NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Boulder, CO

Metro Market Score 84.0 (Difficult), ranked #260 of 261 metros. 5,750 establishments, 34,458 jobs.

Metro Market Score 84.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

🏭Industry Hub💰High-Cost Market

With a 2.55 location quotient, Boulder has an outsized professional, scientific, and technical services presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 100.0) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

100.0

LQ: 2.55

Rank #261 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

98.1

$159,722 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 18.0

Employment growth index

Rank #215 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

49.3

YoY wage change index

5,750 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Boulder

5,750

Establishments

-4.8% YoY

34,458

Total Employment

-2.8% YoY

$159,722

Average Annual Wage

+8.4% YoY

2.55

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Colorado

#7 of 7

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Colorado state rank

#46 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

+15.8

worse than median (68.2)

Boulder vs Colorado Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Colorado overall. The state ranks #46/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Boulder	CO Statewide
Overall Score	84.0 Difficult	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#260 of 261 metros	#46 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 Boulder

Construction 53.8 Administrative and Support Services 54.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 54.6 Other Services 55.5 Retail Trade 58.3 Finance and Insurance 61.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 66.6 Information 68.1 Accommodation and Food Services 71.6

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Colorado Metros

Grand Junction 27.3 #32/261 Greeley 46.8 #124/261 Colorado Springs 66.4 #218/261 Denver-Aurora-Centennial 68.2 #224/261 Pueblo 71.1 #238/261 Fort Collins-Loveland 73.6 #245/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Boulder's 84.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT 84.0 #259/261 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 84.7 #261/261 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 81.7 #258/261 Ann Arbor, MI 81.1 #257/261 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA 80.3 #256/261 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY 79.1 #255/261 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 79.1 #254/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Colorado

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

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

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 Boulder's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the industry concentration component (100.0) 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 Boulder, CO MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment