NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Columbus, IN

Metro Market Score 53.0 (Challenging), ranked #157 of 261 metros. 224 establishments, 1,448 jobs.

Metro Market Score 53.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment in Columbus contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the lower half at 10.3. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration

24.9

LQ: 0.41

Rank #65 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

47.9

$83,830 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 10.3

Employment growth index

Rank #235 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

39.7

YoY wage change index

224 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Columbus

224

Establishments

+5.2% YoY

1,448

Total Employment

-5.1% YoY

$83,830

Average Annual Wage

+3.7% YoY

0.41

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Indiana

#8 of 8

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Indiana state rank

#50 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

+5.1

worse than median (47.9)

Columbus vs Indiana Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Indiana overall. The state ranks #50/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Columbus	IN Statewide
Overall Score	53.0 Challenging	56.7 High
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#157 of 261 metros	#50 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 Columbus

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 12.6 Other Services 24.5 Retail Trade 24.9 Information 25.2 Finance and Insurance 30.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 32.0 Construction 40.4 Accommodation and Food Services 53.8 Administrative and Support Services 58.0

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Indiana Metros

Elkhart-Goshen 19.7 #12/261 Kokomo 35.5 #61/261 Bloomington 46.5 #122/261 Michigan City-La Porte 47.4 #129/261 Lafayette-West Lafayette 47.9 #134/261 Muncie 48.5 #136/261 South Bend-Mishawaka 50.1 #144/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Columbus's 53.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 52.9 #156/261 Tucson, AZ 53.2 #158/261 Redding, CA 53.3 #159/261 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 52.8 #155/261 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC 53.3 #160/261 Champaign-Urbana, IL 53.4 #161/261 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 52.6 #154/261 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA 53.6 #162/261 Midland, MI 52.3 #153/261 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA 52.1 #152/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Indiana

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

Kentucky 35.7 #14/51 Ohio 36.9 #17/51 Michigan 41.2 #27/51 Illinois 42.6 #33/51

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 Columbus's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the employment growth component (89.7) 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 Columbus, IN MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment