021 | $506 billion |
| 2020 | $440 billion |
| 2019 | $402 billion |
| 2018 | $385 billion |
| 2017 | $357 billion |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
The ledger
Every published measure
| Measure | Source | Latest | Period | History |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value added (GDP by industry)Current dollars | GDP by Industry | $1.70 trillion | 2025 | 1997–2025 · 29 published |
| Value added, seasonally adjusted annual rateCurrent dollars | GDP by Industry | $1.79 trillion | 2026-Q1 | 2005-Q1–2026-Q1 · 85 published |
| EmploymentPrivate-sector jobs in the third month of each quarter | Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages | 2,853,269 | 2026-Q1 | 2019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published |
| EstablishmentsPrivate ownership | Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages | 301,207 | 2026-Q1 | 2019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published |
| Total wages in the quarterPrivate ownership | Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages | $153 billion | 2026-Q1 | 2019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published |
| Annual payroll | County Business Patterns | $568 billion | 2023 | 2017–2023 · 7 published |
| EmploymentPaid employees in the pay period including March 12 | County Business Patterns | 3,809,059 | 2023 | 2017–2023 · 7 published |
| Establishments | County Business Patterns | 160,704 | 2023 | 2017–2023 · 7 published |
| Annual payroll | Economic Census | $518 billion | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| EmploymentPaid employees in the pay period including March 12 | Economic Census | 4,040,495 | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| Establishments | Economic Census | 165,858 | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| Firms | Economic Census | 91,800 | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| Receipts (sales, shipments or revenue)All establishments, current dollars | Economic Census | $2.21 trillion | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| Revenue, not seasonally adjustedEmployer firms, current dollars | Quarterly Services Survey | $702 billion | 2026-Q2 | 2003-Q4–2026-Q2 · 91 published |
| Revenue, seasonally adjustedEmployer firms, current dollars | Quarterly Services Survey | $704 billion | 2026-Q2 | 2003-Q4–2026-Q2 · 91 published |
Breakdown
Industries within Information
| NAICS | Industry | Size | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 511 | Publishing Industries (except Internet) | $368 billionReceipts · 2017 · Economic Census | 1,262,3482023 · CBP |
| 512 | Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $131 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census | 373,8602026-Q1 · QCEW |
| 513 | Publishing Industries | $592 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census | 906,0802026-Q1 · QCEW |
| 515 | Broadcasting (except Internet) | $166 billionReceipts · 2017 · Economic Census | 262,3102023 · CBP |
| 516 | Broadcasting and Content Providers | $346 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census | 338,7562026-Q1 · QCEW |
| 517 | Telecommunications | $669 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census | 575,6732026-Q1 · QCEW |
| 518 | Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | $329 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census | 488,9552026-Q1 · QCEW |
| 519 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $147 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census | 169,9452026-Q1 · QCEW |
Sources
Where every number comes from
- GDP by Industry, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Quarterly and annual. Public domain (U.S. Government work). Terms.
- Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work). Terms.
- County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau. Annual. Public domain (U.S. Government work). Terms.
- Economic Census, U.S. Census Bureau. Every five years (2017, 2022). Public domain (U.S. Government work). Terms.
- Quarterly Services Survey, U.S. Census Bureau. Quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work). Terms.
Figures are in current dollars and are the agencies’ own, revised when they revise. Each program defines its universe differently (employer firms, private ownership, all establishments), so figures from different sources are not meant to add up. This page is not endorsed by the Census Bureau, BEA or BLS. The same data is in the Palanor API (/v1/industries) and the MCP (palanor_get_industry). All industries.