<ARTICLE>                5
<LEGEND>

                                   EXHIBIT 27

     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
consolidated balance sheets,  consolidated statements of income and consolidated
statements of cash flows included in the Company's Form 10-Q for the three month
period  ended March 31,  1997,  and is qualified in its entirety by reference to
such financial statements and the notes thereto.
</LEGEND>
<CURRENCY>                                                     U.S. DOLLARS
       
                                                                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                          3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                      DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                         JAN-1-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                           MAR-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                        1
<CASH>                                                    7,901,000
<SECURITIES>                                                      0
<RECEIVABLES>                                            35,841,000
<ALLOWANCES>                                              1,226,000

<INVENTORY>                                                       0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                         48,731,000
<PP&E>                                                   29,558,000
<DEPRECIATION>                                           15,036,000
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                           89,413,000
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                    17,040,000
<BONDS>                                                           0
<COMMON>                                                 42,059,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                             0
<PREFERRED>                                                       0
<OTHER-SE>                                                        0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                             89,413,000
<SALES>                                                  27,581,000
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                         27,581,000
<CGS>                                                    12,606,000
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                            12,606,000
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                         13,080,000
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                            501,000
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                          331,000
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                           1,063,000
<INCOME-TAX>                                                372,000
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                         691,000
<DISCONTINUED>                                                    0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                                   0
<CHANGES>                                                         0
<NET-INCOME>                                                691,000
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                          0.08
<EPS-DILUTED>                                          0.08