SBA 7(a) lending by industry
How many SBA 7(a) loans each industry received in fiscal year 2025, how large the typical approval was, and how that has moved in a year — for every NAICS sector and 297 six-digit industries. Every figure is computed from SBA’s own loan-level file, and both tables are downloadable.
Fiscal year 2025 approvals (1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025), computed from SBA’s 7(a) FOIA loan-level file, snapshot 30 June 2026. 50 states and DC; cancelled approvals excluded. Published 5 September 2026. Version 1 · next update after the FY2026 file lands (expected October to November 2026).
Where the loans go is not where the money goes
SBA publishes how much it lends. It does not publish what a typical borrower in a given trade actually receives, which is the figure an owner needs before deciding whether an SBA loan is even the right size of tool. The median, not the average, answers that — and the medians differ by industry far more than most guides admit.
All 20 NAICS sectors
Approvals, dollars and the typical loan in each two-digit NAICS sector, fiscal year 2025. Sorted by number of approvals.
| NAICS | Sector | Approvals | Share | Total approved | Median | Middle half (p25–p75) | Median term (mo) | ≤$50k | New business | vs FY2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Construction | 8,799 | 13.85% | $3370.66m | $150,000 | $50,000 – $350,000 | 120 | 27.7% | 22.8% | -0.4% |
| 72 | Accommodation and Food Services | 7,760 | 12.21% | $5436.27m | $326,250 | $100,000 – $743,000 | 120 | 20.1% | 46.7% | +4.9% |
| 44-45 | Retail Trade | 7,162 | 11.27% | $4037.95m | $215,000 | $80,000 – $595,000 | 120 | 21.0% | 30.4% | +1.6% |
| 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6,613 | 10.41% | $2839.33m | $150,000 | $60,000 – $438,600 | 120 | 23.9% | 19.3% | +4.6% |
| 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 6,598 | 10.38% | $2841.38m | $150,000 | $50,000 – $497,975 | 120 | 29.1% | 34.8% | +7.7% |
| 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6,343 | 9.98% | $3566.01m | $230,000 | $95,600 – $589,500 | 120 | 19.2% | 35.5% | +8.7% |
| 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3,843 | 6.05% | $1278.42m | $150,000 | $50,000 – $350,000 | 120 | 27.0% | 33.6% | +3.6% |
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 3,610 | 5.68% | $2336.14m | $250,000 | $100,000 – $610,425 | 120 | 18.0% | 25.2% | -0.8% |
| 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | 2,963 | 4.66% | $998.45m | $100,000 | $40,600 – $253,300 | 120 | 34.7% | 26.5% | -12.7% |
| 71 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2,556 | 4.02% | $1261.72m | $250,000 | $68,975 – $500,000 | 120 | 22.8% | 59.5% | +12.1% |
| 42 | Wholesale Trade | 2,487 | 3.91% | $1629.27m | $250,000 | $110,000 – $500,000 | 120 | 14.4% | 17.3% | -11.5% |
| 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1,223 | 1.92% | $582.24m | $150,000 | $50,000 – $500,000 | 120 | 25.5% | 27.7% | -5.8% |
| 52 | Finance and Insurance | 1,101 | 1.73% | $475.78m | $200,000 | $93,000 – $500,000 | 120 | 17.3% | 15.6% | +11.9% |
| 61 | Educational Services | 1,094 | 1.72% | $461.05m | $150,000 | $50,000 – $425,000 | 120 | 25.8% | 40.6% | +13.8% |
| 51 | Information | 604 | 0.95% | $231.47m | $150,000 | $50,000 – $350,000 | 120 | 26.0% | 19.9% | -2.4% |
| 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 550 | 0.87% | $430.83m | $190,000 | $50,000 – $838,750 | 120 | 27.8% | 37.3% | +2.4% |
| 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 89 | 0.14% | $87.75m | $300,000 | $111,500 – $900,000 | 120 | 13.5% | 13.5% | +34.8% |
| 22 | Utilities | 76 | 0.12% | $40.39m | $150,000 | $100,000 – $500,000 | 120 | 11.8% | 26.3% | -2.6% |
| 55 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 44 | 0.07% | $50.71m | $767,500 | $240,650 – $1.36m | 120 | 11.4% | 50.0% | +69.2% |
| 92 | Public Administration | 20 | 0.03% | $3.14m | $142,500 | $32,500 – $175,050 | 120 | 35.0% | 30.0% | -31.0% |
The 60 industries with the most SBA loans
Six-digit NAICS industries ranked by FY2025 approvals. Sort any column or filter by name. The downloadable file has all 297 industries with 30 or more approvals; industries below that threshold are excluded because a single year’s median on a handful of loans is not a reliable figure.
| 722511 | Full-Service Restaurants | 2,855 | $275,000 | $90,000 – $657,500 | 120 | 38.3% | +0.5% | $264,000 (n=8,225) |
| 722513 | Limited-Service Restaurants | 2,152 | $349,850 | $100,000 – $602,300 | 120 | 54.9% | +9.6% | $320,000 (n=5,889) |
| 236118 | Residential Remodelers | 1,507 | $100,000 | $46,900 – $223,000 | 120 | 25.6% | +0.0% | $85,000 (n=4,222) |
| 713940 | Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | 1,380 | $264,500 | $74,750 – $500,000 | 120 | 65.7% | +19.2% | $250,000 (n=3,572) |
| 238220 | Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 1,188 | $200,000 | $75,000 – $500,000 | 120 | 21.3% | -2.1% | $150,000 (n=3,319) |
| 238990 | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 1,060 | $182,500 | $70,975 – $460,800 | 120 | 22.1% | -3.3% | $150,000 (n=3,043) |
| 722515 | Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars | 1,059 | $304,200 | $75,000 – $536,000 | 120 | 66.5% | +22.3% | $275,000 (n=2,726) |
| 561730 | Landscaping Services | 1,021 | $100,000 | $42,000 – $300,000 | 120 | 25.9% | -8.4% | $100,000 (n=3,039) |
| 811111 | General Automotive Repair | 962 | $200,000 | $50,000 – $649,400 | 120 | 23.3% | +13.2% | $180,000 (n=2,533) |
| 812112 | Beauty Salons | 946 | $77,250 | $30,000 – $226,400 | 120 | 32.5% | -3.3% | $60,000 (n=2,656) |
| 624410 | Child Care Services | 941 | $400,000 | $100,000 – $922,000 | 120 | 40.4% | +9.0% | $387,250 (n=2,486) |
| 238210 | Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 842 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $350,000 | 120 | 22.0% | +9.2% | $150,000 (n=2,233) |
| 484121 | General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload | 801 | $86,700 | $40,200 – $151,000 | 120 | 17.7% | -25.1% | $75,000 (n=3,004) |
| 812199 | Other Personal Care Services | 761 | $200,000 | $50,000 – $515,000 | 120 | 57.4% | -3.1% | $150,000 (n=2,125) |
| 524210 | Insurance Agencies and Brokerages | 729 | $150,000 | $84,000 – $464,700 | 120 | 16.2% | +12.8% | $150,000 (n=1,884) |
| 621210 | Offices of Dentists | 687 | $500,000 | $150,000 – $1.25m | 120 | 35.2% | +13.6% | $500,000 (n=1,745) |
| 621610 | Home Health Care Services | 686 | $200,000 | $100,000 – $475,475 | 120 | 32.4% | +29.4% | $175,000 (n=1,612) |
| 721110 | Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels | 686 | $2,681,500 | $1.41m – $4.29m | 300 | 29.6% | +15.9% | $2,537,000 (n=1,851) |
| 484110 | General Freight Trucking, Local | 661 | $75,000 | $32,900 – $220,000 | 120 | 29.3% | -21.3% | $67,100 (n=2,466) |
| 621111 | Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) | 653 | $250,000 | $100,000 – $603,100 | 120 | 40.7% | +1.7% | $279,000 (n=1,754) |
| 445320 | Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers | 642 | $500,000 | $196,225 – $979,000 | 120 | 29.3% | +15.5% | $500,000 (n=1,724) |
| 561720 | Janitorial Services | 616 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $282,750 | 120 | 35.2% | +7.9% | $137,750 (n=1,642) |
| 812990 | All Other Personal Services | 604 | $135,000 | $50,000 – $350,000 | 120 | 30.8% | +18.2% | $119,200 (n=1,499) |
| 812910 | Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services | 587 | $260,000 | $75,000 – $566,750 | 120 | 52.3% | +7.3% | $220,300 (n=1,581) |
| 541611 | Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services | 574 | $121,350 | $50,000 – $250,000 | 120 | 26.1% | +11.7% | $100,000 (n=1,448) |
| 541990 | All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 561 | $230,000 | $96,400 – $500,000 | 120 | 11.4% | +7.9% | $150,000 (n=1,479) |
| 713990 | All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 558 | $304,500 | $90,000 – $618,600 | 120 | 71.5% | +26.5% | $300,000 (n=1,346) |
| 458110 | Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers | 544 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $300,000 | 120 | 23.7% | -12.0% | $100,000 (n=1,555) |
| 621399 | Offices of All Other Miscellaneous Health Practitioners | 538 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $422,950 | 120 | 37.5% | +5.5% | $150,000 (n=1,399) |
| 541110 | Offices of Lawyers | 529 | $150,000 | $75,000 – $383,400 | 120 | 20.6% | -6.0% | $150,000 (n=1,523) |
| 457110 | Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores | 529 | $1,253,700 | $600,000 – $2.45m | 300 | 27.0% | +12.8% | $1,300,000 (n=1,406) |
