<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
March 31, 1998 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-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             Jan-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               Mar-31-1998
<CASH>                                           3,435
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   20,551
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                          0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                27,464
<PP&E>                                           4,489
<DEPRECIATION>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  49,919
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           16,259
<BONDS>                                            832
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                            67
<OTHER-SE>                                      30,425
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                    49,919
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                62,765
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                   56,964
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                  27
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                    538
<INCOME-TAX>                                       215
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                323
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                       323
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.05
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.05