NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Virginia: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 42.3 (Elevated), ranked #32 of 51 states. 56,181 establishments, 470,378 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 42.3
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Elevated

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

The professional, scientific, and technical services sector in Virginia is tracking close to the U.S. baseline, with no extreme signals in volatility, saturation, or wage pressure. Entry conditions are within the national median range.

5-Year Firm Retention
41.2%
Percentile within industry
Rank #31 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
34.7
Scale of 0-100
Rank #20 of 51 states
Establishment Density
15.1
vs. national average
Rank #39 of 51 states
Market Volatility
3.6
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
34.6
Labor cost pressure

56,181 Establishments in Virginia

56,181
Establishments
+0.6% YoY
470,378
Total Employment
+0.8% YoY
$135,916
Average Annual Wage
+5.4% YoY

Virginia vs National Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Average

How Virginia's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric VA National Difference
Entry Risk Score 42.3 40.5 +1.8
5-Year Retention 41.2% 51.0% -9.8
Growth Momentum 34.7 37.2 -2.5
Market Volatility 3.6 21.8 -18.2
Establishment Density 15.1 12.6 +2.5
Wage Pressure 34.6 34.0 +0.6

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within professional, scientific, and technical services only.

Virginia Ranks #32 of 51 for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Virginia ranks #32 out of 51 states for professional, scientific, and technical services market entry conditions.

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Alabama 29.4 low
#2 Iowa 31.1 moderate
#3 Nebraska 31.6 moderate
#4 South Dakota 32.9 moderate
#5 Mississippi 33.4 moderate
#32 Virginia You 42.3 elevated
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 38.0 · #21 Alabama — 29.4 · #1 Arkansas — 37.3 · #18 Arizona — 41.2 · #28 California — 51.2 · #48 Colorado — 46.4 · #46 Connecticut — 45.1 · #41 District of Columbia — 44.8 · #40 Delaware — 38.9 · #24 Florida — 38.2 · #22 Georgia — 43.5 · #38 Hawaii — 33.8 · #7 Iowa — 31.1 · #2 Idaho — 34.9 · #11 Illinois — 42.6 · #33 Indiana — 56.7 · #50 Kansas — 44.7 · #39 Kentucky — 35.7 · #14 Louisiana — 36.4 · #15 Massachusetts — 41.5 · #29 Maryland — 38.4 · #23 Maine — 40.2 · #26 Michigan — 41.2 · #27 Minnesota — 49.2 · #47 Missouri — 45.5 · #45 Mississippi — 33.4 · #5 Montana — 43.4 · #37 North Carolina — 37.8 · #20 North Dakota — 34.8 · #10 Nebraska — 31.6 · #3 New Hampshire — 37.5 · #19 New Jersey — 45.4 · #44 New Mexico — 59.3 · #51 Nevada — 42.6 · #34 New York — 52.4 · #49 Ohio — 36.9 · #17 Oklahoma — 45.4 · #43 Oregon — 45.2 · #42 Pennsylvania — 33.7 · #6 Rhode Island — 35.3 · #13 South Carolina — 34.7 · #9 South Dakota — 32.9 · #4 Tennessee — 39.4 · #25 Texas — 42.2 · #30 Utah — 42.2 · #31 Virginia — 42.3 · #32 Vermont — 43.0 · #35 Washington — 43.3 · #36 Wisconsin — 35.0 · #12 West Virginia — 34.4 · #8 Wyoming — 36.5 · #16
Low Moderate Elevated High

Tap a state to view details

About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Virginia stack up against other states for professional, scientific, and technical services?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Neighboring States

How Virginia's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to bordering states.

West Virginia 34.4 #8/51 Kentucky 35.7 #14/51 North Carolina 37.8 #20/51 Maryland 38.4 #23/51 Tennessee 39.4 #25/51 District of Columbia 44.8 #40/51

Other Industries in Virginia

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Retail Trade → Accommodation and Food Services → Finance and Insurance → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →