NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Burlington, NC

Metro Market Score 37.0 (Moderate), ranked #74 of 261 metros. 421 establishments, 1,681 jobs.

Metro Market Score 37.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

🌱Emerging Market

Burlington has a relatively low concentration of professional, scientific, and technical services firms (index: 16.5) paired with positive employment growth. This suggests an underpenetrated market where demand may outpace current supply.

Industry Concentration

16.5

LQ: 0.36

Rank #43 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

44.1

$82,368 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 64.8

Employment growth index

Rank #93 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

56.4

YoY wage change index

421 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Burlington

421

Establishments

+5.2% YoY

1,681

Total Employment

+1.4% YoY

$82,368

Average Annual Wage

+11.9% YoY

0.36

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within North Carolina

#3 of 9

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

North Carolina state rank

#20 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

-6.3

better than median (43.3)

Burlington vs North Carolina Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to North Carolina overall. The state ranks #20/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Burlington	NC Statewide
Overall Score	37.0 Moderate	37.8 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#74 of 261 metros	#20 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 Burlington

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 31.2 Accommodation and Food Services 45.6 Administrative and Support Services 56.8 Other Services 57.2 Finance and Insurance 61.4 Retail Trade 61.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 63.5

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other North Carolina Metros

Goldsboro 18.3 #10/261 Greenville 32.3 #45/261 Rocky Mount 39.9 #81/261 Jacksonville 43.3 #105/261 Greensboro-High Point 49.9 #142/261 Pinehurst-Southern Pines 54.1 #165/261 Wilmington 61.5 #196/261 Durham-Chapel Hill 67.4 #221/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Burlington's 37.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Huntington-Ashland, WV 37.0 #73/261 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 37.0 #72/261 Kingsport-Bristol, TN 37.0 #71/261 Lake Charles, LA 36.9 #70/261 Wheeling, WV 36.8 #69/261 Grants Pass, OR 36.7 #68/261 Bangor, ME 36.4 #67/261 Homosassa Springs, FL 36.2 #66/261 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 36.1 #65/261 Anniston-Oxford, AL 37.9 #75/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering North Carolina

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

South Carolina 34.7 #9/51 Tennessee 39.4 #25/51 Virginia 42.3 #32/51 Georgia 43.5 #38/51

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 Burlington's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the wage pressure component (56.4) 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 Burlington, NC MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment