NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Wilmington, NC

Metro Market Score 61.5 (Difficult), ranked #196 of 261 metros. 2,834 establishments, 12,566 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 61.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

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

Wilmington scores 61.5 on the Metro Market Score for professional, scientific, and technical services, placing it in the bottom quartile. High wage costs, strong existing competition, or slowing growth contribute to tougher entry conditions compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration
85.4
LQ: 0.97
Rank #223 of 261 metros
Wage Competitiveness
74.7
$99,127 avg wage
Growth Trend
49.8
Employment growth index
Rank #132 of 261 metros
Wage Pressure
32.2
YoY wage change index

2,834 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Wilmington

2,834
Establishments
+32.6% YoY
12,566
Total Employment
+0.0% YoY
$99,127
Average Annual Wage
+0.0% YoY
0.97
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Wilmington 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 Wilmington NC Statewide
Overall Score 61.5 Difficult 37.8 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #196 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 Wilmington

Construction 35.6 Other Services 38.6 Finance and Insurance 39.7 Healthcare and Social Assistance 40.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 41.9 Retail Trade 42.4 Accommodation and Food Services 50.4

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

Goldsboro 18.3 #10/261 Greenville 32.3 #45/261 Burlington 37.0 #74/261 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 Durham-Chapel Hill 67.4 #221/261

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 Wilmington's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the industry concentration component (85.4) 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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.