| 621310 | Offices of Chiropractors | 518 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $336,375 | 120 | 33.4% | +7.2% | $150,000 (n=1,380) |
| 236115 | New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) | 505 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $294,900 | 120 | 14.7% | +23.5% | $150,000 (n=1,183) |
| 621330 | Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | 473 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $334,000 | 120 | 26.2% | -2.5% | $121,800 (n=1,281) |
| 236220 | Commercial and Institutional Building Construction | 432 | $200,000 | $100,000 – $421,250 | 120 | 16.7% | +12.8% | $150,000 (n=1,140) |
| 541219 | Other Accounting Services | 422 | $129,400 | $50,000 – $350,000 | 120 | 19.2% | +37.5% | $103,100 (n=986) |
| 238320 | Painting and Wall Covering Contractors | 401 | $95,000 | $40,000 – $209,000 | 120 | 33.9% | -0.7% | $95,000 (n=1,125) |
| 541211 | Offices of Certified Public Accountants | 384 | $316,350 | $100,000 – $646,400 | 120 | 21.1% | +17.1% | $270,000 (n=964) |
| 621340 | Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | 379 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $352,800 | 120 | 31.4% | +10.5% | $150,000 (n=993) |
| 812113 | Nail Salons | 373 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $300,000 | 120 | 23.1% | +29.5% | $124,250 (n=878) |
| 238910 | Site Preparation Contractors | 368 | $123,000 | $50,000 – $300,000 | 120 | 24.2% | -2.4% | $100,000 (n=1,031) |
| 238160 | Roofing Contractors | 361 | $200,000 | $75,000 – $500,000 | 120 | 18.8% | +18.0% | $150,000 (n=946) |
| 541511 | Custom Computer Programming Services | 359 | $219,000 | $100,000 – $445,000 | 120 | 14.8% | +14.7% | $200,000 (n=892) |
| 459999 | All Other Miscellaneous Retailers | 358 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $350,000 | 120 | 28.8% | -4.3% | $131,450 (n=1,024) |
| 811121 | Automotive Body, Paint, and Interior Repair and Maintenance | 358 | $200,000 | $61,250 – $673,750 | 120 | 21.5% | +19.7% | $180,000 (n=877) |
| 445110 | Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) | 349 | $328,000 | $100,000 – $1.04m | 120 | 30.4% | +1.7% | $250,000 (n=1,079) |
| 561790 | Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 333 | $150,000 | $50,000 – $358,400 | 120 | 45.0% | +27.6% | $150,000 (n=796) |
| 541613 | Marketing Consulting Services | 329 | $125,000 | $44,000 – $300,000 | 120 | 22.2% | -15.4% | $100,000 (n=1,009) |
| 611620 | Sports and Recreation Instruction | 327 | $150,000 | $51,350 – $500,000 | 120 | 54.1% | +23.9% | $150,000 (n=799) |
| 722410 | Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | 315 | $200,000 | $70,000 – $500,000 | 120 | 45.7% | -13.2% | $225,000 (n=1,001) |
| 541940 | Veterinary Services | 300 | $707,500 | $150,000 – $2.23m | 126 | 48.0% | +37.6% | $739,250 (n=674) |
| 531210 | Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers | 297 | $81,800 | $45,000 – $200,000 | 120 | 10.8% | -13.2% | $86,000 (n=917) |
| 541330 | Engineering Services | 296 | $262,500 | $120,600 – $500,000 | 120 | 15.2% | +14.7% | $225,000 (n=779) |
| 455219 | All Other General Merchandise Retailers | 288 | $100,000 | $45,000 – $243,775 | 120 | 24.0% | +2.9% | $100,000 (n=825) |
| 541519 | Other Computer Related Services | 280 | $204,000 | $102,550 – $500,000 | 120 | 10.4% | -2.1% | $150,000 (n=753) |
| 541213 | Tax Preparation Services | 273 | $105,900 | $50,000 – $345,000 | 120 | 16.1% | +8.8% | $100,000 (n=697) |
| 456110 | Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | 267 | $450,000 | $172,500 – $994,400 | 120 | 29.2% | +9.9% | $400,000 (n=715) |
| 722330 | Mobile Food Services | 251 | $50,000 | $25,000 – $107,000 | 120 | 62.5% | -8.7% | $50,000 (n=763) |
| 623312 | Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | 243 | $775,000 | $175,000 – $1.57m | 300 | 40.3% | +16.3% | $849,500 (n=622) |
| 238350 | Finish Carpentry Contractors | 241 | $100,000 | $40,000 – $250,000 | 120 | 24.9% | +6.2% | $95,000 (n=641) |
What a typical borrower in your trade was actually approved for
The same calculation for the industries Fundur serves, with the NAICS scope stated on each card. The band on the chart is the middle half of approvals; the dot is the median. The dollar axis is logarithmic, because the industries span two orders of magnitude.
