NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Salem, OR

Metro Market Score 35.1 (Moderate), ranked #57 of 261 metros. 1,389 establishments, 6,209 jobs.

Metro Market Score 35.1

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

Salem ranks in the top quartile for professional, scientific, and technical services market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 35.1, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

36.4

LQ: 0.46

Rank #95 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

46.4

$83,369 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 83.9

Employment growth index

Rank #43 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

48.1

YoY wage change index

1,389 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Salem

1,389

Establishments

-2.0% YoY

6,209

Total Employment

+4.7% YoY

$83,369

Average Annual Wage

+7.8% YoY

0.46

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Oregon

#1 of 7

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Oregon state rank

#42 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

-14.6

better than median (49.7)

Salem vs Oregon Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Oregon overall. The state ranks #42/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Salem	OR Statewide
Overall Score	35.1 Moderate	45.2 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#57 of 261 metros	#42 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 Salem

Administrative and Support Services 33.2 Healthcare and Social Assistance 41.9 Information 42.6 Accommodation and Food Services 43.9 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 46.5 Retail Trade 56.8 Other Services 57.4 Construction 63.0 Finance and Insurance 64.0

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Oregon Metros

Grants Pass 36.7 #68/261 Albany 46.6 #123/261 Eugene-Springfield 49.7 #141/261 Medford 50.3 #146/261 Corvallis 69.4 #229/261 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro 76.3 #250/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Salem's 35.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI 35.2 #58/261 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL 35.4 #59/261 Manhattan, KS 34.8 #56/261 Hot Springs, AR 35.5 #60/261 Kokomo, IN 35.5 #61/261 Gadsden, AL 35.5 #62/261 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA 35.7 #63/261 Odessa, TX 35.7 #64/261 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 36.1 #65/261 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ 34.1 #55/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Oregon

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

Idaho 34.9 #11/51 Nevada 42.6 #34/51 Washington 43.3 #36/51 California 51.2 #48/51

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 Salem's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the wage competitiveness component (46.4) 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 Salem, OR MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment