NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Dover, DE

Metro Market Score 40.4 (Moderate), ranked #84 of 261 metros. 918 establishments, 2,860 jobs.

Metro Market Score 40.4

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

📈Rapid Growth

Dover ranks in the upper half for professional, scientific, and technical services market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 40.4, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

52.5

LQ: 0.58

Rank #137 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

45.6

$82,963 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 78.2

Employment growth index

Rank #58 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

46.6

YoY wage change index

918 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Dover

918

Establishments

+12.6% YoY

2,860

Total Employment

+3.5% YoY

$82,963

Average Annual Wage

+7.1% YoY

0.58

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Delaware

#1 of 1

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Delaware state rank

#24 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (40.4)

Dover vs Delaware Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Delaware overall. The state ranks #24/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Dover	DE Statewide
Overall Score	40.4 Moderate	38.9 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#84 of 261 metros	#24 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 Dover

Construction 36.7 Healthcare and Social Assistance 39.2 Finance and Insurance 45.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 48.0 Other Services 50.8 Information 51.8 Retail Trade 69.8 Administrative and Support Services 69.9

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Dover's 40.4 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Wausau, WI 40.1 #83/261 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 40.8 #85/261 Elmira, NY 40.0 #82/261 Johnstown, PA 40.8 #86/261 Rocky Mount, NC 39.9 #81/261 Salinas, CA 39.8 #80/261 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI 39.6 #79/261 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 41.2 #87/261 Killeen-Temple, TX 41.4 #88/261 Wildwood-The Villages, FL 41.5 #89/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Delaware

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

Pennsylvania 33.7 #6/51 Maryland 38.4 #23/51 New Jersey 45.4 #44/51

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 Dover's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the industry concentration component (52.5) 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

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Dover, DE MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment