NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Hattiesburg, MS

Metro Market Score 31.4 (Favorable), ranked #43 of 261 metros. 313 establishments, 1,404 jobs.

Metro Market Score 31.4

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

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

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services wages in Hattiesburg run well below the metro average (competitiveness index: 3.5), and year-over-year wage pressure is low at 34.2. For labor-intensive operations, this cost advantage could improve unit economics significantly.

Industry Concentration

11.5

LQ: 0.33

Rank #30 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

3.5

$60,325 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 30.6

Employment growth index

Rank #182 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

34.2

YoY wage change index

313 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Hattiesburg

313

Establishments

+2.0% YoY

1,404

Total Employment

-1.4% YoY

$60,325

Average Annual Wage

+1.0% YoY

0.33

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Mississippi

#1 of 2

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Mississippi state rank

#5 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

-1.0

better than median (32.3)

Hattiesburg vs Mississippi Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Mississippi overall. The state ranks #5/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Hattiesburg	MS Statewide
Overall Score	31.4 Favorable	33.4 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#43 of 261 metros	#5 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 Hattiesburg

Construction 29.3 Other Services 34.4 Finance and Insurance 37.8 Accommodation and Food Services 53.3 Retail Trade 73.6

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Mississippi Metros

Gulfport-Biloxi 32.3 #46/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Hattiesburg's 31.4 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Jefferson City, MO 31.7 #44/261 Gainesville, GA 31.0 #42/261 Erie, PA 30.6 #41/261 Greenville, NC 32.3 #45/261 Chambersburg, PA 30.4 #40/261 Mansfield, OH 30.4 #39/261 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 32.3 #46/261 Kenosha, WI 32.4 #47/261 Hammond, LA 32.6 #48/261 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL 32.7 #49/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Mississippi

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

Alabama 29.4 #1/51 Louisiana 36.4 #15/51 Arkansas 37.3 #18/51 Tennessee 39.4 #25/51

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 Hattiesburg's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the employment growth component (69.3) 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 Hattiesburg, MS MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment