Professional, scientific and technical services: how the industry looks
This page gathers the figures we hold on professional, scientific and technical services. Each section names its own source.
Each source groups industries its own way, so the edges of professional, scientific and technical services differ a little from section to section.
- Median sale multiple6.5times EBITDA
- EBITDA margin12.6%share of sales, 2024-25
- Still trading after four years61.8%of businesses trading in June 2022
- Days to pay small suppliers21July to December 2025
- Wage change+2.5%the year to June 2026
What stands out
- In 2024-25, EBITDA was 12.6% of sales across the industry and 14.7% across all industries the ABS covers.
- The industry's share of deals in our database fell from 4.6% in 2015-19 to 3.2% in 2020-26.
Where a line gives a figure across all industries, it comes from the same source and period as the industry's. The sections below name each source.
Use these figures
Set your own EBITDA margin beside the industry's on industry margins.
Get your own earnings on the same basis as the deals, and set them against the sector's multiples, in the earnings calculator.
Set the days your own invoices take beside the industry's on payment times.
What businesses sold for
- Professional, scientific and technical services6.5 times EBITDA, middle half 5.0 to 9.0, 20+ deals
- Engineering consulting5.5 times EBITDA, 5+ deals
Deal details
Professional, scientific and technical services: median 6.5 times EBITDA. The middle half of deals ran from 5.0 to 9.0 times (20+ deals of A$10 million to A$500 million, announced 2009 to 2025).
Engineering consulting: median 5.5 times EBITDA (5+ deals of A$10 million to A$500 million, announced 2009 to 2016).
What multiple will my business sell for?
In Australia, professional, scientific and technical services businesses bought between 2009 and 2025 sold for a median of 6.5 times EBITDA, across 20+ deals.
Source: deals in our database with a published value. Counts by onestepright.
See every professional, scientific and technical services figure on its sale multiples page.
How deal activity has moved
2015-19 against 2020-26, among the deals in our database.
These count deals in our database, not every deal in the market.
Source: deals in our database. Counts by onestepright.
Margins
In 2024-25, EBITDA was 12.6% of sales across the industry, and operating profit 17.5%.
- Purchases14.1%
- Labour41.4%
- Other costs
- EBITDA12.6%
Every business in the industry together, 2024-25.
What is the average profit margin in professional, scientific and technical services?
Across every professional, scientific and technical services business added together, EBITDA was 12.6% of sales in 2024-25, and operating profit 17.5%.
Every business in the industry is added together, so the figures are not a typical business.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Industry (8155.0). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare margins across industries.
How many businesses are still trading
About 62 in every 100 were still trading four years later.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits (8165.0). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare survival across industries.
Businesses that started and stopped
Each is a share of the businesses trading at the start of the year.
Few exits are insolvencies.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits (8165.0). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare exits across industries.
How fast large businesses pay small suppliers
- This industry21
- All industries23
The typical large business in this industry, against all industries.
In July to December 2025, the typical large business in the industry paid small suppliers in 21 days, and paid 78% of its invoices within 30 days.
Source: Payment Times Reporting Register. © Commonwealth of Australia. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare payment times across industries.
What costs did
What wages and input prices did in this industry, and what businesses in it announced. Each comes from its own source and grouping of industries.
Each bar comes from its own source, named below.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Wage Price Index, Australia (6345.0), private sector, total hourly rates excluding bonuses. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
No input price series or announced rises fit this industry yet.
Small business cost ratios
The ATO publishes cost ranges for these small business industries in the sector.
Show the 2 industries
Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO.
See professional, scientific and technical services in New Zealand.
See professional, scientific and technical services in the United Kingdom.
See professional, scientific and technical services in Canada.
See professional, scientific and technical services in the United States.
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