NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Akron, OH

Metro Market Score 55.3 (Challenging), ranked #172 of 261 metros. 2,591 establishments, 16,538 jobs.

Metro Market Score 55.3

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

Market conditions for professional, scientific, and technical services in Akron are tougher than average. The 55.3 market score reflects a combination of moderate wages, mixed growth signals, and an already crowded field. Rank: #172 of 261 metros.

Industry Concentration

74.3

LQ: 0.75

Rank #194 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

56.7

$88,245 avg wage

Growth Trend

53.3

Employment growth index

Rank #123 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

42.8

YoY wage change index

2,591 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Akron

2,591

Establishments

+2.2% YoY

16,538

Total Employment

+0.3% YoY

$88,245

Average Annual Wage

+5.2% YoY

0.75

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Ohio

#6 of 8

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Ohio state rank

#17 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

+7.6

worse than median (47.7)

Akron vs Ohio Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Ohio overall. The state ranks #17/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Akron	OH Statewide
Overall Score	55.3 Challenging	36.9 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#172 of 261 metros	#17 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 Akron

Other Services 35.4 Accommodation and Food Services 43.9 Healthcare and Social Assistance 46.4 Construction 49.8 Administrative and Support Services 52.1 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 52.8 Retail Trade 56.7 Information 60.9 Finance and Insurance 67.2

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Ohio Metros

Springfield 24.6 #25/261 Sandusky 26.6 #30/261 Mansfield 30.4 #39/261 Youngstown-Warren 43.3 #104/261 Lima 47.7 #130/261 Cleveland 62.4 #198/261 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek 66.1 #217/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Akron's 55.3 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Eau Claire, WI 55.3 #171/261 Providence-Warwick, RI 55.1 #170/261 Casper, WY 55.0 #169/261 Las Cruces, NM 55.8 #173/261 Columbia, SC 55.8 #174/261 St. George, UT 55.9 #175/261 Wichita, KS 54.7 #168/261 Bakersfield-Delano, CA 54.7 #167/261 Anchorage, AK 54.6 #166/261 Kennewick-Richland, WA 56.5 #176/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Ohio

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

Pennsylvania 33.7 #6/51 West Virginia 34.4 #8/51 Kentucky 35.7 #14/51 Michigan 41.2 #27/51 Indiana 56.7 #50/51

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 Akron's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the industry concentration component (74.3) 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 Akron, OH MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment