NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Anchorage, AK

Metro Market Score 54.6 (Challenging), ranked #166 of 261 metros. 1,639 establishments, 9,790 jobs.

Metro Market Score 54.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national professional, scientific, and technical services average.

Anchorage pairs above-average professional, scientific, and technical services concentration (78.2) with positive employment growth (trend: 71.3). The market is competitive but still expanding, leaving room for well-positioned new entrants.

Industry Concentration

78.2

LQ: 0.80

Rank #204 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

70.9

$96,154 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 71.3

Employment growth index

Rank #76 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

43.6

YoY wage change index

1,639 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Anchorage

1,639

Establishments

+5.2% YoY

9,790

Total Employment

+2.2% YoY

$96,154

Average Annual Wage

+5.6% YoY

0.80

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Alaska

#2 of 2

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Alaska state rank

#21 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (54.6)

Anchorage vs Alaska Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Alaska overall. The state ranks #21/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Anchorage	AK Statewide
Overall Score	54.6 Challenging	38.0 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#166 of 261 metros	#21 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Anchorage

Administrative and Support Services 49.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 50.1 Construction 55.7 Finance and Insurance 61.9 Healthcare and Social Assistance 63.5 Other Services 64.1 Information 64.2 Retail Trade 72.7 Accommodation and Food Services 73.2

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Alaska Metros

Fairbanks-College 43.0 #100/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Anchorage's 54.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Bakersfield-Delano, CA 54.7 #167/261 Wichita, KS 54.7 #168/261 Casper, WY 55.0 #169/261 Providence-Warwick, RI 55.1 #170/261 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC 54.1 #165/261 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 54.1 #164/261 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC 54.0 #163/261 Eau Claire, WI 55.3 #171/261 Akron, OH 55.3 #172/261 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA 53.6 #162/261

Browse Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for professional, scientific, and technical services across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Anchorage's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the industry concentration component (78.2) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Anchorage, AK MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment