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CompTIA Cyberstates 2020™ report reveals tech sector’s impact

Columbia, S.C. – Information technology (IT) employment in South Carolina grew by 5,000 net new jobs in 2019, capping a decade in which the state’s tech-related labor force expanded by more than 34,400 workers, 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 totaled an estimated 131,765 workers at the end of 2019, 5.8% of the state’s total workforce.[1]

Last year tech-related employment in the state grew by 4%, the sixth highest percentage among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Only the South Carolina’s manufacturing industry added more jobs last year than the tech sector.

In the Charleston metropolitan area the percentage increase in tech hiring was higher – 5.8%, second best national among the markets covered in the report.

From 2010 through 2019 tech employment in South Carolina grew by 35.3%, adding an estimated 34,408 jobs. The Charleston area experienced tech-related job growth of 53.2% during the decade with more than 9,800 new jobs created.

The estimated median tech occupation wage in South Carolina is $72,238, 92% higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state.

At $12.7 billion the tech sector accounts for 6% of the state’s economy. South Carolina is home to 7,900 tech business establishments.

“Technology powered job growth and economic gains in the past decade in South 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.”

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.

Contact:

Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
630-678-8468
[email protected]­
www.comptia.org