NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Providence-Warwick, RI

Metro Market Score 55.1 (Challenging), ranked #170 of 261 metros. 9,272 establishments, 35,452 jobs.

Metro Market Score 55.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

💰High-Cost Market

Providence-Warwick scores 55.1 on the Metro Market Score for professional, scientific, and technical services, placing it in the lower half. High wage costs, strong existing competition, or slowing growth contribute to tougher entry conditions compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

69.7

LQ: 0.72

Rank #182 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

78.2

$102,574 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 68.2

Employment growth index

Rank #84 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

43.0

YoY wage change index

9,272 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Providence-Warwick

9,272

Establishments

+4.7% YoY

35,452

Total Employment

+1.7% YoY

$102,574

Average Annual Wage

+5.3% YoY

0.72

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Rhode Island

#1 of 1

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Rhode Island state rank

#13 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (55.1)

Providence-Warwick vs Rhode Island Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Rhode Island overall. The state ranks #13/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Providence-Warwick	RI Statewide
Overall Score	55.1 Challenging	35.3 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#170 of 261 metros	#13 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 Providence-Warwick

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 53.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 53.9 Other Services 57.7 Retail Trade 61.1 Information 61.6 Accommodation and Food Services 63.2 Administrative and Support Services 65.3 Finance and Insurance 66.0

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Providence-Warwick's 55.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Eau Claire, WI 55.3 #171/261 Casper, WY 55.0 #169/261 Akron, OH 55.3 #172/261 Wichita, KS 54.7 #168/261 Bakersfield-Delano, CA 54.7 #167/261 Anchorage, AK 54.6 #166/261 Las Cruces, NM 55.8 #173/261 Columbia, SC 55.8 #174/261 St. George, UT 55.9 #175/261 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC 54.1 #165/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Rhode Island

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

Massachusetts 41.5 #29/51 Connecticut 45.1 #41/51

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 Providence-Warwick's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the wage competitiveness component (78.2) 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 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment