These are the Top Cities for STEM Job Growth

Denver has taken the top spot for STEM job growth according to a report from RCLCO Real Estate Consulting.

Ranked No. 3 in 2020, the Mile High City’s strong economic tailwinds, workforce quality, and quality of life puts it at the top.

RCLCO Real Estate Consulting’s 2021 STEM Job Growth Index projects which metro area MSAs will have the strongest outlook for growth in STEM jobs. Published annually in partnership with office investment management firm CapRidge Partners, the index tracks and projects STEM job growth trends across the country by analyzing the economies of the largest metropolitan areas to understand which regions are attracting the jobs and employees of the future.

In this year’s STEMdex, RCLCO expanded its search to include the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. The 10 cities topping the list this year are Denver, Seattle, Austin, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., San Jose, Raleigh, Boston, Portland, and Salt Lake City. Some of the highlights of this year’s list include:

Austin, Texas, after recently celebrating the news of a major Tesla headquarters relocation, once again ranks within the Top-3 of the STEMdex.

The only states with multiple cities in the top twenty are Texas, California (three cities each), and North Carolina (two cities).

Boston, San Diego, Minneapolis, and Washington, D.C., have entered the top 20 for the first time as strong economic trends point to robust future growth.

“While it remains far too early to fully assess how the COVID-19 pandemic and any current or future variants will continue to impact our daily lives, another year of data has given us increased confidence in the growth prospects for STEM jobs, particularly in the regions highlighted by the 2021 STEMdex,” said Gregg Logan, managing director of RCLCO, in prepared remarks.

In the latest 10-year industry employment projections released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (published in September 2021 with projections through 2030), higher than average employment growth, particularly for STEM jobs, are forecast.