NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Metro Market Score 65.8 (Difficult), ranked #216 of 261 metros. 1,686 establishments, 12,190 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 65.8
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

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

💰High-Cost Market

Wage costs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara's professional, scientific, and technical services sector are well above the metro average, with wage competitiveness at 96.5 and rising pressure at 63.3. New entrants should factor higher labor costs into their financial projections for this market.

Industry Concentration
79.3
LQ: 0.81
Rank #207 of 261 metros
Wage Competitiveness
96.5
$141,459 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 69.3
Employment growth index
Rank #81 of 261 metros
Wage Pressure
63.3
YoY wage change index

1,686 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

1,686
Establishments
+1.4% YoY
12,190
Total Employment
+1.9% YoY
$141,459
Average Annual Wage
+15.3% YoY
0.81
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara CA Statewide
Overall Score 65.8 Difficult 51.2 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #216 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

Construction 39.1 Finance and Insurance 42.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 45.9 Retail Trade 51.6 Other Services 54.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 61.3 Administrative and Support Services 76.0 Information 78.0 Accommodation and Food Services 84.9

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 →

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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the wage competitiveness component (96.5) 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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.