With STEM jobs projected to grow at a faster rate than other careers until at least 2029 and remaining more resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub followed up on its 2021’s Best Cities for Jobs report with an in-depth analysis of 2021’s Best & Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals, as well as accompanying videos.

To determine the best markets for STEM workers, WalletHub compared the 100 biggest metro areas across 20 key metrics. The data set ranges from per-capita job openings for STEM graduates to median wage growth for STEM workers.  

Best vs. Worst 

• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has the most per-capita overall STEM job openings for STEM graduates, 133.76, which is 23.7 times higher than in Deltona, Florida, the metro area with the fewest at 5.64.
   
• San Jose, California, has the highest average monthly earnings for new employees in STEM industries, $12,684, which is 2.9 times higher than in Little Rock, Arkansas, the metro area with the lowest at $4,349.
   
• San Jose, California, has the highest share of all workers in STEM occupations, 21.00 percent, which is 14 times higher than in McAllen, Texas, the metro area with the lowest at 1.50 percent.
   
• Albuquerque, New Mexico, has the highest median annual wage for STEM workers (adjusted by cost of living), $99,400, which is 2.3 times higher than in Honolulu, the metro area with the lowest at $42,367.  

To view the full report and your metro area’s rank, click here.