Economy
The U.S. States with the Top Tech Salaries in 2021
The U.S. States with the Top Tech Salaries in 2021
In 2020, despite the economic turmoil caused by the global pandemic, America’s tech sector experienced rapid growth. Last year, the total number of U.S. tech jobs grew by 60,000.
Because of this demand, U.S. employers are willing to pay for the right talent—on average, tech workers in the U.S. earn about 61% more than the average salary. But some tech workers make more than others, depending on where they live.
This graphic by business.org uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to highlight the average annual tech salaries in each state, compared to the average salary of other occupations. We’ll also touch on the top-paying metro areas, and what type of tech jobs offer the highest compensation across the country.
Average U.S. Tech Salaries by State
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Washington and California have the highest average salaries, largely because of the high job density in those areas.
However, when it comes to the difference in tech salary versus average salary, Alabama takes the top spot—on average, tech jobs pay 85% more than other occupations in that state.
| Rank | State | Average hourly wage for tech workers | Average salary for tech workers | % more that tech workers earn than all occupations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | $41.69 | $86,720 | 85% |
| 2 | Washington | $58.96 | $122,640 | 83% |
| 3 | North Carolina | $44.19 | $91,920 | 80% |
| 4 | Texas | $45.04 | $93,690 | 79% |
| 5 | Virginia | $51.50 | $107,130 | 78% |
| 6 | California | $56.16 | $116,820 | 78% |
| 7 | Georgia | $44.00 | $91,510 | 76% |
| 8 | Delaware | $47.76 | $99,340 | 75% |
| 9 | Mississippi | $34.48 | $71,720 | 72% |
| 10 | Ohio | $41.48 | $86,270 | 67% |
| 11 | Idaho | $37.65 | $78,320 | 67% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $45.50 | $94,650 | 67% |
| 13 | South Carolina | $37.06 | $77,080 | 67% |
| 14 | Iowa | $39.34 | $81,820 | 66% |
| 15 | Florida | $39.81 | $82,810 | 66% |
| 16 | Maryland | $50.55 | $105,150 | 65% |
| 17 | Colorado | $48.33 | $100,520 | 65% |
| 18 | Arkansas | $35.28 | $73,390 | 64% |
| 19 | Kentucky | $36.21 | $75,330 | 64% |
| 20 | Missouri | $39.44 | $82,040 | 64% |
| 21 | New Jersey | $50.04 | $104,090 | 63% |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $42.29 | $87,970 | 63% |
| 23 | Arizona | $41.84 | $87,030 | 63% |
| 24 | Oregon | $44.25 | $92,040 | 62% |
| 25 | West Virginia | $35.29 | $73,410 | 62% |
| 26 | Kansas | $37.70 | $78,420 | 61% |
| 27 | Tennessee | $36.86 | $76,660 | 61% |
| 28 | Utah | $39.82 | $82,830 | 61% |
| 29 | Minnesota | $45.47 | $94,570 | 61% |
| 30 | Indiana | $37.66 | $78,340 | 61% |
| 31 | Nebraska | $38.83 | $80,770 | 61% |
| 32 | Illinois | $44.87 | $93,320 | 61% |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $39.55 | $82,270 | 61% |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $36.33 | $75,560 | 60% |
| 35 | New Mexico | $38.06 | $79,160 | 59% |
| 36 | Louisiana | $35.50 | $73,840 | 59% |
| 37 | Nevada | $38.29 | $79,650 | 58% |
| 38 | Maine | $38.48 | $80,030 | 56% |
| 39 | South Dakota | $33.65 | $70,000 | 56% |
| 40 | Rhode Island | $44.43 | $92,410 | 53% |
| 41 | Michigan | $39.32 | $81,780 | 53% |
| 42 | New York | $49.65 | $103,280 | 52% |
| 43 | Montana | $34.40 | $71,540 | 51% |
| 44 | Massachusetts | $50.67 | $105,400 | 51% |
| 45 | Vermont | $38.55 | $80,180 | 50% |
| 46 | Connecticut | $45.94 | $95,550 | 46% |
| 47 | Hawaii | $40.32 | $83,870 | 44% |
| 48 | North Dakota | $34.53 | $71,820 | 37% |
| 49 | Alaska | $40.02 | $83,250 | 35% |
| 50 | Wyoming | $32.52 | $67,640 | 32% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | $54.78 | $113,930 | 20% |
Why are tech workers so generously compensated in Alabama? It could be because the area’s talent pool is not keeping up with demand.
