Size of the US Telecommunications industry
NAICS 517, Telecommunications. 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)
- $669 billion
- 2022 · Economic Census
All establishments, current dollars - Revenue, not seasonally adjusted
- $162 billion
- 2026-Q2 · Quarterly Services Survey
Employer firms, current dollars - Employment
- 575,673
- 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 | $162 billion |
| 2026-Q1 | $164 billion |
| 2025-Q4 | $171 billion |
| 2025-Q3 | $163 billion |
| 2025-Q2 | $165 billion |
| 2025-Q1 | $164 billion |
| 2024-Q4 | $170 billion |
| 2024-Q3 | $163 billion |
| 2024-Q2 | $162 billion |
| 2024-Q1 | $163 billion |
| 2023-Q4 | $169 billion |
| 2023-Q3 | $164 billion |
| 2023-Q2 | $162 billion |
| 2023-Q1 | $163 billion |
| 2022-Q4 | $168 billion |
| 2022-Q3 | $166 billion |
| 2022-Q2 | $166 billion |
| 2022-Q1 | $166 billion |
| 2021-Q4 | $169 billion |
| 2021-Q3 | $163 billion |
| 2021-Q2 | $163 billion |
| 2021-Q1 | $161 billion |
| 2020-Q4 | $165 billion |
| 2020-Q3 | $157 billion |
| 2020-Q2 | $153 billion |
| 2020-Q1 | $155 billion |
| 2019-Q4 | $163 billion |
| 2019-Q3 | $158 billion |
| 2019-Q2 | $156 billion |
| 2019-Q1 | $155 billion |
| 2018-Q4 | $161 billion |
| 2018-Q3 | $157 billion |
| 2018-Q2 | $153 billion |
| 2018-Q1 | $152 billion |
| 2017-Q4 | $157 billion |
| 2017-Q3 | $153 billion |
| 2017-Q2 | $154 billion |
| 2017-Q1 | $153 billion |
| 2016-Q4 | $160 billion |
| 2016-Q3 | $157 billion |
| 2016-Q2 | $156 billion |
| 2016-Q1 | $154 billion |
| 2015-Q4 | $156 billion |
| 2015-Q3 | $150 billion |
| 2015-Q2 | $149 billion |
| 2015-Q1 | $147 billion |
| 2014-Q4 | $153 billion |
| 2014-Q3 | $147 billion |
| 2014-Q2 | $145 billion |
| 2014-Q1 | $143 billion |
| 2013-Q4 | $144 billion |
| 2013-Q3 | $140 billion |
| 2013-Q2 | $139 billion |
| 2013-Q1 | $136 billion |
| 2012-Q4 | $140 billion |
| 2012-Q3 | $136 billion |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Services Survey · Employer firms, current dollars · Agency label: Telecommunications
NAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
| Period | Value | NAICS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q1 | 575,673 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q4 | 586,142 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q3 | 586,809 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q2 | 596,046 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q1 | 597,530 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q4 | 605,068 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q3 | 613,401 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q2 | 621,221 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q1 | 628,815 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q4 | 638,128 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q3 | 644,929 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q2 | 653,077 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q1 | 656,244 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q4 | 661,154 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q3 | 664,999 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q2 | 662,274 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q1 | 661,779 | 2022 |
| 2021-Q4 | 665,000 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q3 | 661,830 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q2 | 668,137 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q1 | 673,899 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q4 | 680,765 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q3 | 679,117 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q2 | 687,073 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q1 | 702,491 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q4 | 703,963 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q3 | 706,638 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q2 | 717,220 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q1 | 724,313 | 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 | 912,645 |
| 2022 | 940,157 |
| 2021 | 942,252 |
| 2020 | 1,019,736 |
| 2019 | 1,076,629 |
| 2018 | 1,129,079 |
| 2017 | 1,071,593 |
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 | 34,818 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q4 | 34,878 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q3 | 35,024 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q2 | 34,791 | 2022 |
| 2025-Q1 | 34,850 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q4 | 35,339 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q3 | 35,455 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q2 | 35,546 | 2022 |
| 2024-Q1 | 35,777 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q4 | 36,215 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q3 | 36,211 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q2 | 37,449 | 2022 |
| 2023-Q1 | 37,286 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q4 | 37,411 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q3 | 37,335 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q2 | 37,045 | 2022 |
| 2022-Q1 | 36,724 | 2022 |
| 2021-Q4 | 36,094 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q3 | 35,968 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q2 | 35,795 | 2017 |
