NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Tucson, AZ

Metro Market Score 53.2 (Challenging), ranked #158 of 261 metros. 3,850 establishments, 18,305 jobs.

Metro Market Score 53.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

Tucson pairs above-average professional, scientific, and technical services concentration (65.1) with positive employment growth (trend: 55.6). The market is competitive but still expanding, leaving room for well-positioned new entrants.

Industry Concentration

65.1

LQ: 0.68

Rank #170 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

63.2

$90,537 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 55.6

Employment growth index

Rank #117 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

39.1

YoY wage change index

3,850 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Tucson

3,850

Establishments

+3.9% YoY

18,305

Total Employment

+0.5% YoY

$90,537

Average Annual Wage

+3.4% YoY

0.68

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Arizona

#5 of 7

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Arizona state rank

#28 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

+6.4

worse than median (46.9)

Tucson vs Arizona Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Arizona overall. The state ranks #28/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Tucson	AZ Statewide
Overall Score	53.2 Challenging	41.2 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#158 of 261 metros	#28 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 Tucson

Construction 35.1 Healthcare and Social Assistance 42.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 53.3 Finance and Insurance 59.4 Retail Trade 60.5 Other Services 62.7 Information 64.1 Accommodation and Food Services 64.6 Administrative and Support Services 72.9

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Arizona Metros

Flagstaff 26.5 #29/261 Prescott Valley-Prescott 34.1 #55/261 Lake Havasu City-Kingman 37.0 #72/261 Yuma 46.9 #127/261 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler 62.3 #197/261 Sierra Vista-Douglas 65.7 #215/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Tucson's 53.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Redding, CA 53.3 #159/261 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC 53.3 #160/261 Champaign-Urbana, IL 53.4 #161/261 Columbus, IN 53.0 #157/261 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 52.9 #156/261 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA 53.6 #162/261 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 52.8 #155/261 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 52.6 #154/261 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC 54.0 #163/261 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 54.1 #164/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Arizona

State-level entry risk for professional, scientific, and technical services in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Utah 42.2 #31/51 Nevada 42.6 #34/51 Colorado 46.4 #46/51 California 51.2 #48/51 New Mexico 59.3 #51/51

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 Tucson's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the industry concentration component (65.1) 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 Tucson, AZ MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment