NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Lincoln, NE

Metro Market Score 38.9 (Moderate), ranked #78 of 261 metros. 1,114 establishments, 10,261 jobs.

Metro Market Score 38.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

📈Rapid Growth

Employment in Lincoln's professional, scientific, and technical services sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 90.4. Combined with a 38.9 market score, this metro sits in the upper half for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

78.9

LQ: 0.81

Rank #206 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

40.2

$81,438 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 90.4

Employment growth index

Rank #26 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

31.4

YoY wage change index

1,114 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Lincoln

1,114

Establishments

-3.5% YoY

10,261

Total Employment

+6.0% YoY

$81,438

Average Annual Wage

-0.4% YoY

0.81

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Nebraska

#1 of 2

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Nebraska state rank

#3 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

-33.3

better than median (72.3)

Lincoln vs Nebraska Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Nebraska overall. The state ranks #3/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Lincoln	NE Statewide
Overall Score	38.9 Moderate	31.6 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#78 of 261 metros	#3 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 Lincoln

Accommodation and Food Services 36.1 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 41.9 Information 49.3 Other Services 50.6 Retail Trade 52.8 Construction 55.7 Administrative and Support Services 56.1 Finance and Insurance 62.0

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Nebraska Metros

Omaha 72.3 #243/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lincoln's 38.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Harrisonburg, VA 38.6 #77/261 Lawton, OK 38.3 #76/261 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI 39.6 #79/261 Salinas, CA 39.8 #80/261 Rocky Mount, NC 39.9 #81/261 Anniston-Oxford, AL 37.9 #75/261 Elmira, NY 40.0 #82/261 Wausau, WI 40.1 #83/261 Dover, DE 40.4 #84/261 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 40.8 #85/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Nebraska

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 South Dakota 32.9 #4/51 Wyoming 36.5 #16/51 Kansas 44.7 #39/51 Missouri 45.5 #45/51 Colorado 46.4 #46/51

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 Lincoln's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the industry concentration component (78.9) 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 Lincoln, NE MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment