NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Salinas, CA

Metro Market Score 39.8 (Moderate), ranked #80 of 261 metros. 892 establishments, 5,078 jobs.

Metro Market Score 39.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

🌱Emerging Market

Few professional, scientific, and technical services firms have established themselves in Salinas yet. The concentration index of 17.6 is well below the metro median, while employment growth is positive (trend: 61.7). That combination points to a market still building out.

Industry Concentration

17.6

LQ: 0.36

Rank #46 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

61.7

$89,760 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 61.7

Employment growth index

Rank #101 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

42.6

YoY wage change index

892 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Salinas

892

Establishments

+0.9% YoY

5,078

Total Employment

+1.0% YoY

$89,760

Average Annual Wage

+5.1% YoY

0.36

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within California

#9 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

-9.3

better than median (49.2)

Salinas 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	Salinas	CA Statewide
Overall Score	39.8 Moderate	51.2 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#80 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 Salinas

Construction 31.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 32.3 Information 32.5 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 37.9 Other Services 50.2 Administrative and Support Services 51.2 Finance and Insurance 52.3 Retail Trade 53.7 Accommodation and Food Services 75.7

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 Napa 41.9 #90/261 Chico 43.9 #107/261

+ 13 more metros. View all in California →

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Salinas's 39.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Rocky Mount, NC 39.9 #81/261 Elmira, NY 40.0 #82/261 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI 39.6 #79/261 Wausau, WI 40.1 #83/261 Dover, DE 40.4 #84/261 Lincoln, NE 38.9 #78/261 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 40.8 #85/261 Johnstown, PA 40.8 #86/261 Harrisonburg, VA 38.6 #77/261 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 41.2 #87/261

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 Salinas's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the wage competitiveness component (61.7) 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 Salinas, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment