Report: State’s Tech Employment 11th in Nation, Poised to Grow

Michigan’s tech-related employment is expected to accelerate in 2021, according to CompTIA, a nonprofit association for the information technology industry and workforce based in Illinois.
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information technology stock image
The information technology industry in Michigan, which had the 11th highest employment number in the country in 2020, is expected to grow this year, according to CompTIA. // Stock photo

Michigan’s tech-related employment is expected to accelerate in 2021, according to CompTIA, a nonprofit association for the information technology industry and workforce based in Illinois.

In its “Cyberstates 2021” report, CompTIA projected an increase of 2,539 net new tech-related jobs this year in Michigan, one of 48 states expected to experience an increase in tech employment. In total, an estimated 245,000 net new tech positions will be added to the American economy.

“As we look ahead to a rapidly evolving future of work and the ever-expanding digital economy, both immense opportunity and challenges loom,” says 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.”

At the end of 2020, net tech employment in Michigan totaled 386,901, 8.8 percent of the state’s workforce and the 11th highest total in the country. The estimated median wage of $79,525 for tech workers is 80 percent higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state.

Michigan is home to about 13,212 tech businesses. The tech sector has a direct impact of $37.1 billion, accounting for 7.7 percent of the state’s economy. The dollar amount is the 15th highest in the country.

In Michigan, women account for about 26 percent of the tech workforce, the same as the national percentage. Blacks make up 8 percent of the state’s tech workforce and 8 percent nationally, while representation of Hispanics or Latinos is at 3 percent, compared to 7 percent nationally.

Job growth in the sector is expected to be led by companies hiring core IT workers in roles spanning cybersecurity, data science, software development, and user support. Demand for workers with experience in emerging infrastructure and hardware, artificial intelligence, data, next-gen cybersecurity, and other areas of technology will continue to grow as employers pursue digital transformation strategies. Over the past five years, job postings for these types of positions have surged 190 percent.

“Cyberstates 2021” offers information on the size and scope of the tech industry and workforce at the national, state, and metro levels, including time-series trending, average wages, business establishments, job postings, innovation, and emerging tech metrics. The full report is available here.

The Computing Technology Industry Association is a voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals in the industry.