NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Bakersfield-Delano, CA

Metro Market Score 54.7 (Challenging), ranked #167 of 261 metros. 1,367 establishments, 10,391 jobs.

Metro Market Score 54.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment in Bakersfield-Delano contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the lower half at 8.4. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration

28.4

LQ: 0.43

Rank #74 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

43.7

$82,103 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 8.4

Employment growth index

Rank #240 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

46.0

YoY wage change index

1,367 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Bakersfield-Delano

1,367

Establishments

+1.3% YoY

10,391

Total Employment

-5.7% YoY

$82,103

Average Annual Wage

+6.8% YoY

0.43

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within California

#16 of 24

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

California state rank

#48 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

+5.5

worse than median (49.2)

Bakersfield-Delano vs California Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to California overall. The state ranks #48/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Bakersfield-Delano	CA Statewide
Overall Score	54.7 Challenging	51.2 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#167 of 261 metros	#48 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 Bakersfield-Delano

Healthcare and Social Assistance 18.6 Finance and Insurance 19.0 Information 28.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 46.5 Administrative and Support Services 50.0 Retail Trade 56.4 Construction 57.5 Other Services 57.7 Accommodation and Food Services 64.2

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other California Metros

El Centro 10.5 #3/261 Visalia 17.2 #7/261 Fresno 23.2 #21/261 Modesto 24.5 #24/261 Yuba City 26.3 #28/261 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario 28.0 #33/261 Hanford-Corcoran 29.6 #35/261 Merced 29.9 #38/261 Salinas 39.8 #80/261 Napa 41.9 #90/261

+ 13 more metros. View all in California →

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Bakersfield-Delano's 54.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Wichita, KS 54.7 #168/261 Anchorage, AK 54.6 #166/261 Casper, WY 55.0 #169/261 Providence-Warwick, RI 55.1 #170/261 Eau Claire, WI 55.3 #171/261 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC 54.1 #165/261 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 54.1 #164/261 Akron, OH 55.3 #172/261 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC 54.0 #163/261 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA 53.6 #162/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering California

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

Arizona 41.2 #28/51 Nevada 42.6 #34/51 Oregon 45.2 #42/51

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 Bakersfield-Delano's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the employment growth component (91.6) 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment