NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Dubuque, IA

Metro Market Score 45.0 (Moderate), ranked #113 of 261 metros. 410 establishments, 1,905 jobs.

Metro Market Score 45.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

At #113 of 261 metros, Dubuque's professional, scientific, and technical services sector scores 45.0 on the market index. Concentration (38.3), wage levels (54.4), and growth (53.6) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration

38.3

LQ: 0.47

Rank #100 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

54.4

$86,956 avg wage

Growth Trend

53.6

Employment growth index

Rank #122 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

39.7

YoY wage change index

410 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Dubuque

410

Establishments

+0.5% YoY

1,905

Total Employment

+0.3% YoY

$86,956

Average Annual Wage

+3.7% YoY

0.47

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Iowa

#1 of 4

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Iowa state rank

#2 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

-7.1

better than median (52.1)

Dubuque vs Iowa Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Iowa overall. The state ranks #2/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Dubuque	IA Statewide
Overall Score	45.0 Moderate	31.1 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#113 of 261 metros	#2 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 Dubuque

Accommodation and Food Services 24.7 Retail Trade 34.4 Other Services 36.9 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 41.3 Healthcare and Social Assistance 47.7 Administrative and Support Services 48.2 Construction 52.1 Information 58.5 Finance and Insurance 60.1

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Iowa Metros

Ames 46.9 #126/261 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 52.1 #152/261 Iowa City 62.9 #204/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Dubuque's 45.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 45.2 #114/261 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR 45.2 #115/261 Duluth, MN 44.5 #112/261 Cheyenne, WY 44.3 #111/261 Glens Falls, NY 44.2 #110/261 Florence, SC 44.1 #109/261 Enid, OK 46.0 #116/261 Fort Smith, AR 46.0 #117/261 Kingston, NY 46.1 #118/261 Fond du Lac, WI 43.9 #108/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Iowa

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 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

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 Dubuque's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the employment growth component (46.4) 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 Dubuque, IA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment