NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Jonesboro, AR

Metro Market Score 16.1 (Favorable), ranked #5 of 261 metros. 272 establishments, 1,333 jobs.

Metro Market Score 16.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

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

📈Rapid Growth✓Favorable Market🌱Emerging Market

Employment in Jonesboro's professional, scientific, and technical services sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 84.3. Combined with a 16.1 market score, this metro sits in the top 10% for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

10.7

LQ: 0.32

Rank #28 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

11.1

$68,332 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 84.3

Employment growth index

Rank #42 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

29.7

YoY wage change index

272 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Jonesboro

272

Establishments

+2.6% YoY

1,333

Total Employment

+4.8% YoY

$68,332

Average Annual Wage

-1.2% YoY

0.32

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Arkansas

#1 of 5

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Arkansas state rank

#18 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

-29.0

better than median (45.2)

Jonesboro vs Arkansas Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Arkansas overall. The state ranks #18/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Jonesboro	AR Statewide
Overall Score	16.1 Favorable	37.3 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#5 of 261 metros	#18 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 Jonesboro

Finance and Insurance 27.0 Construction 39.1 Retail Trade 47.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 50.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 51.4

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Arkansas Metros

Hot Springs 35.5 #60/261 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers 45.2 #115/261 Fort Smith 46.0 #117/261 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway 50.3 #145/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Jonesboro's 16.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Beckley, WV 16.4 #6/261 Visalia, CA 17.2 #7/261 Yakima, WA 17.6 #8/261 Laredo, TX 17.9 #9/261 Goldsboro, NC 18.3 #10/261 Farmington, NM 18.5 #11/261 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 13.5 #4/261 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 19.7 #12/261 Sheboygan, WI 20.1 #13/261 Janesville-Beloit, WI 20.4 #14/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Arkansas

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

Mississippi 33.4 #5/51 Louisiana 36.4 #15/51 Tennessee 39.4 #25/51 Texas 42.2 #30/51 Oklahoma 45.4 #43/51 Missouri 45.5 #45/51

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 Jonesboro's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the wage pressure component (29.7) 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 Jonesboro, AR MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment