Technology-related employment in NH is poised to accelerate in 2021, according to CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.
CompTIA’s Cyberstates 2021 report projects an increase of 1,406 net new tech-related jobs in the state this year, a 2% increase that matches what's happening nationally.
The tech sector has a direct impact of $11.2 billion, accounting for 13.8% of the state’s economy. That percentage is the fifth highest among all states.
“As we look ahead to a rapidly evolving future of work and the ever-expanding digital economy, both immense opportunity and challenges loom,” said Tim Herbert, executive vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. “Cyberstates confirms the importance of building resilient workforces and businesses through skills development, robust and secure digital infrastructure, and innovation-minded leadership.”
Job growth this year is expected to be led by companies hiring core IT workers in a variety of roles, including cybersecurity, data scientists, software developers and IT user support specialists. Demand for workers with experience and skills in emerging infrastructure and hardware, artificial intelligence, data, next-gen cybersecurity and other areas of emerging tech will continue to grow as employers across industries pursue digital transformation strategies. Over the past five years, job postings for these types of positions have surged 190%.
At the end of 2020 net tech employment in NH totaled 71,912 workers, accounting for 10.3% of the state’s overall workforce. The estimated median wage of $85,935 for tech workers is 82% higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state. New Hampshire is home to more than 5,000 tech businesses.
Tech Workforce Characteristics
Building on CompTIA’s belief that “there’s a place in tech for everyone” the Cyberstates 2021 report includes an expanded examination of the characteristics of America’s tech workforce, presenting a comparison of the representation of seven primary race and ethnicity groups, as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, within technology occupations and compared to all occupations. The report also includes a diversity index that measures the depth and breadth of diversity in the tech workforce for these seven groups in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 51 metropolitan markets.
In NH, women account for 26% of the tech workforce, the same as the national percentage. Blacks or African Americans make up 2% of the state’s tech workforce (8% nationally), while representation of Hispanics or Latinos is at 1% (7% nationally).
Cyberstates 2021 offers information on the size and scope of the tech industry and workforce at the national, state and metro area-levels, including time-series trending, average wages, business establishments, job postings, innovation and emerging tech metrics. For the interactive online version of the report, visit www.cyberstates.org.
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a voice and advocate for the $5 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.
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