The Arizona Technology Council today announced the release of the Arizona Technology Council Industry Impact Report, which reveals a growing technology workforce of 168,211 jobs, more than 8,000 technology companies operating in the state, a pattern of innovation and an engagement of diverse stakeholders. The report was commissioned by the Council and conducted by eImpact, an organization that creates modern, web-based data-reporting solutions designed to help cities, industries and planners drive effective policy, create new growth and engage stakeholders.
“We have continued to see our local technology community grow and flourish in recent years,” said Steven G. Zylstra, the Council’s president and CEO. “Arizona is well-positioned to claim its place in the national playing field of competitive technology markets. We hope this report showcases not only the areas in which we are excelling but also uncovers areas where we can focus attention to encourage improvement.”
Arizona’s technology community has a 1.38 percent employment growth, ranking second in the Southwest and ahead of California. Currently, computer systems design, semiconductor manufacturing, and aerospace product and parts manufacturing represent roughly half of the annual wage totals in the state of Arizona.
Highlights of the report also include:
• The average annual technology industry wage in Arizona is more than $77,000, ranking third in the Southwest.
• For every job in technology, there are 1.04 jobs that support jobs outside the sector such as human resources, accounting and sales.
• Arizona’s technology industry contributed more than $32.5 million in total taxes in 2016.
• There are 2,156 startups in Arizona listed on AngelList.
• The average Arizona technology startup valuation is $3.9 million.
• There were 2,741 patents awarded in Arizona in 2015.
The Arizona Technology Council advocates on behalf of its membership for policies that propel success and sustainability. Recent Council initiatives have contributed significantly to the state’s pro-technology business climate, including the recapitalization of the Angel Investment Tax Credit, the extension and continued expansion of the R&D Tax Credit program until 2021, and the opposition of laws that may prohibit members’ employees — local and foreign — to work safely in Arizona.
The Arizona Technology Report is based on eImpact’s analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CompTIA, AngelList and others. The complete report is available on the Council’s website at http://aztc.economicimpact.report/reports/view/5ad129c04e7bec33008313af.