In 2021, Huntsville, Alabama is expected to see 25,000 new jobs in aerospace, logistics, defense, and other tech-related industries. But these jobs could be difficult to fill given the area’s low unemployment rate.
On the other end of the spectrum, the District of Columbia has the smallest discrepancy between tech and other salaries. But at $95,330, the area has the highest average yearly salary for other occupations in the country—and tech workers still make 20% more.
Top 10 Metro Areas for Tech Salaries
Some of the highest-paying states are also home to the highest-paying metro areas.
For instance, when it comes to pay differences in tech, two of the top 10 metro areas are located in Washington state, while three are in California. The graphic below shows the metros with the highest difference between the area’s average salary and the average salary of tech jobs.
The highest pay difference between tech jobs vs the average salary is in San Jose, where tech workers make 507% more on average. This figure is almost certainly skewed because of the area’s high concentration of tech millionaires and top tier programmers.
Highest Paying Tech Jobs Nationally
Of course, location isn’t the only factor that plays into salary—the type of job is important, too. Here’s a look at U.S. tech salaries, organized by job type:
In this analysis, which looked at jobs in computer science as well as mathematics, actuaries are the highest paid professionals on average.
While actuaries are more on the mathematical and financial side of the equation, more commonly associated jobs with tech are all over the list as well: software developers, computer network architects, information security analysts, data scientists, computer programmers, web developers, computer systems analysts, and so on.
The Future of Tech is Bright
America’s information technology sector, worth about $1.6 trillion, is expected to grow to $5 trillion by the end of 2021. And as this fast-growing industry continues to boom, jobs in this sector are likely to remain in high supply.
Augmented Reality (AR) in the U.S. is looking especially promising and is projected to grow by a CAGR of 100% between 2021-2025.
In short, tech is expected to keep growing. And salaries will likely follow suit.
Copper
Brass Rods: The Secure Choice
This graphic shows why brass rods are the secure choice for precision-machined and forged parts.
Brass Rods: The Secure Choice
The unique combination of machinability and recyclability makes brass rods the secure choice for manufacturers seeking future-proof raw material solutions.
This infographic, from the Copper Development Association, shows three ways brass rods give manufacturers greater control and a license to grow in the competitive market for precision-machined and forged products.
Future-Proof Investments in New Machine Tools
A material’s machinability directly impacts machine throughput, which typically has the largest impact on machine shop profitability.
The high-speed machining capabilities of brass rods maximize machine tool performance, allowing manufacturers to run the material faster and longer without sacrificing tool life, chip formation, or surface quality.
The high machining efficiency of brass leads to reduced per-part costs, quicker return on investment (ROI) for new machine tools, and expanded production capacity for new projects.
Supply Security Through Closed Loop Recycling
Brass, like its parent element copper, can be infinitely recycled.
In 2022, brass- and wire-rod mills accounted for the majority of the 830,000 tonnes of copper recycled from scrap in the United States.
Given that scrap ratios for machined parts typically range from 60-70% by weight, producing mills benefit from a secure and steady supply of clean scrap returned directly from customers, which is recycled to create new brass rods.
The high residual value of brass scrap creates a strong recycling incentive. Scrap buy back programs give manufacturers greater control over raw material net costs as scrap value is often factored into supplier purchase agreements.
Next Generation Alloys for a Lead-Free Future
Increasingly stringent global regulations continue to pressure manufacturers to minimize the use of materials containing trace amounts of lead and other harmful impurities.
The latest generation of brass-rod alloys is engineered to meet the most demanding criteria for lead leaching in drinking water and other sensitive applications.
Seven brass-rod alloys passed rigorous testing to become the only ‘Acceptable Materials’ against lower lead leaching criteria recently adopted in the national U.S. drinking water quality standard, NSF 61.
Learn more about the advantages of brass rods solutions.
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