NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Colorado: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 46.4 (Elevated), ranked #46 of 51 states. 55,432 establishments, 291,053 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 46.4
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Elevated

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

📈Growth Opportunity

Colorado ranks top 10 in growth momentum while maintaining relatively low market saturation (bottom 5). This combination signals an underpenetrated market with expanding demand.

5-Year Firm Retention
3.9%
Percentile within industry
Rank #50 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
↑ 61.7
Scale of 0-100
Rank #9 of 51 states
Establishment Density
32.7
vs. national average
Rank #48 of 51 states
Market Volatility
9.3
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
27.9
Labor cost pressure

55,432 Establishments in Colorado

55,432
Establishments
-2.7% YoY
291,053
Total Employment
-0.1% YoY
$135,061
Average Annual Wage
+4.7% YoY

Colorado vs National Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Average

How Colorado's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric CO National Difference
Entry Risk Score 46.4 40.5 +5.9
5-Year Retention 3.9% 51.0% -47.1
Growth Momentum 61.7 37.2 +24.5
Market Volatility 9.3 21.8 -12.5
Establishment Density 32.7 12.6 +20.1
Wage Pressure 27.9 34.0 -6.1

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within professional, scientific, and technical services only.

Colorado Ranks #46 of 51 for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Colorado ranks #46 out of 51 states for professional, scientific, and technical services market entry conditions.

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Alabama 29.4 low
#2 Iowa 31.1 moderate
#3 Nebraska 31.6 moderate
#4 South Dakota 32.9 moderate
#5 Mississippi 33.4 moderate
#46 Colorado You 46.4 elevated
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 38.0 · #21 Alabama — 29.4 · #1 Arkansas — 37.3 · #18 Arizona — 41.2 · #28 California — 51.2 · #48 Colorado — 46.4 · #46 Connecticut — 45.1 · #41 District of Columbia — 44.8 · #40 Delaware — 38.9 · #24 Florida — 38.2 · #22 Georgia — 43.5 · #38 Hawaii — 33.8 · #7 Iowa — 31.1 · #2 Idaho — 34.9 · #11 Illinois — 42.6 · #33 Indiana — 56.7 · #50 Kansas — 44.7 · #39 Kentucky — 35.7 · #14 Louisiana — 36.4 · #15 Massachusetts — 41.5 · #29 Maryland — 38.4 · #23 Maine — 40.2 · #26 Michigan — 41.2 · #27 Minnesota — 49.2 · #47 Missouri — 45.5 · #45 Mississippi — 33.4 · #5 Montana — 43.4 · #37 North Carolina — 37.8 · #20 North Dakota — 34.8 · #10 Nebraska — 31.6 · #3 New Hampshire — 37.5 · #19 New Jersey — 45.4 · #44 New Mexico — 59.3 · #51 Nevada — 42.6 · #34 New York — 52.4 · #49 Ohio — 36.9 · #17 Oklahoma — 45.4 · #43 Oregon — 45.2 · #42 Pennsylvania — 33.7 · #6 Rhode Island — 35.3 · #13 South Carolina — 34.7 · #9 South Dakota — 32.9 · #4 Tennessee — 39.4 · #25 Texas — 42.2 · #30 Utah — 42.2 · #31 Virginia — 42.3 · #32 Vermont — 43.0 · #35 Washington — 43.3 · #36 Wisconsin — 35.0 · #12 West Virginia — 34.4 · #8 Wyoming — 36.5 · #16
Low Moderate Elevated High

Tap a state to view details

About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Colorado stack up against other states for professional, scientific, and technical services?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Neighboring States

How Colorado's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to bordering states.

Nebraska 31.6 #3/51 Wyoming 36.5 #16/51 Arizona 41.2 #28/51 Utah 42.2 #31/51 Kansas 44.7 #39/51 Oklahoma 45.4 #43/51 New Mexico 59.3 #51/51

Other Industries in Colorado

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Retail Trade → Accommodation and Food Services → Finance and Insurance → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →