NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Madison, WI

Metro Market Score 60.0 (Difficult), ranked #188 of 261 metros. 3,011 establishments, 27,614 jobs.

Metro Market Score 60.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

💰High-Cost Market

Market conditions for professional, scientific, and technical services in Madison are tougher than average. The 60.0 market score reflects a combination of high labor costs, mixed growth signals, and an already crowded field. Rank: #188 of 261 metros.

Industry Concentration

85.1

LQ: 0.97

Rank #222 of 261 metros

Wage Competitiveness

77.4

$102,369 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 61.3

Employment growth index

Rank #102 of 261 metros

Wage Pressure

38.9

YoY wage change index

3,011 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Madison

3,011

Establishments

+8.7% YoY

27,614

Total Employment

+1.0% YoY

$102,369

Average Annual Wage

+3.3% YoY

0.97

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Wisconsin

#10 of 11

professional, scientific, and technical services metros in state

Wisconsin state rank

#12 of 51

for professional, scientific, and technical services entry risk

vs State Median

+20.4

worse than median (39.6)

Madison vs Wisconsin Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to Wisconsin overall. The state ranks #12/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Madison	WI Statewide
Overall Score	60.0 Difficult	35.0 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#188 of 261 metros	#12 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 Madison

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 37.8 Accommodation and Food Services 40.3 Retail Trade 45.9 Construction 52.1 Other Services 55.0 Information 58.8 Finance and Insurance 72.8

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other Wisconsin Metros

Sheboygan 20.1 #13/261 Janesville-Beloit 20.4 #14/261 Kenosha 32.4 #47/261 Racine-Mount Pleasant 35.2 #58/261 Oshkosh-Neenah 36.1 #65/261 La Crosse-Onalaska 39.6 #79/261 Wausau 40.1 #83/261 Fond du Lac 43.9 #108/261 Eau Claire 55.3 #171/261 Milwaukee-Waukesha 67.5 #222/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Madison's 60.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Carson City, NV 60.0 #187/261 Bellingham, WA 60.1 #189/261 Santa Fe, NM 59.9 #186/261 Tyler, TX 60.2 #190/261 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 60.3 #191/261 State College, PA 59.6 #185/261 Jackson, MI 60.5 #192/261 Warner Robins, GA 61.1 #193/261 Mobile, AL 61.2 #194/261 Charleston-North Charleston, SC 58.6 #184/261

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in States Bordering Wisconsin

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

Iowa 31.1 #2/51 Michigan 41.2 #27/51 Illinois 42.6 #33/51 Minnesota 49.2 #47/51

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 Madison's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the industry concentration component (85.1) 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 Madison, WI MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment