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With STEM jobs projected to grow by 10.4% between 2023 and 2033, compared to just 3.6% for other occupations, the personal-finance website WalletHub followed up its overall report on the Best Cities for Jobs with an in-depth analysis of the Best & Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals in 2025, as well as expert commentary.
To determine the best markets for STEM workers, WalletHub compared 100 of the biggest metro areas across 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from per-capita job openings for STEM graduates to the median wage growth for STEM workers.
Best for STEM | Worst for STEM | |
1. Austin, TX | 91. McAllen, TX | |
2. Boston, MA | 92. Oxnard, CA | |
3. Seattle, WA | 93. Greensboro, NC | |
4. Atlanta, GA | 94. Winston, NC | |
5. San Francisco, CA | 95. North Port, FL | |
6. Pittsburgh, PA | 96. Cape Coral, FL | |
7. Madison, WI | 97. Louisville, KY | |
8. San Jose, CA | 98. Memphis, TN | |
9. Springfield, MA | 99. Little Rock, AR | |
10. Orlando, FL | 100. Jackson, MS |
Best vs. Worst
- Greenville, South Carolina, has the most STEM job openings per capita – 17.8 times higher than in North Port, Florida, which has the fewest.
- San Jose, California, has the highest average monthly earnings for new employees in STEM industries – 6.3 times higher than in Lakeland, Florida, which has the lowest.
- San Jose, California, has the highest share of workers in STEM occupations – 10.6 times higher than in McAllen, Texas, which has the lowest.
- Charlotte, North Carolina, has the highest median annual wage for STEM workers* – 2.3 times higher than in Honolulu, Hawaii, which has the lowest.
*Adjusted by the cost of living.