54138/Testing Laboratories and Services
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
158K
employees, 2023
158K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 7,463 US Testing Laboratories and Services business locations employed 158,265 people and paid $11.9 billion in annual payroll, $75,284 per employee on average. Employment was up 2.3% from 2022. Texas had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
7,463
-0.3% vs 2022
Employees
158,265
+2.3% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$11.9B
+4.2% vs 2022
Average pay
$75,284
+1.8% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Testing Laboratories and Services in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
| State | Business locations | Employees | Average pay | Share of state jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 808 | 21,391 | $73,003 | 0.18% |
| California | 956 | 17,332 | $75,896 | 0.11% |
| Michigan | 247 | 11,187 | $91,259 | 0.28% |
| Pennsylvania | 282 | 10,907 | $62,778 | 0.19% |
| Illinois | 292 | 7,415 | $94,669 | 0.13% |
| Ohio | 280 | 7,146 | $70,829 | 0.14% |
| New Jersey | 228 | 6,986 | $84,727 | 0.18% |
| New York | 319 | 6,390 | $74,114 | 0.07% |
| Louisiana | 203 | 5,638 | $79,949 | 0.33% |
| Florida | 404 | 5,227 | $65,379 | 0.05% |
| Massachusetts | 151 | 4,026 | $102,928 | 0.12% |
| North Carolina | 199 | 3,731 | $81,437 | 0.09% |
| Georgia | 190 | 3,380 | $77,888 | 0.08% |
| Indiana | 155 | 3,175 | $69,425 | 0.11% |
| Colorado | 167 | 2,926 | $79,359 | 0.11% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 51.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Testing Laboratories and Services employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 297 | 10,357 | $78,989 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 325 | 8,464 | $83,995 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 125 | 7,663 | $99,811 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 243 | 7,228 | $96,327 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 342 | 6,112 | $69,560 |
| Lancaster, PA | 13 | 4,735* | $58,801 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 154 | 3,770 | $66,754 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 113 | 3,334 | $65,448 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 117 | 2,913 | $119,888 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 108 | 2,902 | $98,500 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 117 | 2,480 | $83,038 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 83 | 1,967 | $53,139 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 40 | 1,763 | $76,358 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 69 | 1,745 | $69,001 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 45 | 1,667 | $66,160 |
Business size
US Testing Laboratories and Services business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 3,184 | 42.7% |
| 5 to 9 | 1,407 | 18.9% |
| 10 to 19 | 1,274 | 17.1% |
| 20 to 49 | 956 | 12.8% |
| 50 to 99 | 382 | 5.1% |
| 100 to 249 | 189 | 2.5% |
| 250 to 499 | 52 | 0.7% |
| 500 to 999 | 13 | 0.2% |
| 1,000 or more | 6 | 0.1% |
Related industries
Testing Laboratories and Services and the 1 industry directly below it
Part of Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 54Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 541Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 5413
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 541380 | Testing Laboratories and Services | 158,265 | $75,284 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Testing Laboratories and Services in the US?
158,265 people worked at 7,463 US Testing Laboratories and Services business locations in 2023, up 2.3% from 2022. That is 0.11% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Testing Laboratories and Services?
$75,284 a year per employee in 2023, from $11.9 billion in annual payroll (up 1.8% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Testing Laboratories and Services jobs?
Texas had the most, with 21,391 employees in 2023, followed by California (17,332) and Michigan (11,187).
Which metro areas have the most Testing Laboratories and Services jobs?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (10,357), New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (8,464), Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (7,663) had the most Testing Laboratories and Services employees in 2023.
Are most Testing Laboratories and Services businesses small?
78.6% of the 7,463 Testing Laboratories and Services business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 19 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. * Less accurate: changed by 5% or more to protect privacy. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.