<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>

                                                                      EXHIBIT 27

                         BARRETT BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
                             FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE


This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
Company's balance sheet and related statement of operations for the period ended
June 30, 2000 and is qualified  in its  entirety by reference to such  financial
statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                   JUN-30-2000
<CASH>                                                 332
<SECURITIES>                                             0
<RECEIVABLES>                                       29,451
<ALLOWANCES>                                             0
<INVENTORY>                                              0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                    33,351
<PP&E>                                               7,439
<DEPRECIATION>                                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                      69,880
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                               25,791
<BONDS>                                              2,864
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0
<PREFERRED>                                              0
<COMMON>                                                73
<OTHER-SE>                                          37,858
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                        69,880
<SALES>                                                  0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                   173,624
<CGS>                                                    0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                      156,243
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                         0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                         0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                     459
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                      2,596
<INCOME-TAX>                                         1,058
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                  1,538
<DISCONTINUED>                                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                          0
<CHANGES>                                                0
<NET-INCOME>                                         1,538
<EPS-BASIC>                                           0.21
<EPS-DILUTED>                                         0.21