| 2021-Q1 | 35,696 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q4 | 36,937 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q3 | 36,385 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q2 | 35,327 | 2017 |
| 2020-Q1 | 35,267 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q4 | 35,354 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q3 | 34,852 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q2 | 35,117 | 2017 |
| 2019-Q1 | 34,657 | 2017 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private ownership
Show the numbers
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 58,992 |
| 2022 | 60,182 |
| 2021 | 62,105 |
| 2020 | 64,043 |
| 2019 | 63,657 |
| 2018 | 63,342 |
| 2017 | 60,475 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
NAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
| Period | Value | NAICS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q1 | $22.4 billion | 2022 |
| 2025-Q4 | $17.2 billion | 2022 |
| 2025-Q3 | $16.6 billion | 2022 |
| 2025-Q2 | $16.5 billion | 2022 |
| 2025-Q1 | $22.5 billion | 2022 |
| 2024-Q4 | $17.0 billion | 2022 |
| 2024-Q3 | $16.2 billion | 2022 |
| 2024-Q2 | $16.7 billion | 2022 |
| 2024-Q1 | $21.5 billion | 2022 |
| 2023-Q4 | $17.1 billion | 2022 |
| 2023-Q3 | $16.5 billion | 2022 |
| 2023-Q2 | $16.8 billion | 2022 |
| 2023-Q1 | $21.5 billion | 2022 |
| 2022-Q4 | $16.8 billion | 2022 |
| 2022-Q3 | $16.9 billion | 2022 |
| 2022-Q2 | $16.3 billion | 2022 |
| 2022-Q1 | $20.8 billion | 2022 |
| 2021-Q4 | $17.4 billion | 2017 |
| 2021-Q3 | $16.3 billion | 2017 |
| 2021-Q2 | $16.1 billion | 2017 |
| 2021-Q1 | $20.4 billion | 2017 |
| 2020-Q4 | $17.3 billion | 2017 |
| 2020-Q3 | $15.9 billion | 2017 |
| 2020-Q2 | $16.2 billion | 2017 |
| 2020-Q1 | $20.4 billion | 2017 |
| 2019-Q4 | $15.6 billion | 2017 |
| 2019-Q3 | $15.6 billion | 2017 |
| 2019-Q2 | $15.8 billion | 2017 |
| 2019-Q1 | $20.4 billion | 2017 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private ownership
Show the numbers
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $83.9 billion |
| 2022 | $81.8 billion |
| 2021 | $83.3 billion |
| 2020 | $85.1 billion |
| 2019 | $84.8 billion |
| 2018 | $84.8 billion |
| 2017 | $82.0 billion |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
The ledger
Every published measure
| Measure | Source | Latest | Period | History |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EmploymentPrivate-sector jobs in the third month of each quarter | Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages | 575,673 | 2026-Q1 | 2019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published |
| EstablishmentsPrivate ownership | Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages | 34,818 | 2026-Q1 | 2019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published |
| Total wages in the quarterPrivate ownership | Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages | $22.4 billion | 2026-Q1 | 2019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published |
| Annual payroll | County Business Patterns | $83.9 billion | 2023 | 2017–2023 · 7 published |
| EmploymentPaid employees in the pay period including March 12 | County Business Patterns | 912,645 | 2023 | 2017–2023 · 7 published |
| Establishments | County Business Patterns | 58,992 | 2023 | 2017–2023 · 7 published |
| Annual payroll | Economic Census | $84.4 billion | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| EmploymentPaid employees in the pay period including March 12 | Economic Census | 1,046,697 | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| Establishments | Economic Census | 61,348 | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| Firms | Economic Census | 11,600 | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| Receipts (sales, shipments or revenue)All establishments, current dollars | Economic Census | $669 billion | 2022 | 2017–2022 · 2 published |
| Revenue, not seasonally adjustedEmployer firms, current dollars | Quarterly Services Survey | $162 billion | 2026-Q2 | 2012-Q3–2026-Q2 · 56 published |
Breakdown
Industries within Telecommunications
| NAICS | Industry | Size | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5171 | Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) | $641 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census | 522,1072026-Q1 · QCEW |
| 5173 | Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers | $575 billionReceipts · 2017 · Economic Census | 835,6312023 · CBP |
| 5174 | Satellite Telecommunications | $7.3 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census | 9,1312026-Q1 · QCEW |
| 5178 | All Other Telecommunications | $21.3 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census | 44,4352026-Q1 · QCEW |
| 5179 | Other Telecommunications | $36.2 billionReceipts · 2017 · Economic Census | 67,0952023 · CBP |
Companies
Public companies in this industry
Companies Palanor tracks whose GICS classification maps to NAICS 517. The mapping is Palanor’s, one GICS sub-industry to one NAICS code; a company’s own mix of business can span several.
- ASTS AST SpaceMobile
- T AT&T Inc.
- CHTR Charter Communications
- CMCSA Comcast Corp.
- ECHO EchoStar
- LBTYA Liberty Global (Series A)
- LBTYK Liberty Global (Series C)
- TIGO Millicom
- SPCX SpaceX
- TMUS T-Mobile US
- VZ Verizon Communications
Sources
Where every number comes from
- 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.