North Carolina has been leading the way in a number of tech advancements and has been attracting the best in the industry for more over 70 years, dating back to the founding of Research Triangle Park, the nation’s largest research park with more than 300 firms.
A new study conducted by business consulting firm Venture Smarter has found that North Carolina ranks as the sixth best state in the country for a career in the tech industry.
Venture Smarter analyzed metrics relevant to careers in tech such as the median hourly wage in tech roles, the number of people employed in tech roles per 1,000 jobs in each state, and the percentage of remote workers and scored them out of 100 in a Tech-Friendly Index that reveals the best states to work in tech in America.
“This study provides a fascinating insight into which states are the best for pursuing a career in the tech industry. Surprisingly, California, the renowned hub of Silicon Valley, does not claim the first spot,” according to a Venture Smarter spokesperson.
“Despite boasting the highest median hourly wage for tech professionals, the state falls short in terms of job opportunities compared to other states,” the spokesperson said. “The emergence of Web 3 has made jobs in tech more desirable, and while a career in this field can be highly rewarding, it is crucial to consider various factors before determining the ideal state in which to embark on a tech career.”
North Carolina scored 69.52 out of 100, and has a median hourly wage for tech roles in the state is $49.22.
The research revealed that Washington is the best state in America to work in tech, with a total score of 87.72 out of 100. The state has the highest number of remote workers as well as the second-highest number of people employed in tech roles per 1,000 jobs. The state also has the second-highest median hourly wage for all industries and the second-highest median hourly wage in tech industries.
California ranks as the second-best state to work in tech in America, scoring 84.78 out of 100. The home of Silicon Valley has the highest median hourly wage for tech roles in America, and people who work in tech earn 259% more than their counterparts in other industries. 21.4% of California’s workers work remotely.
Virginia scores 82.38 out of 100 and places third on the list of the best states to work in tech. The state has the highest number of people employed in tech per 1,000 employed residents. The median hourly wage for tech workers in Virginia is 228% higher than the median hourly wage across all industries.
Maryland ranks fourth with a score of 76.08 out of 100. The state has the second-highest percentage of remote workers, with 24% of workers in Maryland working from home. Fifty-four people work in tech for every 1,000 employed residents of Maryland.
Scoring 71.10 out of 100 and ranking fifth is Colorado. The median hourly wage in a tech job in Colorado is $51.33; this is 212% higher than the median hourly wage of $24.16 for all industries in the state. Colorado also has 48 workers employed in tech roles for every 1,000 employed residents.
| Rank | State | Number Employed in Tech Positions per 1,000 Jobs | Median Hourly Wage for All Industries (US$) | Median Hourly Wage for Tech Roles
(US$) |
Median Hourly Wage for Tech Workers Compared to All Workers
