<ARTICLE>               5
<LEGEND>
</LEGEND>
<CIK>               0001017968
<NAME>              StaffMark
<MULTIPLIER>        1
<CURRENCY>          U.S. DOLLARS
       
     
<PERIOD-TYPE>            YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>        DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>           JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>             DEC-31-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>          1.00
<CASH>                   13,856,422
<SECURITIES>             0
<RECEIVABLES>            21,506,272
<ALLOWANCES>             441,397
<INVENTORY>              0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>         36,498,805
<PP&E>                   7,458,227
<DEPRECIATION>           3,454,589
<TOTAL-ASSETS>           71,498,231
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>    12,448,336
<BONDS>                  0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>    0
<PREFERRED>              0
<COMMON>                 134,170
<OTHER-SE>               57,975,909
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>    71,498,231
<SALES>                  104,476,109
<TOTAL-REVENUES>         104,476,109
<CGS>                    0
<TOTAL-COSTS>            81,606,986
<OTHER-EXPENSES>         15,997,569
<LOSS-PROVISION>         206,123
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>       1,375,879
<INCOME-PRETAX>          5,796,629
<INCOME-TAX>             1,773,833
<INCOME-CONTINUING>      4,022,796
<DISCONTINUED>           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>          0
<CHANGES>                0
<NET-INCOME>             4,022,796
<EPS-PRIMARY>            0.67
<EPS-DILUTED>            0.67