U.S. tech employment rises in 2008, falls off in 4Q

Jake Widman
Tuesday, 31 March 2009 23:11

Business IT - Technology

According to a new report from TechAmerica, high-tech employment in the U.S. rose by 1.3 percent overall in 2008, though some jobs were lost in the fourth quarter.

The Cyberstates 2009 report, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, found that the high-tech industry added 77,000 net jobs in 2008, for a total of 5.9 million workers.  The numbers were boosted by growth in the software services sector (86,200 net jobs) and in engineering and tech services (26,600 net jobs).

These sectors offset job losses in high-tech manufacturing (down 23,100 jobs) and communications services (down 12,700 jobs). Six of the nine manufacturing sectors declined, with only communications equipment, defense electronics, and electromedical equipment showing employment gains.

The report did note, however, that while 2008 showed an increase in high-tech jobs overall, 38,000 jobs were lost in the fourth quarter, representing a decline of 0.6%. That's still less than half the job loss rate in the U.S. private sector overall (1.3%). (More after the graph.)



The Cyberstates report also included state-by-state information from 2007. In that year, 39 states showed net job growth. Texas led the pack with the addition of 14,700 jobs, with Georgia (13,100) and Washington (11,300) close behind. Kansas showed the fastest growth, Virginia had the highest concentration of tech worker.

Cyberstates 2009 is available for $150 from www.techamerica.org/cyberstates . TechAmerica is also preparing two other reports, Cybercities 2009 and Trade in the Cyberstates 2009.