How these numbers were produced
Source. SBA’s 7(a) & 504 FOIA loan-level file, 7(a) extract for FY2020 to present, snapshot dated 30 June 2026 (sha256 6c1e9132b5141a19…, 181,130,871 bytes). SBA refreshes this file quarterly and does not retain earlier snapshots; the hash identifies the exact file used.
Population. From 388,338 rows we remove 391 byte-identical duplicate rows, keep the 50 states and DC by ProjectState (1,738 approvals in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam and other territories are excluded so that the totals reconcile exactly with our state ranking), require a positive gross approval amount and an approval date, and exclude the 13,917 FY2025 approvals recorded as cancelled. That leaves 63,535 approvals in FY2025, 61,990 in FY2024 and 176,820 in the FY2023–FY2025 pool. Every FY2025 row carries a six-digit NAICS code.
Industry. The NAICS code is the one recorded by the lender at approval (NaicsCode). Sectors are the standard two-digit groupings, with 31–33, 44–45 and 48–49 combined as NAICS defines them. Descriptions are SBA’s own. The file mixes NAICS 2017 and 2022 vintages: where a code was renumbered between vintages (for example gasoline stations 447110 → 457110, pharmacies 446110 → 456110), the six-digit table reports each code as recorded, and the Fundur-industry cards combine the two.
Statistics. Median and quartiles are computed on the gross approval amount (GrossApproval), linear interpolation between order statistics for the quartiles. Term is TermInMonths, positive values only. “New business” counts BusinessAge values New Business or 2 years or less and Startup, Loan Funds will Open Business. Year-on-year change compares FY2025 with FY2024 on the identical population rule. Six-digit rows are published only with 30 or more FY2025 approvals; the pooled three-year median only with 100 or more.
Cross-checks. The FY2025 population, total dollars, median, startup share and SBA Express share reconcile exactly with the national figures on our state ranking, which uses the same rule. The FY2020–FY2025 laundromat figures (869 approvals, $442,700 median) and food-service figures on our other resources reproduce from this derivation to the dollar. The whole calculation was re-run independently in a second implementation (pandas, vectorised) before publication and every published cell matched.
Reproducing it. The source file is public and the derivation is deterministic: the same file produces the same tables. Method version 1.0, 5 September 2026.
What these numbers cannot tell you
- Nothing about approval odds. The file contains approvals only — no applications, no declines. An industry with few loans is not an industry that gets turned down; it may simply not use the programme.
- Approval amount is not the cost of the business. A loan can be for an acquisition, a refinance, equipment or working capital, and the file does not say which. Never read a median here as “what it costs to open” anything.
- Approved is not disbursed. Cancelled approvals are excluded, but 18.0% of FY2025 approvals in these states were later cancelled — the highest share in the file — and some approved loans are drawn only in part.
- 7(a) is one programme. It excludes 504, microloans, conventional bank lending and every private lender. Real-estate-heavy industries also use 504, so their 7(a) medians understate their SBA financing overall.
- Thin industries move. Below a few hundred approvals a year, a single-year median can swing tens of thousands of dollars for no economic reason. Use the pooled column, and treat year-on-year changes on small counts as noise.
- Industry codes are self-reported. The NAICS code is chosen by the lender at application. Misclassification exists, particularly between adjacent codes (residential remodelers versus other specialty trades, physicians’ offices versus other health practitioners).
- Association, never cause. Differences in loan size and startup share are measured differences. Nothing here identifies why they exist.
Reuse and citation
You are welcome to reproduce any figure, chart or table on this page in reporting, research or educational material, with attribution and a link back to this page. No permission request is needed. If your industry is in the table and you want the underlying rows, the CSVs above are the whole thing.
If a figure here contradicts one you have published, we would rather you check our method than take it on trust — it is set out in full above, and the source file is public.
Every source on this page
- US Small Business Administration — 7(a) & 504 FOIA loan-level data · 7(a) FY2020–present extract, snapshot 30 June 2026
- US Small Business Administration — 7(a) & 504 FOIA data dictionary · field definitions used above
- US Census Bureau — North American Industry Classification System · 2022 sector definitions and the 2017→2022 concordance
- Fundur aggregate downloads — by sector and by six-digit industry · CSV, every column, FY2025 with FY2024 comparison and FY2023–25 pool
Fundur is a financing marketplace, not a lender. For the same file cut by state see SBA lending by state; for what SBA borrowers were actually charged see SBA rates and fees; for what lenders ask for see SBA loan requirements; and for the programme itself, SBA loans. National context is on small business lending statistics; the state-run SSBCI programmes, a separate federal channel, are tracked jurisdiction by jurisdiction on SSBCI deployment by state.
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