<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0001013149 <NAME> ICT GROUP, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 MAR-31-1997 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 1 <CASH> 16,519 16,651 <SECURITIES> 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 21,000 15,404 <ALLOWANCES> 0 262 <INVENTORY> 0 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 39,976 33,423 <PP&E> 35,271 24,325 <DEPRECIATION> 14,550 10,446 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 65,512 51,980 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 13,595 7,643 <BONDS> 0 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 <COMMON> 115 116 <OTHER-SE> 43,895 41,362 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 65,512 51,980 <SALES> 0 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 27,020 20,492 <CGS> 0 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 16,302 11,415 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 9,664 8,381 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 59 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> (38) (138) <INCOME-PRETAX> 1,092 775 <INCOME-TAX> 426 302 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 666 473 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 <CHANGES> 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 666 473 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.06 0.04 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.06 0.04