<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
                                                                      EXHIBIT 27
                         BARRETT BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
                             FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE


This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
Company's  balance  sheets and related  statements of operations  for the period
ended March 31, 1997 and is  qualified  in its  entirety  by  reference  to such
financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                                          0000902791
<NAME>                                    BARRETT BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
<MULTIPLIER>                                                        1,000
       
                                                          
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                       3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                             DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                                JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                                  MAR-31-1997
<CASH>                                                              1,615
<SECURITIES>                                                            0
<RECEIVABLES>                                                      21,337
<ALLOWANCES>                                                            0
<INVENTORY>                                                             0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                   25,694
<PP&E>                                                              3,203
<DEPRECIATION>                                                          0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                     47,635
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                              14,560
<BONDS>                                                               849
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                   0
<PREFERRED>                                                             0
<COMMON>                                                               67
<OTHER-SE>                                                         26,830
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                                       47,635
<SALES>                                                                 0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                                   62,780
<CGS>                                                                   0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                                      56,676
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                                        0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                                        0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                     25
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                                     1,350
<INCOME-TAX>                                                          520
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                                   830
<DISCONTINUED>                                                          0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                                         0
<CHANGES>                                                               0
<NET-INCOME>                                                          830
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                        0.12
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                           0