NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Metro Market Score 68.2 (Difficult), ranked #224 of 261 metros. 32,705 establishments, 182,542 jobs.

Metro Market Score 68.2

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 1.63 location quotient, Denver-Aurora-Centennial has an outsized professional, scientific, and technical services presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 97.3) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

97.3

LQ: 1.63

Rank #254 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

96.2

$139,100 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 62.5

Employment growth index

Rank #99 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

42.8

YoY wage change index

32,705 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Denver-Aurora-Centennial

32,705

Establishments

-2.6% YoY

182,542

Total Employment

+1.1% YoY

$139,100

Average Annual Wage

+5.2% YoY

1.63

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Colorado

#4 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

0.0

matches median (68.2)

Denver-Aurora-Centennial 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	Denver-Aurora-Centennial	CO Statewide
Overall Score	68.2 Difficult	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#224 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial

Construction 68.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 68.3

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 Pueblo 71.1 #238/261 Fort Collins-Loveland 73.6 #245/261 Boulder 84.0 #260/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Denver-Aurora-Centennial's 68.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Lewiston-Auburn, ME 68.0 #223/261 Pittsfield, MA 68.4 #225/261 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 68.5 #226/261 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 68.7 #227/261 Lexington Park, MD 68.8 #228/261 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 67.5 #222/261 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 67.4 #221/261 Barnstable Town, MA 67.1 #220/261 Bay City, MI 67.0 #219/261 Corvallis, OR 69.4 #229/261

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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the industry concentration component (97.3) 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment