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CompTIA Cyberstates 2020™ reveals tech’s employment and economic impact

Raleigh, N.C. – Information technology (IT) employment in North Carolina expanded by 105,000 workers between 2010 and 2019, including a net gain of 15,000 last year, according to Cyberstates 2020™, the definitive guide to the U.S. tech industry, occupations and trends published annually by CompTIA, the leading trade association for the global IT industry.

Net tech employment in North Carolina increased by 40.5% between 2010 and 2019 and now exceeds 365,000 workers.[1] Raleigh saw a 72.8% jump in net tech employment – the highest percentage increase among all regions included in the report. Charlotte registered an increase of 57.7% for the decade.

In 2019 an estimated 15,085 net new jobs were added, a 4.3% increase over 2018 and the fifth best growth rate among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. No other industry added more jobs in North Carolina last year.

Tech-related workers now make up 7.6% of the state’s workforce. There are more than 18,300 tech business establishments in the state.

The tech sector contributes an estimated $48 billion to the North Carolina economy, 9.4% of the total.

“Technology powered job growth and economic gains in the past decade in North Carolina and across the county while delivering countless benefits in how we work, communicate, create and share,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA.

“Looking ahead, the need for professionals from all backgrounds to develop, support, and protect these technologies will continue to grow,” Thibodeaux added. “In these trying times it is often difficult to think beyond today, but we must remain committed to preparing the workforce of tomorrow for success in whatever the future may hold.”

North Carolina ranks 13^th nationally in net tech employment

“The labor market for technology professionals was extremely tight during 2019, with unemployment nationwide at historic lows throughout periods of the year,” said Tim Herbert, executive vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. “This speaks to the broad-based demand for tech talent across regions, industries and employers looking to capitalize on innovation that was once in the realm of science fiction, but increasingly reality.”

In fact, positions in emerging technologies accounted for 20.3% of all tech job postings in North Carolina last year.

More from Cyberstates 2020

• Charlotte led all metro areas at 5.9% in its year-over-year percentage increase in net tech employment in 2019. Raleigh was third at 5.7%.
• The number of new jobs added in Charlotte totaled 5,728, while in Raleigh the figure was 5,248.
• The estimated median tech occupation wage in North Carolina is $80,388, 98% higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state.

Cyberstates 2020 is based on CompTIA’s analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI), Burning Glass Technologies, Hoovers and other sources.     

Visit https://www.cyberstates.org/ for the latest data on the economic and employment impact of the U.S. tech industry.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5.2 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more.

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Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
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