NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in District of Columbia: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 44.8 (Elevated), ranked #40 of 51 states. 14,809 establishments, 121,794 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 44.8
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Elevated

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

🛡️Stable Market

District of Columbia exhibits structural stability in professional, scientific, and technical services, with volatility at 16.8 and firm retention ranking in the top 5. These metrics suggest lower cyclical risk compared to the national baseline.

5-Year Firm Retention
96.1%
Percentile within industry
Rank #3 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
27.0
Scale of 0-100
Rank #28 of 51 states
Establishment Density
100.0
vs. national average
Rank #51 of 51 states
Market Volatility
16.8
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
35.6
Labor cost pressure

14,809 Establishments in District of Columbia

14,809
Establishments
+1.3% YoY
121,794
Total Employment
-1.9% YoY
$184,375
Average Annual Wage
+5.5% YoY

District of Columbia vs National Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Average

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

Metric DC National Difference
Entry Risk Score 44.8 40.5 +4.3
5-Year Retention 96.1% 51.0% +45.1
Growth Momentum 27.0 37.2 -10.2
Market Volatility 16.8 21.8 -5.0
Establishment Density 100.0 12.6 +87.4
Wage Pressure 35.6 34.0 +1.6

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

District of Columbia Ranks #40 of 51 for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

District of Columbia ranks #40 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
#40 District of Columbia You 44.8 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 District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to bordering states.

Maryland 38.4 #23/51 Virginia 42.3 #32/51

Other Industries in District of Columbia

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 →