NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Iowa: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 31.1 (Moderate), ranked #2 of 51 states. 12,541 establishments, 58,215 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 31.1
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Moderate

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

🛡️Stable Market

Iowa exhibits structural stability in professional, scientific, and technical services, with volatility at 15.9 and firm retention ranking in the top 10. These metrics suggest lower cyclical risk compared to the national baseline.

5-Year Firm Retention
84.3%
Percentile within industry
Rank #9 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
18.3
Scale of 0-100
Rank #48 of 51 states
Establishment Density
0.5
vs. national average
Rank #2 of 51 states
Market Volatility
15.9
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
20.2
Labor cost pressure

12,541 Establishments in Iowa

12,541
Establishments
+2.6% YoY
58,215
Total Employment
+1.2% YoY
$91,951
Average Annual Wage
+3.9% YoY

Iowa vs National Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Average

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

Metric IA National Difference
Entry Risk Score 31.1 40.5 -9.4
5-Year Retention 84.3% 51.0% +33.3
Growth Momentum 18.3 37.2 -18.9
Market Volatility 15.9 21.8 -5.9
Establishment Density 0.5 12.6 -12.1
Wage Pressure 20.2 34.0 -13.8

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

Iowa Ranks #2 of 51 for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Iowa ranks #2 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 You 31.1 moderate
#3 Nebraska 31.6 moderate
#4 South Dakota 32.9 moderate
#5 Mississippi 33.4 moderate
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 Iowa 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 Iowa's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to bordering states.

Nebraska 31.6 #3/51 South Dakota 32.9 #4/51 Wisconsin 35.0 #12/51 Illinois 42.6 #33/51 Missouri 45.5 #45/51 Minnesota 49.2 #47/51

Other Industries in Iowa

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 →