Workforce
Computer Specialists as Share of Workforce: 2006
1st quartile
(10.71%–2.23%)
2nd quartile
(2.12%–1.72%)
3rd quartile
(1.70%–1.23%)
4th quartile
(1.22%–0.70%)
Quartiles
| 1st quartile (10.71%–2.23%) |
2nd Quartile (2.12%–1.72%) |
3rd Quartile (1.70%–1.23%) |
4th Quartile (1.22%–0.70%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Arizona | Alabama | Alaska |
| Colorado | Georgia | Florida | Arkansas |
| Connecticut | Illinois | Hawaii | Indiana |
| Delaware | Kansas | Idaho | Kentucky |
| District of Columbia | Michigan | Iowa | Louisiana |
| Maryland | Missouri | New Mexico | Maine |
| Massachusetts | Nebraska | North Dakota | Mississippi |
| Minnesota | New York | Oklahoma | Montana |
| New Hampshire | North Carolina | South Dakota | Nevada |
| New Jersey | Ohio | Tennessee | South Carolina |
| Utah | Oregon | Vermont | West Virginia |
| Virginia | Pennsylvania | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
| Washington | Rhode Island | ||
| Texas | |||
| SOURCES: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates; and Local Area Unemployment Statistics. See Data Table. | |||
Findings
- In the United States, 2.96 million individuals, or 2.05% of the workforce, were employed as computer specialists in 2006, an increase over the 2.80 million computer specialists employed in 2004, which was 2.02% of the workforce.
- Individual states showed considerable differences in the intensity of computer-related operations in their economies, with 0.70% to 4.38% of their workforce employed in computer-related occupations in 2006.
- There was a concentration of computer-intensive occupations in the District of Columbia and the adjacent states of Maryland and Virginia. This may be due to the fact that there are many government offices, colleges and universities, and government contractors in the area that employ scientists and engineers, especially computer scientists.
- Between 2004 and 2006, the percentage of computer specialists in the workforce increased in 31 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 18 states.
Description
This indicator shows the extent to which a state's workforce makes use of specialists with advanced computer training. Computer specialists are identified from 10 standard occupational codes that include computer and information scientists, programmers, software engineers, support specialists, systems analysts, database administrators, and network and computer system administrators. States with higher values may indicate a state workforce that is better able to thrive in an information economy or to embrace and utilize computer technology.
The location of computer specialists reflects where the individuals work and is based on estimates from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey, a cooperative program between the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and state employment security agencies. The size of a state's civilian workforce is estimated from the BLS Current Population Survey, which assigns workers to a location based on residence. Because of this difference and the sample-based nature of the data, estimates for sparsely populated states and the District of Columbia may be imprecise.
Data Table
| Table 8-30 | ||||||||
| Computer specialists as share of workforce, by state: 2004 and 2006 | ||||||||
