Technology Employment Expands its Presence in the Texas Workforce

17,000-plus new jobs in 2018 coupled with growing economic impact, according to CompTIA Cyberstates 2019™ report

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Mar 26, 2019, 15:29 ET

AUSTIN, Texas, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Technology-related employment in Texas grew by more than 17,800 new jobs in 2018 and the tech sector increased its contribution to the state's economy, according to Cyberstates 2019™, the definitive guide to tech sector and tech workforce analytics published annually by CompTIA, the leading technology industry association.

Net tech employment grew by an estimated 17,855 jobs in 2018.¹ Since 2010 net tech employment has grown by more than 170,000 new jobs. With nearly 983,000 workers, tech accounts for approximately 7.5 percent of the Texas workforce.

The tech sector has an estimated direct economic impact of $141.8 billion, or about 8.7 percent of Texas's total economy.

"Clearly the broad-based impact of the tech industry touches virtually every community, industry and market across Texas, especially when you consider the hundreds of thousands of knowledge workers who rely on technology to do their jobs," said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA.

"Home to several innovative cities, Texas is a real leader in not only attracting tech talent, but also in capturing venture capital funding – $1.5 billion last year – to help startups flourish throughout the state," said Sarah Matz, director of state government affairs for CompTIA in Texas. "The state's dynamic tech industry plays a vital role in our economy and provides a growing number of high-wage jobs for Texans. CompTIA looks forward to working with Governor Abbott and state policymakers to develop workforce initiatives that prepare even more Texans for a future filled with even more tech jobs and tech companies here."

The outlook for future employment growth remains positive. Texas saw a 112 percent increase in the number of job postings related to emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things, smart cities, drones, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality and blockchain.

Cyberstates projects the base of tech occupation employment – a subset of net tech employment will grow by 13.3 percent in Texas by 2026. Retirements will add even more pressure to meet the need for tech talent.

"The findings attest to a tech labor market that will remain tight as employers balance short-term needs with an eye towards the future," said Tim Herbert, senior vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. "As digital-human models begin to unfold, employers and employees alike will face new challenges – and opportunities, in shaping the workforce of tomorrow."

More from Cyberstates

Texas ranks 2^nd nationwide in net tech employment; 3^rd in net tech jobs added last year; and 3^rd in the Cyberstates Innovation Score, based on venture capital investments, tech startups and new business formations and other factors.
Tech occupations with year over year growth in Texas included software and web developers (+4.7 percent); computer system and cybersecurity analysts (+3.6 percent); and network architects, administrators and support specialists (+2.1 percent).
The median tech occupation wage in Texas is $81,858; 98 percent higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state.

Cyberstates 2019 (#cyberstates) is based on CompTIA's analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, EMSI, Burning Glass Technologies Labor Insights, and other sources. Estimates for 2018 are subject to change as government data is revised and updated. The full report, with complete national, state and metropolitan level data, is available at https://www.cyberstates.org/.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 50 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. To learn more visit https://www.comptia.org/

Contact:

Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
+1 (630) 678-8468
[email protected]

¹ Net tech employment includes tech company workers in technical and non-technical positions, technical workers in other industries and self-employed technology workers.

SOURCE CompTIA