Press Releases

Tech Employment in Virginia Expands by 9,000 Net New Jobs

Apr 21, 2020

CompTIA Cyberstates 2020™ reveals tech’s impact

Richmond, Va. – Information technology (IT) employment in Virginia grew by 9,000 net new jobs in 2019, capping a decade in which the commonwealth’s tech-related labor force expanded by nearly 43,000 workers, according to Cyberstates 2020™, the definitive guide to the U.S. tech industry, occupations and trends published annually by CompTIA, the leading trade association for the global IT industry.

Net tech employment increased by an estimated 9,010 workers in 2019, up 2.1% from 2018.[1] Only the healthcare services industry added more jobs in Virginia last year.

From 2010 through 2019 tech employment in Virginia grew by 10.6%. Tech workers make up an estimated 10.7% of the overall workforce. There are nearly 23,000 tech business establishments in Virginia.

At almost $64 billion the tech sector accounts for 13.3% of Virginia’s total economy, the sixth highest percentage among the 50 states.

“Technology powered job growth and economic gains in the past decade in Virginia and across the county while delivering countless benefits in how we work, communicate, create and share,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA.

“Looking ahead, the need for professionals from all backgrounds to develop, support, and protect these technologies will continue to grow,” Thibodeaux added. “In these trying times it is often difficult to think beyond today, but we must remain committed to preparing the workforce of tomorrow for success in whatever the future may hold.”

Virginia ranks fifth nationally in net tech employment and 12th in the total number of jobs added last year.

“The labor market for technology professionals was extremely tight during 2019, with unemployment nationwide at historic lows throughout periods of the year,” said Tim Herbert, executive vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. “This speaks to the broad-based demand for tech talent across regions, industries and employers looking to capitalize on innovation that was once in the realm of science fiction, but increasingly reality.”

In fact, positions in emerging technologies accounted for 20% of all tech job postings in Virginia last year.

The estimated median tech occupation wage in Virginia is $97,059. That’s 102% higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state.

Cyberstates 2020 is based on CompTIA’s analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI), Burning Glass Technologies, Hoovers and other sources.    

Visit https://www.cyberstates.org/ for the latest data on the economic and employment impact of the U.S. tech industry.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5.2 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 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. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more.

Contact:

Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
630-678-8468
[email protected]­
www.comptia.org

 


[1] Net tech employment is a measure developed by CompTIA to encompass the two components of the tech workforce: employment within the tech industry and tech employment across all other sectors of the economy.