The rise of technology and innovation in the modern world has increased the need for graduates with a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) degree. The U.S. has made significant strides in STEM education, with a focus on increasing the number of graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
With STEM jobs projected to grow 8.1% between 2024 and 2034, compared to just 2.7% for other occupations within the U.S., the company WalletHub has built upon its recent 2026’s Best Cities for Jobs report with a follow-up. This is in the form of an in-depth analysis titled 2026’s Best & Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals.
To determine the best markets for STEM workers, WalletHub compared the 100 biggest metro areas across 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from per-capita job openings for STEM graduates to median wage growth for STEM workers. The key points have been passed onto Digital Journal.
The states deemed best for STEM are:
| 1. Boston, MA | |||
| 2. Atlanta, GA | |||
| 3. Seattle, WA | |||
| 4. Pittsburgh, PA | |||
| 5. Austin, TX | |||
| 6. San Francisco, CA | |||
| 7. Cincinnati, OH | |||
| 8. Salt Lake City, UT | |||
| 9. Minneapolis, MN | |||
| 10. Orlando, FL | |||
In contrast, the serial underperformers are:
Greensboro, NC
Winston-Salem, NC
McAllen, TX
Deltona, FL
Little Rock, AR
Memphis, TN
North Port, FL
Jackson, MS
Cape Coral, FL
Within the data set there are some interesting observations. For example, Greenville, South Carolina, has the most STEM job openings per capita – 18.4 times higher than in North Port, Florida, which has the fewest.
A second example is with San Jose, California, has the highest average monthly earnings for new employees in STEM industries – four times higher than in Lakeland, Florida, which has the lowest.
In terms of the working population, San Jose, California, has the highest share of workers in STEM occupations. This is at 9.9 times higher than in McAllen, Texas, which has the lowest. Plus, Augusta, Georgia, has the highest median annual wage for STEM workers*=. This represents 2.3 times higher than in Honolulu, Hawaii, which has the lowest.
