<ARTICLE>                     5

<LEGEND>
                        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 year ended
December  31,  1998  and is  qualified  in its  entirety  by  reference  to such
financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                               1,000
       
                                                      
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                    DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                         DEC-31-1998
<CASH>                                                     4,029
<SECURITIES>                                                   0
<RECEIVABLES>                                             21,907
<INVENTORY>                                                    0
<ALLOWANCES>                                                   0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                          28,896
<PP&E>                                                     5,184
<DEPRECIATION>                                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                            52,770
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                     15,624
<BONDS>                                                      435
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                          0
<PREFERRED>                                                    0
<COMMON>                                                      77
<OTHER-SE>                                                33,625
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                              52,770
<SALES>                                                        0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                         303,029
<CGS>                                                          0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                            271,005
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                               0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                               0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                           173
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                            6,744
<INCOME-TAX>                                               2,923
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                        3,821
<DISCONTINUED>                                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                                0
<CHANGES>                                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                               3,821
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                .50
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                .50