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Innovation

Top 10 U.S. markets for STEM graduates

No surprise, Silicon Valley tops the list of opportunities for science, technology, engineering or mathematics professionals. But there are other hotspots as well.
Written by Joe McKendrick, Contributing Writer

Geography is destiny for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduates, a new analysis shows. Divya Raghavan of NerdWallet looked at factors such as the percentage of total jobs across major U.S. metro areas that require a STEM bachelor’s degree, along with average salaries and the strength of local economies.

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Photo credit: NASA

1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: Two words: Silicon Valley. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher$115,744. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher: 24.10%

2. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Two words: Federal government. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher$101,058. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher: 19.10%.

3. Huntsville, AL: NASA. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher: $91,873. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher: 20.60%.

4. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: Also Silicon Valley. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher: $104,041. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher: 15.20%.

5. Trenton-Ewing, NJ: Concentration of pharmaceuticals, near New York City. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher: $94,547. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher: 15.40%.

6. Boulder, CO: One of the most educated areas in the nation. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher: $86,883. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher16.90%.

7. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: Major region for information technology, life sciences and healthcare. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher: $89,882. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher: 15.90%.

8. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH: Healthcare and research industries. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher: $97,307. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher: 13.60%.

9. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, manufacturing, healthcare, automotive and biomedical research. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher: $83,759. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher: 16.70%.

10. Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA: Agriculture and healthcare. Average salary for job requiring STEM BA or higher: $90,782. Percent of jobs requiring STEM BA or higher: 14.00%.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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