Information Technology professionals, engineers, and other STEM specialists: Are you looking to relocate? You don’t necessarily need to head to Silicon Valley to make a good living. Tech job seeker site Dice.com came out with a new report highlighting the top seven U.S. cities experiencing a tech boom and desperately seeking tech talent.
According to the report, these cities have several factors in common: easy access to universities and schools (which provide more tech talent and incubate new ideas), a history of encouraging startup communities, and networks of well-established tech firms.
Here are the seven best cities for tech jobs with some pros and cons from Dice.com (and a couple that we added.)
Seattle, Washington
Job-posting Change (y/y): 19%
2015 Salary: $103,309
Salary Change (y/y): 3.9%
Pros: Seattle is home to established tech companies (Microsoft and Amazon are two); has an abundance of universities and schools tapped into the tech pipeline, and the local government is very supportive of tech initiatives.
Cons: Expect to find an expensive housing market.
Washington, DC
Job-posting Change (y/y): 19%
2015 Salary: $102,873
Salary Change (y/y): 4.6%
Pros: D.C. is packed with federal agencies needing IT professionals.
Cons: Commuting on the Beltway can be a nightmare.
Dallas, Texas
Job-posting Change (y/y): 12%
2015 Salary: $93,206
Salary Change (y/y): 1.7%
Pros: Dallas was recently named as the city with the most tech job postings on Dice.com.
Cons: The abundance of jobs creates fierce competition among potential job seekers.
Los Angeles, California
Job-posting Change (y/y): 7%
2015 Salary: $105,091
Salary Change (y/y): 10.2%
Pros: Los Angeles has an overflow of startups from Silicon Valley and then there’s the weather.
Cons: LA’s downsides include parking, smog, and traffic.
Boston, Massachusetts
Job-posting Change (y/y): 3%
2015 Salary: $103,675
Salary Change (y/y): 6.6%
Pros: Boston is an ideal city for workers skilled in financial services, biotech, and software.
Cons: The downside to this historic city is the often brutal winters.
Chicago, Illinois
Job-posting Change (y/y): 1%
2015 Salary: $95,655
Salary Change (y/y): 7.6%
Pros: Chicago has strong Big Data and healthcare IT markets. The city is home to a number of prominent universities.
Cons: Weather, gun violence.
Â
Atlanta, Georgia
Job-posting Change (y/y): 1%
2015 Salary: $97,238
Salary Change (y/y): 12.2%
Pros: This city generally has a lower cost of living compared to other metropolitan areas. Atlanta also has great proximity to universities and research hubs.
Cons: The summers are long, hot, and humid.