With slow job growth in Orange County, the local employment agency revenue has also been increasing modestly.
Revenue for the 14 agencies surveyed by the Business Journal grew 2% to $566 million for the 12 months ended on Dec. 31.
The biggest winner on this year’s list is physician recruitment agency Pacific Companies, which saw revenue jump 32% to $72 million for the 12-month period.
The number of permanent doctors and related healthcare professionals it placed was up 16% to 175, while temporary workers rose 21% to 151.
CEO Gary Cook said the firm continues to see a demand this year for temporary clinicians in its “locum tenens division.”
“At Pacific Companies, we saw our locum tenens division grow 57% in Q1 year-over-year, which reflects the continued demand for flexible physician staffing solutions,” Cook told the Business Journal.
“Healthcare systems are under increasing pressure to maintain coverage while managing costs, and locum tenens has become a critical strategy for ensuring patient access and operational stability.
The company, which climbed four places to No. 2 in the rankings, works with healthcare systems, private practices, and healthcare professionals. Cook said he’s seeing healthcare organizations become more strategic and urgency-driven when it comes to hiring.
“There’s strong demand for physicians and advanced practice providers, particularly in hard-to-fill specialties, while employers are also looking for more flexible staffing models to adapt quickly to market needs,” he said.
Demand is especially notable in Orange County.
“I believe Orange County will remain resilient this year. Healthcare demand continues to grow, and organizations are prioritizing workforce stability and access to care, which continues to drive hiring activity across the market,” Cook said.
PriorityWorkforce, based in Tustin, held on to the No. 3 spot with $70 million in revenue, an 11% increase.
Slow-Growing Jobs
The growth comes against the backdrop of subdued increases in employment in OC.
In their annual economic forecast released in April, California State University, Fullerton economists Anil Puri and Mira Farka said that in Orange County, payrolls are projected to rise by just 0.2% this year and just under 0.3% in 2027 “following a flat reading in 2025.”
California officials said that in March, total non-farm employment increased from 1,674,500 to 1,680,700, a gain of 6,200 jobs or far below even 1%.
Atlanta-based Select No. 1 Locally
This year’s Business Journal list showed Atlanta-based Employbridge, which does business as Select Staffing, held on to its No. 1 position with an estimated $73 million in revenue for 2025. Companywide, the total was $2.9 billion.
Revenue for PTS Advance slipped almost 17% to $47 million last year, as the number of permanent placements fell to 22 from 30. That put the Tustin-based company at No. 6 on the Business Journal list, down two slots from last year.
Company officials declined to comment.
“PTS Advance teams up with thousands of candidates, clients, and partners to advance workforce utilization in the oil, gas & chemicals, power & renewables, advanced manufacturing, and construction & infrastructure sectors,” the company says on its website.
Vaco Orange County showed nearly 12% revenue growth to clinch 11th place with $19 million in revenue. Company headquarters are in Brentwood, Tennessee.
