Detroit Tops Fastest Growing Metro Areas For Tech Jobs

Detroit tops the list of fastest growing metropolitan areas for technology jobs, according to a report by Dice.com - a career Web site for technology and engineering professionals and companies in the United States.

As of February 1, every major metropolitan market has more job opportunities this year than last year as a new wave of job market improvements is shaping a fresh set of career opportunities for technology professionals, the report said.

Technology professionals can find interesting opportunities in cities as diverse as Detroit, Miami, Pittsburgh, or Cincinnati though Silicon Valley or New York may hold an irresistible allure for some, Dice.com said.

Dice.com lists the fastest growing metropolitan areas for technology jobs:

* Detroit tops the list with more than 800 available tech positions on any given day - that’s double the number posted last year. Let’s extend those two minutes of Detroit super bowl advertising goodness, by highlighting that technology professionals make on average $71,445 per year in the Motor City, up two percent from a year ago.

* Second in the list is Cincinnati where job opportunities are up 75 percent, followed by Cleveland (62 percent) and Columbus (57 percent). Technology professionals can find opportunities with financial services companies, retailers, manufactures and retailers in the region.

* Job openings in Seattle are up 54 percent year/year to more than 2,200 which makes it the fastest growing large market on the list. Seattle-based technology professionals earn on average $86,168 per year, up 2 percent from last year.

* Pittsburgh technology professionals can expect to take home more than $65,000 a year with job opportunities in the area up 45 percent year/year. Technology and engineering professionals can find opportunities in specialty metals, healthcare and financial services.

* Job postings in Miami, at number seven, are up 43 percent followed by Jacksonville at number eight with a 41 percent increase. Technology professionals in these cities can expect to make at least $68,000 per year – and those in defense with security clearance much more.

* Job opportunities in Chicago and Silicon Valley are up 40 percent, with more than 3,200 and nearly 4,800 jobs posted respectively. The report said for these two major markets to be growing this fast a year into the recovery, only bodes well for new career opportunities and increasing wages.

With demand improving in more metropolitan areas, the recovery starts to cement for technology professionals across the country. The task for tech talent is to take advantage of the new opportunities, said Tom Silver Senior Vice-President of Dice North America.