Young millennials graduating from college and joining the job hunt are frequently told that jobs in the technology industry are some of the most stable and highest paying, so they should try to land a job there.
“Tech sector employment outpaces other notable segments of the economy, including construction, finance and insurance, transportation and warehousing, and arts, entertainment and recreation,” said Tim Herbert, Senior Vice President of Research and Market Intelligence at CompTIA, a non-profit IT trade association.
The American technology industry itself is strong and growing. According to a Cyberstates Report by CompTIA, the U.S. technology sector grew by nearly 3 percent in 2016 , as it approaches seven million workers overall. From a volume perspective, the technology sector employs nearly 4 percent of the total American workforce and 5 percent of the private sector workforce.
While it is sound advice to reflect what industries are booming, how can a millennial or new graduate find a job in that industry? Further, where are the best places to live to find those jobs?
Thanks to the Cyberstates Report, we have all the details you need to take aim.
Best And Worst States By Number of Technology Jobs
- California +48,580
- New York +11,210
- North Carolina +11,090
- Texas +11,060
- Michigan +10,730
If none of these states seem to suit your fancy, at least review the five states with the worst technology sector job growth. Here’s a hint. They are declining in job growth, or are nearly stagnant.
- Mississippi -440
- Tennessee -590
- Iowa -830
- Kansas -840
- Delaware -1,990
Best States By Job Growth Percentage Change
There are further considerations made by the Cyberstates report to account for states that have had the best job growth in 2016 by a percentage change basis. These five states had better job opportunity on a percentage basis of the entire technology, versus states like California that nearly always has steady numerical growth given the overall size of the industry in that state.
- Utah – 6 percent
- North Carolina – 5.9 percent
- Michigan – 5.1 percent
- Washington – 4.9 percent
- Montana – 4.5 percent
Best And Worst States By Average Annual Technology Salary
Job growth and opportunity is very important, but half the battle in landing a job worth having is finding one that pays top dollar for your talent. Here are the top five states for average technology industry salary from the Cyberstates report.
- California – $154,000
- Washington – $134,800
- Massachusetts – $131,300
- New Jersey – $121,100
- New York – $118,400
Just as you might suspect, most of the states that garner top dollar salaries are associated with tech hub cities that are incredible expensive to live in, such as California and New York. As you look for jobs, you must take into consideration the cost of living in comparison to the salary.
Here are the worst five states for average annual technology salary.
- Montana – $68,673
- West Virginia – $66,400
- Wyoming – $63,899
- Mississippi – $63,183
- South Dakota – $61,947
While some of the above state reports are not surprising, there are others that point to clues in the technology industry. Millennials would be wise to dig further into opportunities in states like North Carolina, Texas, Michigan and Utah given their job growth and opportunity.
For candidates trying to earn top dollar salaries, states such as Washington and Massachusetts may come as a surprising location to earn a high paying job. There are always the obvious options such as California or New York to migrate to, but millennials that want to stay away from fast paced living might be looking for slower paced living in other states.
