NAICS 561720
Before a BSC can bid a federal janitorial contract, register as a government vendor, or access BLS wage data for its specific industry, it needs to know its code: NAICS 561720. Assigned by the U.S. Census Bureau's North American Industry Classification System, code 561720 designates "Janitorial Services" — commercial and industrial building cleaning without housekeeping. It covers contract cleaning of offices, schools, hospitals, retail stores, factories, and government buildings. NAICS 561720 is the standard identifier for BSC companies across four distinct operational contexts: federal government procurement on SAM.gov, BLS occupational wage lookups (cross-referenced with SOC code 37-2011 for Janitors and Cleaners), workers' compensation premium classification (cross-referenced with NCCI Class Code 9014), and industry market sizing data from the Census Bureau's Economic Census.
Why it matters for building service contractors
In federal procurement, NAICS 561720 is the required code for janitorial solicitations on SAM.gov. A BSC whose SAM.gov Entity Registration lists the wrong primary NAICS code — 561210 (Facilities Support Services) or 812910 (Pet Care Services are a common SAM data entry error) — may be disqualified from federal janitorial bids before evaluation begins, because the contracting officer verifies that the vendor's registered NAICS code matches the solicitation's required code. GSA MAS (Multiple Award Schedule) contracts, IDIQ contracts, and small business set-asides under NAICS 561720 all hinge on correct code registration.
For wage research and benchmarking, BLS OES data for NAICS 561720 provides the most precise wage benchmarks for BSC workforce planning. The May 2024 BLS OES survey reports median annual wages for Janitors and Cleaners (SOC 37-2011) within NAICS 561720 at approximately $35,720/year ($17.17/hour) nationally, with significant metro-level variance: San Francisco metro ($22.41/hour), New York metro ($19.83/hour), and Birmingham, AL ($13.92/hour) in 2024 data. BSCs using national median wage data without NAICS-specific and metro-specific filtering are working with inputs that may be 25–35% off from their actual labor market.
For workers' compensation premium classification, NAICS 561720 is the standard cross-reference to NCCI Class Code 9014 (Janitorial Services by Contractors) in most NCCI-jurisdiction states. NCCI Class Code 9014 base rates vary by state from approximately $3.50 per $100 payroll (lower-rate states like Virginia) to $10.00+ per $100 payroll (higher-rate states like California) as of 2024–2025 rate filings. Correctly classifying payroll under 9014 — rather than a general clerical or administrative code — ensures premium calculations reflect the actual hazard exposure of BSC operations.
How it's used in commercial cleaning
BSCs interact with NAICS 561720 across four systems:
| System | NAICS 561720 Use | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| SAM.gov registration | Primary NAICS code for federal bid qualification | Verify at registration; update if incorrect |
| BLS OES wage lookup | Filter wage data to NAICS 561720 + SOC 37-2011 | Use metro-level OES data for bid labor costing |
| NCCI workers' comp | Cross-reference to Class Code 9014 | Confirm all field payroll classified under 9014 |
| GovWin IQ / Bidspeed | Filter federal opportunity pipeline to 561720 | Set up NAICS-specific opportunity alerts |
Common variations and related concepts
BSCs sometimes operate under multiple NAICS codes when they provide services beyond janitorial cleaning. Pest control (561710), landscaping (561730), and facilities management (561210) are common additions. Multiple NAICS codes are permissible in SAM.gov registration, but the primary code must reflect the majority of revenues. A BSC generating 80% of revenue from janitorial services with 20% from landscaping should list 561720 as primary. Using 561210 as primary when 561720-coded contracts are the bid target creates a qualification gap for small business set-asides where the NAICS-specific size standard applies (annual revenue under $22.0 million for 561720 as of the 2022 SBA size standards update).
Pitfalls and best practices
The small business size standard for NAICS 561720 is a 3-year average annual revenue threshold of $22.0 million (SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards, effective March 2024). BSCs approaching this threshold should monitor annual revenue carefully — once a company has exceeded the size standard, it loses small business certification for 561720-coded procurements and can no longer compete in small business set-aside competitions that represent a significant portion of federal janitorial contract opportunities. Work with your CPA and contracting counsel when approaching the threshold to understand when certification lapses and how to transition to unrestricted competition.
Verify your SAM.gov registration is current annually — SAM.gov registrations expire after 12 months. An expired registration disqualifies a BSC from all federal awards and some state contracts that require active SAM registration regardless of NAICS code.
Related Opora guides
- SAM.gov and GovWin Navigation for NAICS 561720 Janitorial Bids
- Wage Benchmarks by Metro for Janitors and Building Cleaners: BLS OEWS NAICS 561720
- Commercial Cleaning Price Per Square Foot: 2026 Benchmarks by Facility Type
Primary sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 561720: Janitorial Services
- BLS OES — Services to Buildings and Dwellings (NAICS 5617) Wage Data
- SAM.gov — System for Award Management (federal vendor registration)
- SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards
- NCCI — Class Code 9014 Workers' Compensation Rate Data
Last updated: 2026