Orlando Takes the Top Spot of 2020 Tech Destinations!
Throughout the past decade, Technology has become one of the most lucrative industries in the US. Young people and students around the world, especially those pursuing hard sciences, are continuing to look for opportunities in this vast and ever-growing field. Although the media has popularized the “Silicon Valley” dream, there are many jobs in the tech industry throughout the country. Our friends over at smartassets put together a report on the top 50 metro areas to be in America if you are looking for a job in the tech industry. You may be surprised by the data that they found – we were certainly pleased to see the city which came out on top!
SmartAssets found that the southern United States seems to be leading the way in the tech industry, with the northeast lagging behind. 60 percent of the top 10 metro areas for tech are in the southern states, with half of those being in Texas. Regarding the Northeast, we were surprised to find that their highest-ranking location was Rochester, NY all the way down at #31.
A less surprising finding was that the tech industry is still extremely rewarding, with higher than average salaries across the board. No matter your location, tech remains a strong field to enter if you are looking to maximize your earning potential.
City Beautiful #1
As mentioned earlier, 60 percent of the top 10 locations mentioned were in the Southern states, and #1 was right in our backyard. The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metro Area has seen tremendous growth in the past decade, not the least of which from the development of the “High Tech Corridor,” a formidable area of higher education, private research institutions and high-tech businesses stretching along Interstate 4. There are over 22,000 tech companies in “the Corridor” attracting Millennials nationwide. In fact, 2019 saw the area’s job market to be the tightest in decades and was adding over 1,500 new residents weekly, leading the metro area to be one of the fastest growing in the nation. A recent survey by homes.com ranked Orlando as the best city in the country for millennials in 2019 based on the job market, housing costs and age demographics.
“As a city, we continue to focus on growing and nurturing a strong tech and entrepreneurial community in Orlando,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “A perfect example of our commitment is Creative Village. Creative Village is anchored by the regional headquarters for Electronic Arts, Inc. (EA) and the UCF Downtown Valencia College campus alongside other high tech and creative companies. This type of partnership fuels our unique culture of collaboration, strengthen our tech talent pipeline and increase Orlando’s reputation as a tech hub.”
The backbone of the corridor stems from the three major state universities in the Corridor — UF, UCF and USF — promising to provide an on-going pipeline of high quality, experienced, home-grown talent while attracting the brightest minds across the nation.
Tech workers are also major earners here, with an average salary 1.82 times the national salary, the second highest SmartAssets found across the top 50 metros in the United States. Orlando also ranked eighth highest in percentage of bachelor’s jobs in tech at almost 27%, and eighth-lowest for annual cost of living at around $20,333 – almost 60% lower than Silicon Valley boomtown San Francisco, according to salary.com.
To see more about the ‘Top Places to Work in Tech’ check out SmartAssets full article, featuring their methodology by clicking here.
If you would like more information on up and coming tech related jobs in Orlando, make sure to follow Visium Resources on LinkedIn and Facebook, and to see all of our currently open positions take a look at our open jobs page!
A premier provider of technical solutions, Visium Resources is an experienced, veteran-owned staffing agency headquartered in Orlando, FL; with branches throughout the Southeast.
Our combination of technical staffing experience and focus on both client and employee satisfaction allows us to create the perfect match between employers and talent in a respectful, positive way that creates opportunity for everyone. Visium Resources proudly serves both public and private clients with high levels of standard stemming from: innovative business practices, years of experience and a commitment to outstanding people. For more information visit: www.visiumresources.com
