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Top U.S. States and Cities for Tech Jobs in 2024

Goodwin Recruiting | Career Tips, Industry News, News | May 27, 2024

If you’re an IT professional looking for greener pastures in another part of the United States this year, you’re likely exploring states or cities with the most or best opportunities. And in doing so, you’re no doubt discovering one of the biggest landscapes of opportunity that exists for today’s job seekers.

IT job opportunities in mainstream, specialized, and emerging fields of technology are not only exploding in 2024, but they’re popping up in new tech hubs outside of major tech capitals. Cities like Atlanta, Denver, Portland, Salt Lake City, and numerous others are gaining traction in the tech space.

Overall state of the industry’s workforce

Let’s start with the best news of all. CompTIA’s State of the Tech Workforce 2024 report, the most comprehensive annual source of data on the size and scope of the U.S. technology industry and workforce, projects that all U.S. states will generate positive tech employment job growth this year. Early Q1 2024 data indicates an uptick in tech hiring as employers re-evaluate hiring plans that were put on hold during the pandemic, exploring growth investments that require new skills and tech talent.

The full report forecasts that employment across the tech sector and tech occupation workforces will reach 9.9 million workers in 2024, an increase of 300,000+ new workers compared to 2023 (9.6 million).

We encourage job seekers looking for out-of-state opportunities to explore the full report. You’ll find detailed data on employment, wages, the distinction between the tech sector and the tech workforce, job postings, workforce diversity, emerging tech metrics, and much more, including the status of 2024 growth opportunities among the following occupations, including by state:

CIOs and IT Directors
Systems Analysts and Engineers
Cybersecurity Analysts and Engineers
Computer and Information Research Scientists
Network Support Specialists
IT Support Specialists
Network Architects
Database Administrators
Database Architects
Network and Systems Administrators
Computer Programmers
Software Developers and Engineers
Software QC and Testers
Web Developers
Web and Digital Interface Designers
IT Project Management, Emerging Tech, Other
Data Scientists and Analysts
Computer Hardware Engineers
Computer, ATM, Office Machine Technicians

Projected hot spots for tech jobs in 2024

CompTIA’s 2024 projections indicate that 20 states and 14 metropolitan areas will exceed the average job growth rate, and that 26 metro markets are expected to at least double last year’s job growth rate – all reflecting the diversity of tech hub concentrations across the country.

Top 10 projected net tech employment jobs to be added in 2024 by state:

Texas: +44,118
California: +41,080
New York: +21,590
Florida: +20,235
Washington: +15,206
North Carolina: +11,677
Georgia: +10,636
Colorado: +9,112
Virginia: +8,566
Pennsylvania: +8,412

Source: Lightcast | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | CompTIA

To 10 projected net tech employment jobs to be added in 2024 by city:

New York City: +19,671
Dallas: +15,218
San Francisco: +14,696
Seattle: +10,740
Austin: +9,678
San Jose: +9,257
Atlanta: +5,684
Denver: +5,674
Boston: +5,089
Washington D.C.: +4,199

Source: Lightcast | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | CompTIA

Top projected growth occupations for 2024:

5.5%: Data Scientists and Data Analysts
5.1%: Cybersecurity Analysts and Engineers
4.8%: Software Developers and Engineers
4.3%: Software QA and Testers
4.3%: Computer and Information Research Scientists
3.6%: CIOs and IT Directors
3.6%” Web Developers 3.6% Web and Digital Interface Designers

The best destination is more about you than the size of the tech scene!

The best states for tech jobs in 2024 depend on several factors that relate to what you want for your life and career. Are you looking to advance your current area of expertise in the industry – or pursue a different role or industry sector? What about your job preferences, the cost of living, the quality of life you want from a new city or state? Maybe you’re looking for opportunities in areas that offer the greatest demographic diversity or other personal or professional preferences. All these considerations can play a huge role in where you look for a new tech job.

The CompTIA report sheds valuable light on nearly all of those factors. A recent listing from Indeed shares 20 of the best cities for tech jobs in 2024 based on varying characteristics ranging from the largest to some of the smaller yet thriving tech hubs in the country. And if remote jobs in tech are high on your list of must-haves, here are 40 of the best remote IT jobs that pay well.

It’s important to stay positive about technology employment trends. Specifically, don’t be discouraged by recent layoffs at tech companies. Keep in mind that there are more IT professionals employed by organizations across every other industry sector in the U.S. economy (55%), compared to professionals working for technology companies that create IT products and services (45%). For example, here are five non-tech industries where big tech is booming – healthcare, retail, nonprofits, education, and manufacturing.

Keep your eyes on the future

According to CompTIA, long-term projections for job growth are on solid footing. Tech occupation employment over the next 10 years is expected to grow at about twice the rate of overall employment across the U.S. economy, affirming the strength of tech employment compared to many other occupational categories at companies of all sizes across every industry and sector of our economy.

Tech markets are expanding: As you explore the best opportunities in 2024, it’s worth considering rapidly emerging tech hubs, some of which are already offering exciting, high-paid opportunities for tech professionals.

For example, over the past few years, companies have been moving to or breaking new ground on major development and production operations in cities and states where there are lower operating and living costs. There are now several cities outside of traditional tech meccas that are growing tech hubs, where professionals can earn higher than average salaries and lower costs of living.

Among those growing tech hubs, Dice identified these 10 cities as the fastest-growing by salary: San Antonio, Texas; Houston, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.; Orlando, Florida, Columbus, Ohio; Raleigh, North Carolina; Baltimore, Maryland; St. Louis, Missouri; Denver, Colorado; and Los Angeles, California.

New U.S. Tech Hubs program: In late 2023, the Biden Administration designated 31 regional communities across the country as Regional Innovation and Technology Hubs (Tech Hubs) through the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA). These hubs, spanning 32 states and Puerto Rico, will catalyze investment in technologies critical to economic growth, national security, and job creation, and will help communities nationwide become centers of innovation.

Connect with a nationwide tech recruiter to plan your next move

While the future burns brighter every day for IT professionals, let your ideal job and location be your true north. This is much easier to do with a knowledgeable talent recruiting partner at your side, someone who can help you blaze a fast trail to your destination – based wholly on what you want and need for your life and career.

Partner with Goodwin Recruiting to find your next job in the tech scene. New jobs in tech are added daily to our robust job board. Explore currently available tech jobs today.

Here are some of our IT focus areas and roles we fill for clients nationwide: