NAICS Code 541720: Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
National industry
SBA small business size standard: $28 million in average annual receipts
Definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in conducting research and analyses in cognitive development, sociology, psychology, language, behavior, economic, and other social science and humanities research.
Government contracts for this service: PSC AN42 Health R&D Services: Health Care – Other (Applied Research)
Code facts
- Part of
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54
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541
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5417
- 54172
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5417
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541
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54
- Contract awards
- 311 In the last 12 months
- Contract obligations
- $730,584,991 In FY2025
NAICS codes and definitions come from the U.S. Census Bureau, size standards from the SBA and contract spending from SAM.gov/FPDS.
Business activities under NAICS 541720
- Archeological research and development services
- Behavioral research and development services
- Business research and development services
- Cognitive research and development services
- Demographic research and development services
- Economic research and development services
- Historic and cultural preservation research and development services
- Humanities research and development services
- Language research and development services
- Learning disabilities research and development services
- Psychology research and development services
- Social science research and development services
- Sociological research and development services
- Sociology research and development services
Looking for another activity? Search the NAICS code lookup or browse business activities from A to Z.
Contract obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Obligated |
|---|---|
| FY2027 To date | $8,407,673 |
| FY2026 | $771,228,886 |
| FY2025 | $730,584,991 |
| FY2024 | $1,306,816,702 |
| FY2023 | $1,113,646,898 |
Top contractors by obligations
| Rank | Contractor | Obligated, FY2026–FY2027 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathematica Inc. | $105,267,654 | |
| 2 | Westat, Inc. | $72,229,762 | |
| 3 | The Rand Corporation | $66,620,036 | |
| 4 | National Opinion Research Center | $61,074,139 | |
| 5 | Educational Testing Service | $50,877,718 | |
| 6 | The Lewin Group, Inc. | $50,205,626 | |
| 7 | American Institutes For Research In The Behavioral Sciences | $45,008,002 | |
| 8 | Research Triangle Institute | $43,407,274 | |
| 9 | The Mitre Corporation | $36,579,054 | |
| 10 | University Of Maryland, College Park | $36,046,076 |
See the full FY2025 ranking of NAICS 541720 contractors, by parent company.
Top funding agencies by obligations
| Rank | Agency | Obligated, FY2026–FY2027 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department of Health and Human Services | $360,678,554 | |
| 2 | Department of Education | $167,143,723 | |
| 3 | Air Force | $48,529,173 | |
| 4 | Defense Human Resources Activity | $40,203,475 | |
| 5 | Department of Commerce | $32,818,015 | |
| 6 | Office of the Secretary of Defense | $29,529,882 | |
| 7 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $14,741,348 | |
| 8 | Department of Homeland Security | $14,289,155 | |
| 9 | Department of Transportation | $13,507,383 | |
| 10 | Department of the Army | $9,258,087 |
Top PSC codes by obligations
| Rank | PSC code | Obligated, FY2026–FY2027 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AN42 Health R&D Services; Health Care – Other; Applied Research | $235,562,425 | |
| 2 | B506 Data Analysis (other than scientific) | $132,897,131 | |
| 3 | R499 Other Professional Services | $115,464,715 | |
| 4 | B599 Other Special Studies and Analysis | $74,465,738 | |
| 5 | AJ12 General Science and Technology R&D Services; General Science and Technology; Applied Research | $40,167,088 | |
| 6 | AJ11 General Science and Technology R&D Services; General Science and Technology; Basic Research | $39,186,441 | |
| 7 | AN41 Health R&D Services; Health Care – Other; Basic Research | $20,523,453 | |
| 8 |
B550 Organization/ |
$18,641,959 | |
| 9 | AF11 Education, Training, Employment, & Social Services R&D Services; Education Services R&D; Basic Research | $17,731,231 | |
| 10 |
R410 Support – Professional: Program Evaluation/ |
$10,052,840 |
Contract obligations by state
| Rank | Place of performance | Obligated, last 12 months | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $277,176,925 | |
| 2 | Virginia | $111,929,217 | |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $91,506,436 | |
| 4 | California | $54,705,661 | |
| 5 | New Jersey | $44,845,676 | |
| 6 | Illinois | $30,323,666 | |
| 7 | North Carolina | $24,972,754 | |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $11,455,483 | |
