Press Releases

California Technology Community Expands Workforce, Economic Impact

Apr 21, 2020

61,000 jobs added in 2019, according to CompTIA Cyberstates 2020™ report

Sacramento, Calif. – Information technology (IT) employment in California surpassed 1.8 million workers in 2019, capping a decade in which the state’s tech-related workforce expanded by more than 438,000 jobs, 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 grew by an estimated 61,195 workers in 2019, an increase of 3.4% over 2018 and more new job than any other industry in state added last year.[1] From 2010 through 2019 tech employment in the state grew by 30.7%. Tech-related workers make up an estimated 9.7% of the overall California workforce.

At nearly $493 billion the tech sector accounts for 18% of the state’s total economy, more than any other industry.

“Technology powered job growth and economic gains in the past decade in California 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.”

California led the country by wide margins in both net tech employment and net tech jobs added in 2019.

“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 21% of all tech job postings in California last year.

More from Cyberstates 2020

  • The San Francisco and San Jose metropolitan markets were first and second in the nation in the number of net tech jobs added in 2019.
  • Three California metro areas rank in the top five nationally in a measurement of tech’s financial contribution to local economies. San Jose is first at $184.7 billion, San Francisco second at $149 billion and Los Angeles fifth at $92.1 billion.
  • The estimated median tech wage in California is $100,401. That’s 98% higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state.

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.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5.2 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more.

Contact:

Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
630-678-8468
sostrowski@comptia.org­
www.comptia.org

 



[1] Net tech employment is a measure developed by CompTIA to encompass the two components of the tech workforce: employment within the tech industry and tech employment across all other sectors of the economy.