NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Columbia, MO

Metro Market Score 42.7 (Moderate), ranked #96 of 261 metros. 573 establishments, 3,937 jobs.

Metro Market Score 42.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services wages in Columbia run well below the metro average (competitiveness index: 11.5), and year-over-year wage pressure is low at 40.1. For labor-intensive operations, this cost advantage could improve unit economics significantly.

Industry Concentration

47.5

LQ: 0.53

Rank #124 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

11.5

$68,602 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 33.7

Employment growth index

Rank #174 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

40.1

YoY wage change index

573 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Columbia

573

Establishments

+4.4% YoY

3,937

Total Employment

-0.7% YoY

$68,602

Average Annual Wage

+3.9% YoY

0.53

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Missouri

#2 of 2

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Missouri state rank

#45 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (42.7)

Columbia vs Missouri Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Missouri overall. The state ranks #45/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Columbia	MO Statewide
Overall Score	42.7 Moderate	45.5 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#96 of 261 metros	#45 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 Columbia

Construction 19.8 Retail Trade 32.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 42.4 Finance and Insurance 72.3

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Missouri Metros

Jefferson City 31.7 #44/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Columbia's 42.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 42.7 #97/261 Port St. Lucie, FL 42.7 #98/261 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 42.6 #95/261 Rockford, IL 42.8 #99/261 Lebanon, PA 42.5 #94/261 Fairbanks-College, AK 43.0 #100/261 Minot, ND 43.1 #101/261 Punta Gorda, FL 42.2 #93/261 Williamsport, PA 42.2 #92/261 Lancaster, PA 43.1 #102/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Missouri

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

Iowa 31.1 #2/51 Nebraska 31.6 #3/51 Kentucky 35.7 #14/51 Arkansas 37.3 #18/51 Tennessee 39.4 #25/51 Illinois 42.6 #33/51 Kansas 44.7 #39/51 Oklahoma 45.4 #43/51

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 Columbia's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the employment growth component (66.3) 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 Columbia, MO MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment