The Top 10 States for Tech Professionals

Nearly one-half of all tech professionals work fully remotely. The other half needs to visit the office either every day or a couple of days per week. If you’re planning on working as an in-house or a hybrid employee, you may want to relocate to a state where the tech industry is thriving. Many tech companies have headquarters or branches in these states, which boosts the number of job openings. Salaries tend to be higher there, too. Plus, you’ll be surrounded by like-minded people and will be able to attend offline industry events.

So let’s dive in. Here are the top ten tech states in the US. We’ll explain what’s so special about them, the living standards, and how much you can expect to earn. Here are the best states for tech jobs for 2024.

California

It’s the state where the world-famous Silicon Valley is located. California boasts the largest concentration of high-paying tech companies and jobs in the country. Sixteen top cybersecurity programs and four national labs are situated here. Tech research, the AI sector_{Why AI Is Your Friend Not Foe}, telecommunications, and technological equipment manufacturing are thriving. There’s a reason it’s often cited as the best state for IT jobs.

An IT manager can expect to earn $95,681 per year and a software architect — $153,034 per year.

New York

Over 10,000 tech businesses operate in New York City alone. Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, and Poughkeepsie are hubs where you can find tech jobs, too. Tech companies from this state sell their products and services to an extensive range of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and fintech. 

A cybersecurity specialist in New York makes — on average — $85,186 per year, and a data engineer makes $127,979 per year.

Virginia

As a state for tech jobs, you might not immediately think of Virginia, but its proximity to the capital makes it a true tech state. Its northern sector is a haven for security companies, defense contractors, and other tech businesses that cater to the US government. The cluster where these organizations are concentrated is called the Dulles Technology Corridor. Besides, additional tech niches attract top professionals to Virginia. These include software programming, data centers, professional services, and healthcare. In terms of US tech jobs, there’s no state more America-centric.

The average annual salary of an IT technician in Virginia is $94,500, and that of an IT project manager is $108,939.

Texas

People and businesses migrate from Silicon Valley to Texas because of the more affordable taxes, looser regulations, and lower cost of living. This has made it into one of the best states for IT jobs over the last few years. In fact, there are over 17,600 tech companies in this state in total. A large source of tech jobs comes from the oil and gas extraction businesses — they need technical support and logistics software.

An IT project manager earns, on average, $95,737 per year, and a technology consultant earns $104,690 per year.

Florida

This state has become home to over 38,000 high-tech companies. Their products and services come in handy for businesses in manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace, and defense. A key factor making Florida one of the best states for tech is its 61,000 miles of fiber optic connectivity. This helps its networks rank among the fastest in the country.

A network administrator in Florida makes $65,443 per year, on average, and an IT security specialist makes $99,106 per year.

Massachusetts

One of the most valuable local gems is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), whose graduates have founded various tech businesses here. The state has over 30 cybersecurity college degree programs, 140 cybersecurity firms, and over 2,000 software companies. It’s one of the best states where researchers can collaborate with international R&D companies, state agencies, and universities.

The average annual salary of a database developer in Massachusetts is $95,135, and that of an IT director is $140,167.

Illinois

International technological and industrial corporations are concentrated in the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor, which the Chicago metropolitan area is a part of. Over 6,000 tech companies have their headquarters in Chicago, not to mention numerous startups_{Choosing A Start-Up Over an IT Giant? Here’s Why We Think It’s Worth it!}.

An IT manager can expect to earn $89,455 per year in Illinois, and a data engineer — $117,307 per year.

Georgia

Georgia? One of the top states for tech jobs? You bet. This state is famous for its Transaction Alley. In fact, the payment processing companies located here handle around 70% of all money transactions in the country. In addition, over 50 top tech companies have data centers in Georgia, and more than 225 IT health firms and more than 75 cybersecurity businesses operate in this state.

In Atlanta, the average annual salary of a UX designer is $93,918, and that of a QA engineer is $108,580.

North Carolina

This entry might be surprising, but it is nonetheless one of the best states for tech jobs. The local epicenter of the tech industry is called the Research Triangle. It consists of Raleigh, Cary, Durham, and Chapel Hill, and benefits from the presence of several large universities. Many financial companies are located in Charlotte. In addition, businesses from North Carolina create technological solutions for healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture.

A systems administrator earns $67,169 per year, on average, and an IT director earns $102,987 per year.

Maryland

In 2022, this state landed fourth among the most innovative. Its STEM workforce ratio is among the highest in the country. Only California invests more than Maryland in research and development, so you can see why it’s one of the best tech states. There are 35 incubators and research parks here as well as over 400 cybersecurity businesses.

The average annual salary of a data architect in Baltimore is $139,151, and a technical product manager can expect to earn $153,220 per year in Maryland.

The best place to study tech in the US

To start a career in tech, you can learn from the comfort of your home regardless of its location. In fact, at TripleTen, you can study part-time without leaving your current job. Find out more about what it’s like to study with us by checking out stories from our grads.