Information technology (IT) employment in Arizona grew by estimated 8,000 net new jobs in 2019, capping a decade in which the state’s tech-related labor force expanded by more than 52,400 workers, according to Cyberstates 2020™, the definitive guide to the U.S. tech industry, occupations and trends published annually by CompTIA, the leading trade association for the global IT industry.
Net tech employment increased by 3.3% in 2019.
From 2010 through 2019 tech employment in Arizona expanded by 26.2%. Tech workers make up 8.2% of the state’s workforce. The state is home to more than 12,000 tech business establishments.
At $32.2 billion the tech sector accounts for 10.1% of the state’s total economy, the 10th highest percentage in the county.
“Technology powered job growth and economic gains in the past decade in Arizona and across the county while delivering countless benefits in how we work, communicate, create and share,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA.
“Looking ahead, the need for professionals from all backgrounds to develop, support, and protect these technologies will continue to grow,” Thibodeaux added. “In these trying times it is often difficult to think beyond today, but we must remain committed to preparing the workforce of tomorrow for success in whatever the future may hold.”
Arizona ranks 17th nationally in total net tech employment and 14th in the number of jobs added last year and 11th in the year-over-year percentage increase in tech employment.
“The labor market for technology professionals was extremely tight during 2019, with unemployment nationwide at historic lows throughout periods of the year,” said Tim Herbert, executive vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. “This speaks to the broad-based demand for tech talent across regions, industries and employers looking to capitalize on innovation that was once in the realm of science fiction, but increasingly reality.”
In fact, positions in emerging technologies accounted for 16.3% of all tech job postings in Arizona last year.
More from Cyberstates 2020
• The estimated median tech occupation wage in Arizona is $79,851, 89% higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state.
• The Phoenix metro area added 42,677 net tech jobs between 2010 and 2019, an increase of 28.8%.
• There are nearly 191,000 tech-related jobs in the Phoenix market, the 15th largest number among the metro areas included in the report.
Cyberstates 2020 is based on CompTIA’s analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI), Burning Glass Technologies, Hoovers and other sources.
Visit https://www.cyberstates.org/ for the latest data on the economic and employment impact of the U.S. tech industry.
