<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS APPEARING IN EXHIBIT 13 TO THIS FORM 10-K AND IS QUALIFIED
IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0001052045
<NAME>                        The ServiceMaster Company
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
<CURRENCY>                                     USD

<S>                             <C>               <C>            <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR              YEAR           YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               DEC-31-1999       DEC-31-1998    DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                  JAN-01-1999       JAN-01-1998    JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                    DEC-31-1999       DEC-31-1998    DEC-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                 1                 1              1
<CASH>                               59,834            66,400         64,876
<SECURITIES>                         54,376            54,022         59,248
<RECEIVABLES>                       597,853           411,363        331,359
<ALLOWANCES>                         39,011            38,988         32,221
<INVENTORY>                          82,861            49,770         48,157
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                    959,238           670,202        594,084
<PP&E>                              659,810           441,209        362,653
<DEPRECIATION>                      341,712           229,049        204,383
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                    3,870,215         2,914,851      2,475,224
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>               845,804           753,697        558,177
<BONDS>                           1,697,582         1,076,167      1,247,845
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                     0                 0              0
<PREFERRED>                               0                 0              0
<COMMON>                              3,075             2,980          2,799
<OTHER-SE>                        1,202,641           953,506        521,639
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>      3,870,215         2,914,851      2,475,224
<SALES>                                   0                 0              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                  5,703,535         4,724,119      3,961,502
<CGS>                                     0                 0              0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                     4,459,035         3,679,612      3,058,160
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                    861,326           648,085        559,409
<LOSS-PROVISION>                          0                 0              0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                  108,955            92,945         76,447
<INCOME-PRETAX>                     296,193           318,778        274,279
<INCOME-TAX>                        122,630           128,786        110,809
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                 173,563           189,992        163,470
<DISCONTINUED>                            0                 0              0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                           0                 0              0
<CHANGES>                                 0                 0              0
<NET-INCOME>                        173,563           189,992        163,470
<EPS-BASIC>                            0.56              0.66           0.57
<EPS-DILUTED>                          0.55              0.64           0.55



</TABLE>