(US$) |
% of Remote Workers | Tech Worker Friendly Score (/100) |
| 1. | Washington | 60 | 27.08 | 61.64 | 228% | 24.20% | 87.72 |
| 2. | California | 39 | 23.91 | 61.87 | 259% | 21.40% | 84.78 |
| 3. | Virginia | 62 | 23.22 | 52.84 | 228% | 22.29% | 82.38 |
| 4. | Maryland | 54 | 24.72 | 53.09 | 215% | 24.02% | 76.08 |
| 5. | Colorado | 48 | 24.16 | 51.33 | 212% | 23.75% | 71.10 |
| 6. | North Carolina | 37 | 20.10 | 49.22 | 245% | 18.77% | 69.52 |
| 7. | Georgia | 36 | 20.62 | 47.76 | 232% | 18.18% | 62.95 |
| 8. | New Jersey | 39 | 24.56 | 51.19 | 208% | 22.14% | 62.92 |
| 9. | Delaware | 38 | 22.67 | 50.75 | 224% | 18.56% | 62.68 |
| 10. | Massachusetts | 43 | 28.10 | 52.52 | 187% | 23.71% | 60.48 |
| 11. | Oregon | 33 | 22.97 | 46.65 | 203% | 22.65% | 56.92 |
| 12. | New Hampshire | 36 | 23.04 | 48.07 | 209% | 19.34% | 56.71 |
| 13. | Minnesota | 35 | 23.44 | 47.89 | 204% | 20.90% | 56.61 |
| 14. | Arizona | 38 | 21.77 | 44.62 | 205% | 20.74% | 56.49 |
| 15. | New York | 31 | 25.23 | 51.14 | 203% | 19.64% | 53.79 |
| 16. | Texas | 34 | 20.90 | 45.46 | 218% | 16.27% | 53.32 |
| 17. | Rhode Island | 34 | 23.73 | 48.77 | 206% | 17.53% | 52.08 |
| 18. | Illinois | 32 | 22.83 | 46.53 | 204% | 19.26% | 51.91 |
| 19. | Utah | 41 | 21.38 | 40.99 | 192% | 20.04% | 51.01 |
| 20. | Connecticut | 30 | 24.90 | 48.43 | 194% | 19.47% | 48.79 |
| 21. | Florida | 30 | 19.62 | 41.26 | 210% | 16.64% | 47.19 |
| 22. | Pennsylvania | 30 | 22.02 | 41.43 | 188% | 18.68% | 42.41 |
| 23. | New Mexico | 25 | 19.19 | 39.80 | 207% | 15.23% | 41.32 |
| 24. | Alabama | 26 | 18.50 | 40.91 | 221% | 9.64% | 39.30 |
| 25. | Ohio | 29 | 21.52 | 41.61 | 193% | 14.85% | 38.61 |
| 26. | Missouri | 31 | 20.34 | 39.39 | 194% | 14.71% | 38.48 |
| 27. | Michigan | 28 | 21.88 | 40.88 | 187% | 16.39% | 37.57 |
| 28. | Kansas | 29 | 20.13 | 39.18 | 195% | 13.82% | 36.59 |
| 29. | South Carolina | 23 | 18.69 | 39.44 | 211% | 11.70% | 36.28 |
| 30. | Nebraska | 33 | 21.20 | 39.83 | 188% | 12.82% | 35.08 |
| 31. | Tennessee | 25 | 19.20 | 37.73 | 197% | 13.98% | 34.83 |
| 32. | Vermont | 26 | 22.75 | 38.66 | 170% | 19.59% | 34.18 |
| 33. | Wisconsin | 28 | 21.95 | 39.50 | 180% | 14.85% | 32.62 |
| 34. | Idaho | 24 | 19.26 | 37.37 | 194% | 13.25% | 32.08 |
| 35. | Iowa | 26 | 21.32 | 39.97 | 187% | 13.43% | 32.07 |
| 36. | Maine | 22 | 21.84 | 37.50 | 172% | 17.74% | 29.90 |
| 37. | Oklahoma | 22 | 18.80 | 37.67 | 200% | 10.40% | 29.72 |
| 38. | Arkansas | 20 | 17.92 | 36.61 | 204% | 9.74% | 28.51 |
| 39. | Nevada | 18 | 19.62 | 37.50 | 191% | 12.97% | 28.04 |
| 40. | Kentucky | 20 | 19.32 | 36.11 | 187% | 11.45% | 24.85 |
| 41. | Hawaii | 22 | 23.35 | 42.00 | 180% | 10.73% | 24.72 |
| 42. | Indiana | 21 | 20.24 | 36.77 | 182% | 11.86% | 23.98 |
| 43. | South Dakota | 21 | 19.17 | 35.55 | 185% | 11.08% | 23.87 |
| 44. | West Virginia | 17 | 18.16 | 33.33 | 184% | 10.22% | 18.85 |
| 45. | Montana | 18 | 20.29 | 33.47 | 165% | 14.04% | 18.39 |
| 46. | Alaska | 16 | 25.00 | 42.52 | 170% | 10.31% | 18.22 |
| 47. | Louisiana | 12 | 18.74 | 34.12 | 182% | 8.41% | 13.97 |
| 48. | Mississippi | 12 | 17.36 | 33.20 | 191% | 6.25% | 13.85 |
| 49. | North Dakota | 19 | 22.79 | 35.19 | 154% | 8.9% | 8.80 |
| 50. | Wyoming | 12 | 21.85 | 33.36 | 153% | 8.9% | 3.83 |