Professional, Scientific and Technical Services: ABS business counts by industry class
ANZSIC division M.
- Actively trading businesses in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (ANZSIC division M) across Australia, June 2025
- 353,261 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025.
- Actively trading non-employing businesses in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (ANZSIC division M) across Australia, June 2025
- 202,396 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025.
- Actively trading businesses in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (ANZSIC division M) with 1 to 4 employees across Australia, June 2025
- 118,278 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025.
About these figures
- These ABS figures count actively trading businesses, not workers, sites or venues, each in its main state or territory.
- Each state's figure adds up the ABS counts for the small areas in it. The ABS adjusts those counts slightly to protect confidentiality, so the sums are approximate.
Summary of the ABS division definition
The Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Division includes businesses mainly engaged in providing professional, scientific and technical services. Businesses engaged in providing these services apply common processes where labour inputs are integral to the production or service delivery. Businesses in this division specialise and sell their expertise. In most cases, equipment and materials are not major inputs. The activities undertaken generally require a high level of expertise and training and formal (usually tertiary level) qualifications.
The ABS page for division M gives the full definition.
By employment size
| Businesses | Count |
|---|---|
| All businesses | 353,261 businesses |
| Non-employing | 202,396 businesses |
| 1 to 4 employees | 118,278 businesses |
| 5 to 19 employees | 24,852 businesses |
| 20 to 199 employees | 7,332 businesses |
| 200 or more employees | 403 businesses |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
By main state or territory
| Businesses | Count |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | 128,623 businesses |
| Victoria | 94,979 businesses |
| Queensland | 65,088 businesses |
| Western Australia | 33,539 businesses |
| South Australia | 17,228 businesses |
| Tasmania | 4,381 businesses |
| Australian Capital Territory | 7,360 businesses |
| Northern Territory | 1,755 businesses |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (Except Computer System Design and Related Services)
Class profiles
- Advertising Services
- Architectural Services
- Engineering Design and Engineering Consulting Services
- Legal Services
- Management Advice and Related Consulting Services
- Market Research and Statistical Services
- Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services n.e.c.
- Other Specialised Design Services
- Professional Photographic Services
- Scientific Research Services
- Scientific Testing and Analysis Services
- Surveying and Mapping Services
- Veterinary Services
Computer System Design and Related Services
Class profiles
Sources
Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8: Businesses by industry division by Statistical Area Level 2 by employment size ranges (8165DC08.xlsx). Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, June 2021 to June 2025, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 16 December 2025, checked 15 October 2026.
Correspondence, GCCSA 2021 to GCCSA 2026 (CG_GCCSA_2021_GCCSA_2026.csv). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 4, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 22 July 2026, checked 15 October 2026.
Greater Capital City Statistical Areas digital boundary file, 2026 (GCCSA_2026_AUST_SHP_GDA2020.zip). Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 4, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 22 July 2026, checked 15 October 2026.
Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 2.0): the detailed classification. Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 2.0), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 26 June 2013, checked 16 October 2026.
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