NAICS 54

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

Entry risk 34.4 (Moderate), ranked #8 of 51 states. 7,825 establishments, 30,549 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 34.4
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Moderate

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

🛡️Stable Market

West Virginia exhibits structural stability in professional, scientific, and technical services, with volatility at 19.7 and firm retention ranking in the top 5. These metrics suggest lower cyclical risk compared to the national baseline.

5-Year Firm Retention
100.0%
Percentile within industry
Rank #1 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
3.7
Scale of 0-100
Rank #50 of 51 states
Establishment Density
3.0
vs. national average
Rank #12 of 51 states
Market Volatility
19.7
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
31.7
Labor cost pressure

7,825 Establishments in West Virginia

7,825
Establishments
+7.3% YoY
30,549
Total Employment
+2.7% YoY
$77,550
Average Annual Wage
+5.1% YoY

West Virginia vs National Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Average

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

Metric WV National Difference
Entry Risk Score 34.4 40.5 -6.1
5-Year Retention 100.0% 51.0% +49.0
Growth Momentum 3.7 37.2 -33.5
Market Volatility 19.7 21.8 -2.1
Establishment Density 3.0 12.6 -9.6
Wage Pressure 31.7 34.0 -2.3

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

West Virginia Ranks #8 of 51 for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

West Virginia ranks #8 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
#8 West Virginia You 34.4 moderate
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

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

Pennsylvania 33.7 #6/51 Kentucky 35.7 #14/51 Ohio 36.9 #17/51 Maryland 38.4 #23/51 Virginia 42.3 #32/51

Other Industries in West 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 →