# Nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services

Number of businesses without paid employees in professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), from the U.S. Census Bureau Nonemployer Statistics.

## Key facts

- Nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services in the United States was 4.23 million in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
- California had the highest nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services of 51 states in 2024, at 594,336, and North Dakota the lowest, at 6,135. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
- Published for 52 places, with figures from 2012 to 2024.
- Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

- Indicator id: `nonemployer_establishments_professional_services`
- Unit: count
- Note: Nonemployer Statistics: businesses with no paid employees that are subject to federal income tax, mostly the self-employed, counted from tax records, with receipts above small minimum amounts. Census says some years are not comparable with earlier ones, and they are marked as series breaks: 2018 in every sector (businesses were reclassified from their descriptions, which moved many out of other services), 2022 in every sector (new receipts cutoffs) and 2017 in utilities (the same reclassification). Most nonemployers are sole proprietors whose business may be a side activity. Published about 18 months after the reference year.
- Web page: https://invokely.ai/en/nonemployer-businesses-professional-services
- API: https://invokely.ai/api/v1/indicators/nonemployer_establishments_professional_services

## Latest figures

| Place | Period | count | Source |
|---|---|---:|---|
| United States | 2024 | 4,233,838 | U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12. |

## Rankings

- [US states](https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-professional-services/us-states.md) (51 places)