NAICS 44 — Retail Trade
Establishments engaged in retailing merchandise in small quantities to the general public (codes 44-45). The Retail Trade sector encompasses 59 six-digit NAICS codes used in federal procurement, representing $759,945,206 in total federal contract spending. Each code within this sector has its own SBA small business size standard, which determines whether a business qualifies as "small" for set-aside and sole-source contract opportunities in that specific industry.
Understanding Sector 44
NAICS sector 44 is one of 20 industry sectors defined by the North American Industry Classification System. The federal government uses these codes to classify contract requirements, determine small business eligibility, and track procurement spending across industries. When a federal agency issues a solicitation, they assign a NAICS code that best describes the principal purpose of the acquisition — this determines the applicable size standard for small business participation.
The codes below are sorted by total federal spending, with the highest-spend industries at the top. Click any code to view detailed spending data, top contractors, and guidance on competing for contracts in that industry.
Six-Digit Codes in Sector 44
| Code | Industry | Federal Spend |
|---|---|---|
| 444110 | Home Centers | $357.0M |
| 443120 | Computer and Software Stores | $120.0M |
| 444130 | Hardware Stores | $95.4M |
| 453210 | Office Supplies and Stationery Stores | $59.2M |
| 441110 | New Car Dealers | $24.3M |
| 459410 | Office Supplies and Stationery Retailers | $14.3M |
| 457210 | Fuel Dealers | $14.1M |
| 458210 | Shoe Retailers | $12.2M |
| 444180 | Other Building Material Dealers | $9.9M |
| 441222 | Boat Dealers | $8.2M |
| 453998 | All Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers (except Tobacco Stores) | $5.3M |
| 441227 | Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers | $5.0M |
| 454310 | Fuel Dealers | $4.4M |
| 456110 | Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | $4.3M |
| 444190 | Other Building Material Dealers | $4.3M |
| 449110 | Furniture Retailers | $2.3M |
| 452319 | All Other General Merchandise Stores | $2.0M |
| 446110 | Pharmacies and Drug Stores | $1.8M |
| 449210 | Electronics and Appliance Retailers | $1.7M |
| 444140 | Hardware Retailers | $1.4M |
| 458110 | Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers | $1.3M |
| 459999 | All Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $1.3M |
| 459110 | Sporting Goods Retailers | $973K |
| 459920 | Art Dealers | $872K |
| 456199 | All Other Health and Personal Care Retailers | $837K |
| 441340 | Tire Dealers | $698K |
| 459910 | Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers | $635K |
| 442299 | All Other Home Furnishings Stores | $556K |
| 444240 | Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers | $481K |
| 441120 | Used Car Dealers | $434K |
| 455211 | Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters | $421K |
| 441330 | Automotive Parts and Accessories Retailers | $416K |
| 459510 | Used Merchandise Retailers | $387K |
| 457110 | Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores | $380K |
| 446130 | Optical Goods Stores | $380K |
| 455219 | All Other General Merchandise Retailers | $359K |
| 449121 | Floor Covering Retailers | $272K |
| 441228 | Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers | $271K |
| 442291 | Window Treatment Stores | $219K |
| 441210 | Recreational Vehicle Dealers | $187K |
| 444120 | Paint and Wallpaper Retailers | $144K |
| 445230 | Fruit and Vegetable Retailers | $124K |
| 449122 | Window Treatment Retailers | $122K |
| 459140 | Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers | $110K |
| 459210 | Book Retailers and News Dealers | $104K |
| 444230 | Outdoor Power Equipment Retailers | $104K |
| 453310 | Used Merchandise Stores | $89K |
| 459420 | Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers | $71K |
| 444210 | Outdoor Power Equipment Stores | $70K |
| 457120 | Other Gasoline Stations | $68K |
| 455110 | Department Stores | $48K |
| 445110 | Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) | $48K |
| 456191 | Food (Health) Supplement Retailers | $45K |
| 451211 | Book Stores | $45K |
| 456120 | Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers | $41K |
| 448210 | Shoe Stores | $37K |
| 445291 | Baked Goods Retailers | $29K |
| 448190 | Other Clothing Stores | $29K |
| 449129 | All Other Home Furnishings Retailers | $28K |
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What is NAICS sector 44?
NAICS sector 44 covers Retail Trade. Establishments engaged in retailing merchandise in small quantities to the general public (codes 44-45). It contains 59 six-digit industry codes used in federal procurement.
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How much does the federal government spend in sector 44?
Total federal contract spending across all codes in the Retail Trade sector is approximately $759,945,206. Individual codes within the sector range from the most active at $357.0M to smaller niche markets.
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How do NAICS sectors relate to size standards?
Each six-digit NAICS code has its own SBA size standard — sectors don't have a single standard. Size standards are expressed either as maximum average annual receipts (e.g., $41.5 million) or maximum number of employees (e.g., 500 employees). Click into any six-digit code to see its specific size standard.
Data sourced from USASpending.gov and Census Bureau . Federal contracting data is public domain.