NAICS 541990 Quarterly Industry Report
All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 541990Sector: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This Fair Market Value report for NAICS 541990 provides industry classification details, employment statistics, and SBA small business guidelines. Data sources include the Census Bureau[5], Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Small Business Administration. Fair Market Value assessments for businesses in this sector use income, market, and asset methods reflecting Treasury Regulation standards. Information supports business valuation, competitive analysis, and market assessment.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the all other professional, scientific, and technical services industry.
NAICS Sector
54
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Industry Definition & Overview
All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (NAICS 541990) encompasses establishments providing specialized professional, scientific, or technical services such as appraisals, marine surveying, arbitration and conciliation, patent brokerage, commodity inspection, pipeline inspection, consumer credit counseling, weather forecasting, and handwriting analysis. This catch-all category includes service providers excluded from other professional and technical service classifications like legal, accounting, architectural, engineering, computer systems design, advertising, and veterinary services.
Per Census Bureau[5] data, the industry captured roughly 20,848 establishments in 2020, with total receipts of $19.3 billion. Growth drivers include technological advancements enabling new consulting capabilities, increased corporate outsourcing for specialized expertise, regulatory developments requiring advisory services, and globalization expanding demand for culturally-informed consulting. The professional, scientific, and technical services sector experienced payroll growth of $324.9 billion between 2017 and 2022.
Service providers face challenges from economic sensitivity affecting discretionary spending on non-core services, intense fragmentation creating price competition, technological disruption making specialized skills obsolete, and data security compliance pressures. Successful firms maintain competitive differentiation through specialized expertise and long-term client relationships. Annual revenue per establishment averages roughly 25,000, though top-performing specialty firms generate significantly more. Federal government agencies represent a substantial client base for inspection, testing, and advisory services. Bureau of Labor Statistics[6] data tracks employment trends across this broad professional services category.
What's Included in This Industry
- Appraisal services for property and business valuation
- Marine surveyors and shipping inspectors
- Arbitration and conciliation services
- Patent brokers and intellectual property advisors
- Commodity and pipeline inspectors
- Consumer credit counseling and advisory services
- Weather forecasting and meteorological services
- Handwriting analysis and document examination
- Engineering and specialized technical inspections
- Safety and compliance consulting services
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 |
| Subsector | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541 |
| Industry Group | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5419 |
| NAICS Industry | All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54199 |
| National Industry | All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541990 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 541611 | Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services | Administrative Management Consulting provides strategic business guidance, while 541990 offers specialized technical and professional services for niche market segments not covered elsewhere. |
| 541612 | Human Resources Consulting Services | Human Resources Consulting focuses specifically on workforce and personnel matters, whereas 541990 includes technical inspections, appraisals, and advisory services across multiple domains. |
| 541613 | Marketing Consulting Services | Marketing Consulting specializes in market strategy and promotional guidance, while 541990 includes scientific advisory services such as weather forecasting, arbitration, and commodity inspection. |
| 541690 | Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services | Other Scientific and Technical Consulting addresses scientific guidance on specific topics, while 541990 serves as a broader catch-all for professional and technical services including appraisals. |
| 541330 | Engineering Services | Engineering Services focuses on architectural and engineering design, whereas 541990 includes technical inspection, appraisal, and specialized professional services requiring different expertise. |
| 541511 | Custom Computer Programming Services | Custom Computer Programming Services develops software solutions, while 541990 includes non-technology professional services like arbitration, appraisals, and weather forecasting. |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 11.4% | 2,613 |
| 2 | California | 11.3% | 2,585 |
| 3 | New York | 6.2% | 1,413 |
| 4 | Texas | 5.3% | 1,215 |
| 5 | Illinois | 5.1% | 1,170 |
| 6 | Michigan | 4.9% | 1,124 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 4.7% | 1,072 |
| 8 | Virginia | 4.5% | 1,039 |
| 9 | Minnesota | 3.2% | 732 |
| 10 | Georgia | 2.9% | 672 |
% Of Establishments
0%
11%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
SBA Lending Summary
5,832
Total SBA Loans
$2.6B
Total Loan Volume
$438K
Average Loan Size
10 yrs
Average Loan Term
10.55%
Average Interest Rate
54,248
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[4]
Key Insight: Per SBA size standards[7], NAICS 541990 has a threshold of $20 million in average annual receipts over five fiscal years. This standard determines eligibility for SBA loans, government contracts, and other small business programs for establishments providing specialized professional services. Eligible businesses can access SBA 7(a) loans[8] for working capital, equipment, and acquisition financing, while 504 loans[9] support major fixed-asset purchases including real estate and heavy machinery.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National Bank | 408 | $201.3M | $493K |
| 2 | Northeast Bank | 1,136 | $197.2M | $174K |
| 3 | Readycap Lending, LLC | 648 | $161.7M | $250K |
| 4 | Live Oak Banking Company | 176 | $154.9M | $880K |
| 5 | Newtek Bank, National Association | 336 | $116.9M | $348K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
How does NAICS 541990 differ from other professional service codes?
NAICS 541990 serves as a residual category for specialized professional, scientific, and technical services that don't fit into established codes like legal (541110)[10], accounting (541211), engineering (541330), or computer systems design (541512).
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 541990?
Per SBA standards[7], the threshold is $20 million in average annual receipts over five fiscal years. This determines small business eligibility for federal contracting opportunities and other SBA assistance programs.
How many establishments operate under NAICS 541990?
Per Census Bureau[5] 2020 data, roughly 20,848 establishments were classified under NAICS 541990. This represents a varied base of service providers across multiple specialized technical and professional fields.
What are the employment trends in this industry?
Per Census Bureau[5] data, the professional, scientific, and technical services sector experienced payroll growth of $324.9 billion between 2017 and 2022. Employment in this sector remains resilient as demand for specialized expertise continues to drive growth across economic cycles.
How does economic activity affect this industry?
This industry is moderately cyclical, with demand for advisory and consulting services fluctuating based on corporate capital availability and business confidence. During downturns, companies reduce spending on discretionary professional services.
What licensing requirements exist?
Requirements vary by service type. Appraisers may need state licensing, arbitrators might require specialized training, and some inspectors need technical certifications. Providers should verify applicable regulations with state and federal authorities.
How is Fair Market Value determined for these businesses?
Fair Market Value uses established valuation approaches including income, market, and asset methods, reflecting Treasury Regulation standards. Business appraisals for 541990 establishments typically cost $3,000 to $30,000 depending on complexity.
What challenges face NAICS 541990 service providers?
Key challenges include intense competition and market fragmentation limiting pricing power, technological disruption potentially making services obsolete, economic sensitivity affecting discretionary spending, and data security compliance requirements.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [5]Census Bureau data.census.gov
- [6]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [7]SBA size standards sba.gov
- [8]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [9]504 loans sba.gov
- [10]legal (541110) census.gov
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