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State is home to 23,000-plus tech workers, according to CompTIA Cyberstates 2019™ report

Helena, Mont. – Tech-related employment in Montana held steady in 2018, according to Cyberstates 2019™,  the definitive guide to national, state and metropolitan area tech sector and tech workforce analytics published annually by CompTIA, the leading technology industry association.

Net tech employment in the state stood at 23,559 workers, a 2.2 percent increase over the prior year.[1] Tech-related employment accounts for approximately 4.6 percent of Montana’s total workforce.

The tech sector has an estimated direct economic impact of $2.1 billion, or about 4.5 percent of the total Montana economy.

“Clearly the broad-based impact of the tech industry touches virtually every community, company, industry and market across Montana, especially when you consider the tens of thousands of knowledge workers who rely on technology to do their jobs,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA.

The outlook for future employment growth remains positive.  Montana saw an 85 percent increase in the number of job postings related to emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things, smart cities, drones, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality and blockchain.

Cyberstates projects the base of tech occupation employment – a subset of net tech employment will grow by 11.3 percent in Montana by 2026. Retirements will add even more pressure to meet the need for tech talent.

“The findings attest to a tech labor market that will remain tight as employers balance short-term needs with an eye towards the future,” said Tim Herbert, senior vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. “As digital-human models begin to unfold, employers and employees alike will face new challenges – and opportunities, in shaping the workforce of tomorrow.“

Tech occupations with year over year growth in Montana included computer support specialists (+3.6 percent) and software and web developers (+3 percent).

The median tech occupation wage in Montana is $62,269. That’s 73 percent higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state.

Cyberstates 2019 (#cyberstates) is based on CompTIA’s analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, EMSI, Burning Glass Technologies Labor Insights, and other sources. Estimates for 2018 are subject to change as government data is revised and updated. The full report, with complete national, state and metropolitan level data, is available at https://www.cyberstates.org/.

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About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 50 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. To learn more visit https://www.comptia.org/.

Contact:
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
+1 (630) 678-8468
[email protected]­