The Yakima metropolitan area employs 740 tech workers who earn a median annual wage of $69,260. The median annual wage for all occupations in the Yakima metro is $36,840, which means tech workers in Yakima enjoy a wage premium of +88.0% over all occupations.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
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A sweeping new study and analysis from Spanning looked at the cities with the largest share of computer and math occupations in the United States. The median annual wage for computer and math workers is more than double that of all workers. Researchers ranked metropolitan areas according to the share of employment in computer and math occupations. The report also includes the total number of jobs, wages, and wage premiums for computer and math occupations in each metro.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth in computer and math occupations has outpaced the national average since 2008. The gap has only grown larger over the last decade, and the trend is likely to continue. According to the BLS, employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow by 11 percent over the next decade, adding more than 500,000 jobs to the economy. And unlike many jobs that have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, computer and IT occupations are largely remote-friendly, which positions them well for continued growth.

Some states have seen the benefit of this job growth more than others. Driven by a high number of firms specializing in defense, information technology, and other professional services for the federal government, Virginia leads the nation with 5.6 percent of its workers employed in computer and math occupations. Washington—home to a strong aerospace engineering sector and tech giants Microsoft and Amazon—is second, with Maryland, Colorado, and Massachusetts rounding out the top five.

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The analysis found that the Yakima metropolitan area employs 740 tech workers who earn a median annual wage of $69,260. The median annual wage for all occupations in the Yakima metro is $36,840, which means tech workers in Yakima enjoy a wage premium of +88.0% over all occupations.

  • Share of employment in computer & math occupations: 0.8%
  • Total employment in computer & math occupations: 740
  • Median annual wage for computer & math occupations: $69,260
  • Median annual wage for all occupations: $36,840
  • Computer & math wage premium: +88.0%

For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:

  • Share of employment in computer & math occupations: 3.1%
  • Total employment in computer & math occupations: 4,552,880
  • Median annual wage for computer & math occupations: $88,340
  • Median annual wage for all occupations: $39,810
  • Computer & math wage premium: +121.9%

Thanks to Kyle Fretwell for assistance in compiling this piece.

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