AwardFind

Government Contracts by Industry

Federal agencies obligated $2.3T on contracts across the 306 industries (NAICS codes) listed here from FY2024 to FY2026. Each industry page shows who wins the government contracts, which agencies buy, and open bids for that industry.

Popular industries for small businesses

How government contracts are classified by industry

Every federal contract carries one NAICS code, a 6-digit industry code. Agencies use it to describe what they are buying and to decide whether a contract counts as small business work. Not sure of your code? Use the free NAICS code lookup.

Industries ranked by federal contract spending(page 1 of 7)

Industries ranked by federal contract spending
#IndustryObligated
1Aircraft ManufacturingNAICS 336411$154,317,884,286
2Engineering ServicesNAICS 541330$149,260,627,954
3Direct Health and Medical Insurance CarriersNAICS 524114$140,030,106,467
4Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)NAICS 541715$133,455,458,508
5Commercial and Institutional Building ConstructionNAICS 236220$115,070,756,147
6Facilities Support ServicesNAICS 561210$112,266,584,349
7Guided Missile and Space Vehicle ManufacturingNAICS 336414$100,199,333,796
8Computer Systems Design ServicesNAICS 541512$96,373,998,821
9Ship Building and RepairingNAICS 336611$96,058,436,838
10Other Computer Related ServicesNAICS 541519$74,631,897,494
11Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment ManufacturingNAICS 336413$54,281,331,571
12Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument ManufacturingNAICS 334511$51,947,242,732
13All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 541990$37,864,288,955
14Pharmaceutical Preparation ManufacturingNAICS 325412$37,691,894,605
15Administrative Management and General Management Consulting ServicesNAICS 541611$36,130,900,051
16Custom Computer Programming ServicesNAICS 541511$32,729,582,547
17Other Heavy and Civil Engineering ConstructionNAICS 237990$32,151,463,305
18Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts ManufacturingNAICS 336412$30,042,979,002
19Petroleum RefineriesNAICS 324110$29,408,251,098
20Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life SciencesNAICS 541710$27,362,283,572
21Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)NAICS 541712$25,056,256,875
22Ammunition (except Small Arms) ManufacturingNAICS 332993$23,105,437,747
23Other Support Activities for Air TransportationNAICS 488190$22,088,022,380
24Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists)NAICS 621111$21,957,829,499
25Remediation ServicesNAICS 562910$19,358,017,218
26Security Guards and Patrol ServicesNAICS 561612$18,959,614,112
27Military Armored Vehicle, Tank, and Tank Component ManufacturingNAICS 336992$18,286,218,033
28Software PublishersNAICS 511210$18,159,195,580
29Medicinal and Botanical ManufacturingNAICS 325411$13,621,426,597
30Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment ManufacturingNAICS 334220$12,744,387,125
31Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air TransportationNAICS 481212$12,732,763,697
32Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies Merchant WholesalersNAICS 423850$12,402,978,696
33All Other Miscellaneous ManufacturingNAICS 339999$11,335,345,370
34Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related ServicesNAICS 518210$10,496,520,864
35Computer Facilities Management ServicesNAICS 541513$9,739,533,052
36Deep Sea Freight TransportationNAICS 483111$9,613,692,855
37Electronic Computer ManufacturingNAICS 334111$9,264,758,076
38Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting ServicesNAICS 541614$9,227,046,943
39Other Communications Equipment ManufacturingNAICS 334290$7,558,484,283
40Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology)NAICS 541714$7,446,579,881
41Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant WholesalersNAICS 424210$7,425,978,265
42Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies Merchant WholesalersNAICS 423450$7,043,810,460
43Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air TransportationNAICS 481211$7,007,854,806
44Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger ManufacturingNAICS 332410$6,608,435,454
45Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment ManufacturingNAICS 336419$6,473,621,946
46Other Scientific and Technical Consulting ServicesNAICS 541690$6,445,505,465
47Wired Telecommunications CarriersNAICS 517110$6,171,629,785
48Highway, Street, and Bridge ConstructionNAICS 237310$6,063,049,196
49Automobile ManufacturingNAICS 336111$5,551,553,382
50Janitorial ServicesNAICS 561720$5,131,562,280

Industry guides

Federal contract spending by industry sector

The industries on this site grouped into NAICS sectors, FY2024 to FY2026. Each sector shows its largest industry:

  1. Manufacturing: $808B. Largest: Aircraft Manufacturing.
  2. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services: $684B. Largest: Engineering Services.
  3. Administrative and Support and Waste Management Services: $192B. Largest: Facilities Support Services.
  4. Construction: $177B. Largest: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction.
  5. Finance and Insurance: $149B. Largest: Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers.
  6. Transportation and Warehousing: $67.3B. Largest: Other Support Activities for Air Transportation.
  7. Information: $55.5B. Largest: Software Publishers.
  8. Health Care and Social Assistance: $41.4B. Largest: Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists).
  9. Wholesale Trade: $28.4B. Largest: Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers.
  10. Educational Services: $14.1B. Largest: Other Technical and Trade Schools.

Government contracts for small business by industry

Some industries are a natural fit for small businesses because the work is local and repeated: cleaning and janitorial services, landscaping and grounds maintenance, building maintenance, painting, roofing, HVAC and plumbing, security guards, staffing and training. Many of these government contracts are set aside for small businesses. Others, such as IT services, engineering and consulting, offer large contracts where small firms often start as subcontractors.

Open an industry to see who wins those government contracts, which agencies buy, and the open bids for that NAICS code right now.

Industry and code terms

NAICS code
A 6-digit code that classifies a business by industry. Every federal contract carries one, and small business size standards are set per NAICS code.
PSC (Product Service Code)
A code describing what the government is buying in a contract, used alongside the NAICS code.
Set-aside
A contract reserved for small businesses, or for a group such as 8(a), HUBZone, women-owned or service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.
Subcontractor
A business hired by a prime contractor to do part of the work on a government contract. Subcontracting is a common first step into government work.
Obligation
Money the government has legally committed to pay on a contract. Contract spending figures on this site are obligations reported on USAspending.gov.

Frequently asked questions

Which industries get the most government contracts?
By federal contract dollars from FY2024 to FY2026, the largest industries were Aircraft Manufacturing ($154B), Engineering Services ($149B) and Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers ($140B).
How do I find the NAICS code for my business?
Search by keyword or number in a NAICS code lookup and pick the 6-digit code that best describes what you sell. Agencies tag every contract with one NAICS code, so the right code decides which bids you see.
Can my business have more than one NAICS code?
Yes. You can list several NAICS codes in your free SAM.gov registration and choose one as your primary code. Small business size standards are set per NAICS code, so you may count as small for some codes and not others.