NAICS 54

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

Entry risk 45.4 (Elevated), ranked #44 of 51 states. 40,924 establishments, 335,825 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 45.4
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Elevated

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

The professional, scientific, and technical services sector in New Jersey shows signs of market maturation: momentum index at 25.8 (bottom half) combined with below-average firm retention (bottom 10). Net establishment formation is likely flat or negative.

5-Year Firm Retention
19.6%
Percentile within industry
Rank #42 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
25.8
Scale of 0-100
Rank #31 of 51 states
Establishment Density
3.2
vs. national average
Rank #13 of 51 states
Market Volatility
21.8
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
16.4
Labor cost pressure

40,924 Establishments in New Jersey

40,924
Establishments
-1.1% YoY
335,825
Total Employment
-1.2% YoY
$140,481
Average Annual Wage
+3.5% YoY

New Jersey vs National Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Average

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

Metric NJ National Difference
Entry Risk Score 45.4 40.5 +4.9
5-Year Retention 19.6% 51.0% -31.4
Growth Momentum 25.8 37.2 -11.4
Market Volatility 21.8 21.8 +0.0
Establishment Density 3.2 12.6 -9.4
Wage Pressure 16.4 34.0 -17.6

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

New Jersey Ranks #44 of 51 for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

New Jersey ranks #44 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
#44 New Jersey You 45.4 elevated
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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to bordering states.

Pennsylvania 33.7 #6/51 Delaware 38.9 #24/51 New York 52.4 #49/51

Other Industries in New Jersey

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 →