The expanding tech sector in Chandler is shrinking the gender pay gap and beating out many of the top markets when it comes to salaries for women in the field, according to a new report from the popular financial services website, SmartAsset.

READ ALSO: Arizona tech jobs grow at more than twice the overall U.S. rate

Chandler ranked the 14th best city for women employed in technology careers, according to the report, the annual 2021 Best Cities for Women in Tech.

To determine the rankings, SmartAsset compared U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics of 63 cities in four areas: gender pay gap, income after housing costs, females as a percentage of workers, and three-year growth in employment.

Chandler beat out top markets like Atlanta, Chicago 

Chandler ranked higher than most cities in all categories. For example, Chandler fared better than top markets like Atlanta, Chicago and Fort Worth for the number of women in the tech workforce.

The findings for Chandler show that:

• After housing costs, the city ranks fifth highest in the nation for salaries with the average annual pay of $60,269

• From 2016 to 2019, Chandler saw a 23 percent increase in women in the tech workforce, tying for eighth fastest growing market for women alongside Washington, D.C.; Chesapeake, Va.; and Philadelphia

• Women constitute 28.1 percent of the city’s tech workforce

• For every dollar that men make, women in tech here earn 85 cents, above the national average

Some cities virtually eliminated pay gap 

Overall, men still outrank women in pay and rank across the U.S. But many cities have almost erased inequities in the tech industry.

Long Beach and Baltimore, Md., now can claim that women are paid virtually the same as men in the field, earning 101 cents and 99 cents respectively for every dollar men earn, the report shows.

Washington, D.C., saw the most equity in hiring. It has the highest percentage of women in the tech workforce at 38.9 percent.

Chandler’s tech scene 

Chandler’s lure for tech workers comes down to many factors. A Southwest lifestyle, moderate housing prices and quality schools are often cited for reasons people move here, city officials said.

High-tech jobs are another. As Arizona’s fourth largest, Chandler is becoming known as an important technology hub in the Southwest for high-tech manufacturing and development. Over the past decade, it has attracted data centers, network solutions, software engineering, payment processing and other mission critical operations.

Among those who call the city home are: Intel, NXP Semiconductors, Microchip Technology, Northrop Grumman, Avnet, Rogers Corporation, Isola and Everspin Technologies.

Chandler also is home to multiple resources for entrepreneurs and tech startups including a city-funded business incubator, Innovations, which offers incubation programming and services delivered by Moonshot NACET. Other resources are TechShop, the community-based workshop and prototyping studio and technology-based education at the ASU Chandler Innovation Center.

Thousands of new jobs coming

Chandler’s tech sector is in a growth phase with thousands of jobs coming on line with several new announcements from existing and new industries locating here.

Among the most recent announcements are:

Intel to build two new fabrication facilities 

Intel is investing $20 billion to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations with two new fabrication facilities at its Ocotillo Campus in Chandler.

This is the largest private investment of any kind in Arizona history, Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke said when the news broke.

“Intel’s continued expansion of its largest, most advanced manufacturing site in the world exemplifies the presence of innovation in Chandler,” Mayor Hartke said. “A talented workforce, excellent quality of life, proactive planning and decades of infrastructure investments enable global innovators like Intel to excel in our community.”

Intel’s expansion is projected to add more than 3,000 high-tech, high-wage jobs and support an additional 15,000 jobs indirectly. Another 3,000 construction jobs will be employed while the fabrication facilities are being built. Construction is scheduled to begin later this year.

Northrop Grumman selected for next generation fighter aircraft

Northrop Grumman Corporation, which has a corporate campus in Chandler, was awarded a contract by the Missile Defense Agency for the Next Generation Inceptor (NGI) program. The contract is for the “rapid” development and flight test of an interceptor designed to defend the nation against the most complex long-ranged threats. Northrop Grumman is teamed with Raytheon Missiles & Defense to deliver the aircraft.

Viavi headquarters and manufacturing plant

San Jose based Viavi, a manufacturer of testing and monitoring equipment for networks, announced a plan for its Optical Security and Performance Products segment to establish a new manufacturing facility in Chandler. Viavi also is transitioning its headquarters to the new facility, which is anticipated to house at least 100 employees by 2022.

To see a list of other key industries in Chandler, visit: Chandler industries and employers To read SmartAssets report on women in tech, visit: 2021 Best Cities for Women in Tech.

 

This story was originally published at Chamber Business News.