Housing Group Ranks 10 Best and Worst Metro Areas to Live in for STEM Jobs
A recent analysis showed that the median salaries at many pharmaceutical companies are high, well into the six figures. While some of those companies provide significant compensation, another analysis provides insight into the best and worst regions in the U.S. for life sciences jobs.
The AEI Housing Center released its data for the 10 best and worst places to find STEM- (science, technology, engineering and math) related jobs. The study took into account 2018 data regarding economic vitality and affordability in the different regions. The study included the number of jobs per region in 2018, as well as the total STEM job growth since 1990. Affordability data from 2017 onward was also included, AEI said.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area was ranked number one on the list, while two areas of California, Los Angeles and Sacramento, tied for the worst.
To determine its rankings, AEI used three metrics. The organization looked at the areas with the largest number of STEM employees based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics; overall employment growth based on data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis for the period of 1990 to 2917; and affordability based on AEI Housing Center’s ranking of a metro’s median home price to median income ratio in 2017. Due to the way AEI set up its metrics, some of the biggest biotech hubs in the United States, like San Francisco and San Diego, ended up ranking low on the list, primarily due to affordability.
When selecting Dallas-Fort Worth as the top spot, AEI noted the area had approximately 250,000 STEM-based jobs, which earned it seventh place in that metric. Since 1990, the area saw overall employment growth of 77%, which was more than double the national average of 33%, AEI said. That job growth was fourth for the category. Finally, AEI noted that the region had a median home price to median income affordability ratio of 2.9, which placed it at ninth in that particular category.
Dallas-Fort Worth wasn’t the only Texas region to land in the top 10. Houston came in at the number two spot and Austin landed at number four.
The top 10 are:
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Houston
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Phoenix
- Chicago
- Charlotte
- Washington, D.C.
- Columbus
- Seattle
While Los Angeles placed 3rd in total STEM jobs, the city’s overall growth was only 10% during that 17 year period. That was less than a third of the national average, “which gave it a dismal 29th place in this metric,” AEI said. The City of Angels also placed 29th in affordability.
Sacramento placed low in total STEM jobs (28th on the list) but it saw 50% job growth, putting it at 10th place on that metric. The capital city of California fared poorly in affordability, coming in at 23rd on that metric.
The 10 worst cities are:
- St. Louis
- Cincinnati
- Portland, Oregon
- San Francisco
- Pittsburgh
- San Jose, Calif.
- Baltimore
- San Diego
- Los Angeles
- Sacramento