Careers in Professional and Business Services

The Professional and Business Services industry sector comprises jobs that provide specialized services for others. The jobs in this industry are as interesting as they are diverse, and can be both highly competitive and high paying.

There are 3 subsectors included in this industry: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Management of Companies and Enterprises; and Administrative, Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services. Examples of job titles include Lawyers, Computer Software Engineers, Accountants, and Researchers. [ii] In addition these sub sectors, offer job seekers the opportunity to work as full-time employees for private and public employers or to serve as independent consultants.

While there are jobs in this sector that do not require college degrees. Those who arm themselves with college degrees and top-notch skills will help distinguish themselves from others seeking highly competitive and top salaried jobs. [i] In the Professional and Business Services industry, it is quite common to find people with a wide range of degrees, include bachelor's in Business, Finance, Marketing,and Economics just to name a few. In addition, according to the Wall Street Journal an increasing number of people are opting to pursue master's degrees, such as MBA's . 

  • According to the US Department of Labor, professional and related occupations account for 59% of all jobs in the United States.
  • The top paying jobs within this industry are Lawyers, Scientific Researchers & Developers, Advertising Agents, Engineer & Drafting Servicers, and Computer Systems Designers. [iii]
  • The Professional & Business Services industry is expected to grow 1.8% every year from 2012-2022. [iv]
  • In 2014, the Professional & Business Services industry gained an average of 61,000 jobs every month and accounted for 25% of employment growth in the U.S.[v]
  • The number of establishments in the Professional & Business Services industry has steadily increased in recent years. From 2011 to 2014 the number of establishments in this industry grew by 114,229. [vi]

Sources: [i] does.dc.gov | [ii] bls.gov/iag | [iii] bls.gov/oes | [iv] bls.gov/opub | [v] bls.gov | [vi] data.bls.gov/timeseries | [vii] themanufacturinginstitute.org