IT Career Advice >> Browse Articles >> Launching a Tech Career
Top 25 Cities for Tech Jobs
Photo: Franco Folini | CreativeCommons
Tania Khadder, Anna Hennings, Eric Dahl, Adam Starr, Alice Handley | InsideTech
Now more than ever, it’s important to get the best bang for your buck. And there’s no question about it — when it comes to value, not every U.S. city is created equally.
Why chase a great salary if your rent swallows most of it, unemployment is skyrocketing and you spend two hours a day just to get to and from work?
So, which cities offer the most overall value and best tech jobs in 2009?
InsideTech has come up with the top 25 — and some may surprise you! After examining various city lists, weighing the rankings and taking note of our personal opinions, we’ve produced a list of cities that’s sure to offer something for everyone.
Our Criteria
We looked at cities' growth rates, average salaries and costs of living. We factored in average commute time — which, according to experts, has a colossal impact on your overall happiness. We looked not only at unemployment figures, but also at the rate that unemployment has actually increased since February 2008. Finally, we took note of every cities position on Forbes's Most Wired Cities List and noted which major tech or IT employers were in the area.
Thinking of relocating for better job prospects? Need to compare two top contenders? Just curious to see where your city ranks? We’ve got you covered. Read on!
Start Here! City #25 >>
Jahmakeun
about 1 month ago
2 comments
Well, I'm just glad that I chose a good career field being that it's part of my natural talent and that it's going to be in so much more need in the future. So get excited y'all, we can go places, practically work anywhere! Be as positive as you can despite the frightening things seen and heard. We got this man!
stoneey1
about 1 month ago
2 comments
What about Huntsville, AL?
tmcomp2002
3 months ago
6 comments
I am surprised that NY is only #16. Would think it would be in the top 5.
tmcomp2002
3 months ago
6 comments
Didn't expect this to be on the list at all, the previous comment was placed in the wrong spot.
tmcomp2002
3 months ago
6 comments
Would have thought it would be higher up the ladder
Azurise
3 months ago
2 comments
Why did you list Rochester, NY? We're losing a heck of a lot more jobs than we are gaining...
And Kodak? Can you say JOB CUTS. This is not a growth area anymore!
Lot's of the youthful college educated are just trying to get out, I know I am.
The people are nice (ish), but the taxes are brutal. NYC sucks us dry.
rogerbrad
3 months ago
4 comments
IT is what keeps everything tied together world-wide. It's like, DUH... It's so simple.
ihatethis
3 months ago
26 comments
Here some comments: Aerospace-been dead since cold war ended; semiconductiors-only H1B slave labor need apply; biomed-eh so so; entertainment-right, buying a lottery ticket has a better chance; petrochem-outsourced overseas where there is no EPA; defense-no clearance, no job, no exceptions; manufacturing-not done in America anymore. IT is all that is left, and that is being outsourced rapidly.
mlgreen55
3 months ago
4 comments
It's interesting that all comments regard IT work. What about aerospace, semiconductors, biomed, entertainment, petrochemical, robotics, research, defense, lots of automated manufacturing jobs, etc. IT people are famous for self importance and this pretty much affirms that perception.
ihatethis
3 months ago
26 comments
DC is not an IT hotbed. Lived there for 5 years, everyone obsessed with the security clearance, but nobody know how to get one. karisue_07 is full of crap. Firms stopped clearing people 10 years ago, that common knowledge figure from numerous recruiters at job fairs. Want to work in IT, try any of the other cities on this list. In DC all you will hear is no clearance, no job interview, no exceptions. But any other city, no clearences are needed, but you must compete with the H1B slave labor, no degrees, no students loans, so they work cheap. They also do not know what they are doing, but then when did the computer industry ever care about quality? Not Microsoft.
cirrusb
3 months ago
2 comments
Couple things. Wondering why Boise, ID didn't make it since it has a pretty solid base of tech jobs.
The other thing is that probably not the best time to list Austin at #1 spot, considering this article just got posted today: Austin unemployment hits 7.1%. Oops!
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2009/07/13/daily43.html
ihatethis
3 months ago
26 comments
DC does NOT belong on this list!!! Every IT job in DC requires a TOP SECRET SECURITY CLEARENCE. No clearence, no job, no exceptions. The only way to get a clearence is to get a company with an agent to sponsor you, a person cannot do this alone. Since companies are too CHEAP to spend the $20,000 no one gets a clearence anymore. Look at Raytheon at rayjobs.com, Lockheed at lm.com, or Deloitte, or Bearing Point before wasting time, money and effort going to DC. Dont believe the hype or the lies, in DC the mantra is No clearence, no job, no exceptions. Period. End of Discussion.
2469rhino
5 months ago
2 comments
It sounds like most of you people are trying to sound smarter then you think the other guy is and by so doing you all sound egotistical and arogant. Meanwhile those of us who are just entering the IT industry are not so self righteous that we are focused on one uping the other guy. If you want to better your life get off your ass and do something that will make you better then the guy who wants your job. ie. don't get caught in the trap of thinking that if your job description says you don't have to do something you shouldn't do the extra. employers are needing to maximize their workforce and cut expenses, therefore, if you want to be the employee to keep you job then DO MORE THEN IS EXPECTED by your employer. In this ecconomy performance and productivity keeps the job. Lazy and self righteous get the axe.
lothar
5 months ago
2 comments
Why isn't it just called the Raleigh Metropolitan Area? or is it the Durham Triangle Area? or is it the Raleigh-Durham-Cary-Chapel Hill-Carrboro-Knightdale-Wendell-Garner-Wake Forest-Apex-Morrisville-Clayton Metro Park?
Purge62388
5 months ago
2 comments
IT Jobs - 1 opening , 1000 Applicants. You can thank NAFTA / Free Trade Agreements. But please don't leave out the OFFSHORE OUTSOURCING, IBM,DELL, HP, all the big companies don't care about you and me. Its the ROI factor.
I been in the IT industry for over 25 years. I've seen the fallout.
The good jobs are with the government, or medical. Also, its seems to be a big shortage of Prison Guards.
Are those DARK CLOUDS AHEAD, AMERICA, you haven't seen whats comin. ---- BANG ------
Oh, if my spelins bad, you still get the jist.