NAICS 54

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

Entry risk 38.4 (Moderate), ranked #23 of 51 states. 39,539 establishments, 283,075 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 38.4
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Moderate

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

💎Hidden Gem

Maryland presents favorable entry conditions for professional, scientific, and technical services: low overall risk (38.4), limited market saturation (bottom 15), and firm retention in the top half. The combination is uncommon across the national dataset.

5-Year Firm Retention
54.9%
Percentile within industry
Rank #24 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
26.6
Scale of 0-100
Rank #30 of 51 states
Establishment Density
14.5
vs. national average
Rank #37 of 51 states
Market Volatility
12.6
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
21.1
Labor cost pressure

39,539 Establishments in Maryland

39,539
Establishments
+5.6% YoY
283,075
Total Employment
+1.7% YoY
$123,644
Average Annual Wage
+4.0% YoY

Maryland vs National Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Average

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

Metric MD National Difference
Entry Risk Score 38.4 40.5 -2.1
5-Year Retention 54.9% 51.0% +3.9
Growth Momentum 26.6 37.2 -10.6
Market Volatility 12.6 21.8 -9.2
Establishment Density 14.5 12.6 +1.9
Wage Pressure 21.1 34.0 -12.9

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

Maryland Ranks #23 of 51 for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Maryland ranks #23 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
#23 Maryland You 38.4 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 Maryland 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 Maryland's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to bordering states.

Pennsylvania 33.7 #6/51 West Virginia 34.4 #8/51 Delaware 38.9 #24/51 Virginia 42.3 #32/51 District of Columbia 44.8 #40/51

Other Industries in Maryland

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 →