STEM workers are in fierce demand, and not just in the global epicenter of high tech known as Silicon Valley. According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis, STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — professions are expected to grow 8.1% between 2024 and 2034, compared to just 2.7% for all other occupations. In addition, the median annual STEM wage is $103,580, compared to $48,000 for all non-STEM occupations.
Given their growing demand, STEM careers today provide some of the most lucrative employment opportunities. They pay higher salaries and boast far fewer threats of unemployment compared with other types of jobs.
To determine the best markets for STEM professionals, WalletHub compared the 100 largest metro areas across 21 key metrics. Our data set for our report “Best & Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals (2026)” ranges from per-capita job openings for STEM graduates to median wage growth for STEM jobs
Adam McCann is a WalletHub financial writer.