| 9 | Colorado | $6,928,608 | |
| 10 | Georgia | $4,668,162 | |
| 11 | New York | $4,158,912 | |
| 12 | Oregon | $2,409,129 | |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $2,392,862 | |
| 14 | Louisiana | $2,139,249 | |
| 15 | Florida | $1,975,097 | |
| 16 | Texas | $1,631,312 | |
| 17 | Connecticut | $1,299,258 | |
| 18 | Oklahoma | $1,294,254 | |
| 19 | Arkansas | $1,276,536 | |
| 20 | Ohio | $1,270,562 | |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $941,707 | |
| 22 | Minnesota | $913,872 | |
| 23 | West Virginia | $766,792 | |
| 24 | Arizona | $738,004 | |
| 25 | Missouri | $604,551 | |
| 26 | Kentucky | $460,209 | |
| 27 | Iowa | $458,853 | |
| 28 | Alabama | $411,576 | |
| 29 | Mississippi | $409,189 | |
| 30 | Tennessee | $394,505 | |
| 31 | New Mexico | $359,320 | |
| 32 | Montana | $292,901 | |
| 33 | North Dakota | $286,492 | |
| 34 | Utah | $235,811 | |
| 35 | Wyoming | $235,454 | |
| 36 | Delaware | $224,111 | |
| 37 | Alaska | $203,938 | |
| 38 | Nevada | $199,465 | |
| 39 | Nebraska | $192,564 | |
| 40 | Rhode Island | $182,786 | |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $177,863 | |
| 42 | Vermont | $174,666 | |
| 43 | Maine | $170,342 | |
| 44 | South Carolina | $167,060 | |
| 45 | Kansas | $163,677 | |
| 46 | South Dakota | $148,667 | |
| 47 | Idaho | $139,743 | |
| 48 | Indiana | $122,338 | |
| 49 | Hawaii | $51,100 | |
| 50 | Guam | $19,850 |
Show all 50
Shares are of everything obligated under NAICS 541720 in the last 12 months before deobligations, including work performed abroad or with no place of performance on record.
Contract opportunities
Show 39 more
Latest 49 of 4,603 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Size standard history
Federal Register rules that named this code
Proposed size standard changes
| Proposed rule | Published | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Small Business Size Standards: Monetary-Based Industry Size Standards | Closed Oct 21, 2025No final rule found |
From the NAICS codes each rule's amendments to 13 CFR 121.201 name. Rules that print their size standard tables as images aren't listed.
Quick answers
What is NAICS 541720?
NAICS 541720 is Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities, a national industry in NAICS 54, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.
What is the NAICS code for business research and development services?
The NAICS code for business research and development services is 541720, Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities.
What is the NAICS code for economic research and development services?
The NAICS code for economic research and development services is 541720, Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities.
What is the NAICS code for language research and development services?
The NAICS code for language research and development services is 541720, Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities.
When did the size standard for NAICS 541720 last change?
The most recent Federal Register rule on record that names NAICS 541720 in the SBA's size standards is "Small Business Size Standards: Adjustment of Monetary-Based Size Standards, Disadvantage Thresholds, and 8(a) Eligibility Thresholds for Inflation" (87 FR 69118), published Nov 17, 2022 and effective Dec 19, 2022.
How much do federal agencies spend under NAICS 541720?
Federal contracts under NAICS 541720 obligated $730,584,991 in fiscal year 2025 and $3,930,685,150 in fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
Who are the largest contractors under NAICS 541720?
The contractors with the most obligated under NAICS 541720 in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 are Mathematica Inc. ($105,267,654); Westat, Inc. ($72,229,762); and The Rand Corporation ($66,620,036).
Which agencies buy the most under NAICS 541720?
The agencies that obligated the most under NAICS 541720 in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 are Department of Health and Human Services ($360,678,554), Department of Education ($167,143,723) and Air Force ($48,529,173).
Which PSC codes are used with NAICS 541720?
The PSC codes with the most obligated under NAICS 541720 in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 are AN42 Health R&D Services; Health Care – Other; Applied Research, B506 Data Analysis (other than scientific) and R499 Other Professional Services.
Where is the work under NAICS 541720 performed?
By place of performance, the states with the most contract obligations under NAICS 541720 over the last 12 months are Maryland ($277,176,925), Virginia ($111,929,217) and the District of Columbia ($91,506,436).
What is the latest contract opportunity under NAICS 541720?
The latest contract opportunity under NAICS 541720 is BPA Call Order Exceeding $20,000 Synopsis Requisition 1179185, special notice from Forest Service, posted November 12, 2026.
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