2020’s Best & Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals

From Wallet Hub, January 22, 2020

STEM workers are in fierce demand, and not just in the global epicenter of high tech known as Silicon Valley. According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis, STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — professions are expected to grow 8.8% between 2018 and 2028, compared to just 5.0% for all other occupations. In addition, the median annual STEM wage is $84,880, compared to $37,020 for all non-STEM occupations.

Given their growing demand, STEM careers today provide some of the most lucrative employment opportunities. They pay higher salaries and boast far fewer threats of unemployment compared with other types of jobs. According to the latest BLS statistics, software developers can expect the most job growth, with 241,500 new jobs between 2018 and 2028. Computer and information systems managers will enjoy the highest median wage, at $142,530.

To determine the best markets for STEM professionals, WalletHub compared the 100 largest metro areas across 21 key metrics. Their data set ranges from per-capita job openings for STEM graduates to annual median wage growth for STEM jobs….

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Honolulu, HI

• 79 of 100 -- Overall Rank (1 = Best)
• 40.00 -- Total Score
• 87 -- 'Professional Opportunities' Rank
• 98 -- ‘STEM-Friendliness’ Rank
• 40 -- ‘Quality of Life’ Rank
• 67 (tie-last) – Quality of Engineering Universities
• 100 (last) – Median Wage for STEM Workers
• 100 (last) – Housing Affordability