| Computer | Employed workforce | Computer specialists in workforce (%) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | 2004 | 2006 | 2004 | 2006 | 2004 | 2006 | ||
| United States | 2,806,910 | 2,960,460 | 139,213,523 | 144,581,912 | 2.02 | 2.05 | ||
| Alabama | 28,320 | 32,720 | 2,014,678 | 2,120,573 | 1.41 | 1.54 | ||
| Alaska | 3,320 | 3,810 | 312,922 | 323,531 | 1.06 | 1.18 | ||
| Arizona | 45,930 | 49,180 | 2,649,243 | 2,854,381 | 1.73 | 1.72 | ||
| Arkansas | 12,470 | 13,360 | 1,228,163 | 1,292,886 | 1.02 | 1.03 | ||
| California | 370,180 | 380,040 | 16,444,457 | 17,029,307 | 2.25 | 2.23 | ||
| Colorado | 74,940 | 76,200 | 2,384,562 | 2,537,037 | 3.14 | 3.00 | ||
| Connecticut | 44,120 | 44,160 | 1,714,758 | 1,765,075 | 2.57 | 2.50 | ||
| Delaware | 8,730 | 11,930 | 408,022 | 424,506 | 2.14 | 2.81 | ||
| District of Columbia | 28,040 | 31,810 | 285,567 | 296,957 | 9.82 | 10.71 | ||
| Florida | 137,740 | 143,450 | 8,056,259 | 8,692,761 | 1.71 | 1.65 | ||
| Georgia | 94,080 | 89,390 | 4,257,465 | 4,522,025 | 2.21 | 1.98 | ||
| Hawaii | 7,440 | 8,140 | 597,147 | 628,277 | 1.25 | 1.30 | ||
| Idaho | 8,710 | 10,180 | 670,746 | 723,621 | 1.30 | 1.41 | ||
| Illinois | 114,860 | 129,880 | 6,012,320 | 6,315,715 | 1.91 | 2.06 | ||
| Indiana | 37,540 | 37,230 | 3,017,271 | 3,108,806 | 1.24 | 1.20 | ||
| Iowa | 22,650 | 24,940 | 1,542,342 | 1,602,849 | 1.47 | 1.56 | ||
| Kansas | 20,850 | 24,110 | 1,378,713 | 1,400,169 | 1.51 | 1.72 | ||
| Kentucky | 23,800 | 23,510 | 1,859,902 | 1,922,163 | 1.28 | 1.22 | ||
| Louisiana | 18,500 | 17,090 | 1,926,594 | 1,910,348 | 0.96 | 0.89 | ||
| Maine | 6,860 | 7,640 | 661,163 | 678,843 | 1.04 | 1.13 | ||
| Maryland | 92,450 | 91,040 | 2,766,653 | 2,892,620 | 3.34 | 3.15 | ||
| Massachusetts | 103,280 | 109,430 | 3,204,653 | 3,234,860 | 3.22 | 3.38 | ||
| Michigan | 74,600 | 89,280 | 4,694,981 | 4,730,291 | 1.59 | 1.89 | ||
| Minnesota | 67,600 | 71,930 | 2,781,744 | 2,822,297 | 2.43 | 2.55 | ||
| Mississippi | 8,770 | 8,510 | 1,234,167 | 1,218,664 | 0.71 | 0.70 | ||
| Missouri | 56,460 | 61,120 | 2,821,802 | 2,885,857 | 2.00 | 2.12 | ||
| Montana | 4,500 | 5,790 | 456,624 | 478,162 | 0.99 | 1.21 | ||
| Nebraska | 15,890 | 20,030 | 940,047 | 945,270 | 1.69 | 2.12 | ||
| Nevada | 11,540 | 12,940 | 1,134,550 | 1,240,868 | 1.02 | 1.04 | ||
| New Hampshire | 13,180 | 16,390 | 693,648 | 711,512 | 1.90 | 2.30 | ||
| New Jersey | 114,370 | 116,290 | 4,177,841 | 4,309,021 | 2.74 | 2.70 | ||
| New Mexico | 9,720 | 11,060 | 850,164 | 895,623 | 1.14 | 1.23 | ||
| New York | 170,140 | 188,620 | 8,810,155 | 9,072,733 | 1.93 | 2.08 | ||
| North Carolina | 77,240 | 80,150 | 4,028,598 | 4,250,619 | 1.92 | 1.89 | ||
| North Dakota | 4,250 | 4,650 | 338,221 | 346,359 | 1.26 | 1.34 | ||
| Ohio | 93,300 | 99,960 | 5,507,404 | 5,609,056 | 1.69 | 1.78 | ||
| Oklahoma | 21,600 | 26,200 | 1,608,849 | 1,650,877 | 1.34 | 1.59 | ||
| Oregon | 29,120 | 33,960 | 1,722,058 | 1,796,165 | 1.69 | 1.89 | ||
| Pennsylvania | 102,590 | 110,090 | 5,889,957 | 6,009,858 | 1.74 | 1.83 | ||
| Rhode Island | 7,150 | 9,490 | 531,121 | 547,618 | 1.35 | 1.73 | ||
| South Carolina | 20,730 | 23,070 | 1,900,122 | 1,988,378 | 1.09 | 1.16 | ||
| South Dakota | 5,090 | 5,160 | 409,263 | 417,100 | 1.24 | 1.24 | ||
| Tennessee | 36,870 | 36,570 | 2,733,793 | 2,835,530 | 1.35 | 1.29 | ||
| Texas | 209,360 | 224,330 | 10,456,224 | 10,921,673 | 2.00 | 2.05 | ||
| Utah | 25,340 | 30,060 | 1,169,163 | 1,272,801 | 2.17 | 2.36 | ||
| Vermont | 5,810 | 5,920 | 337,709 | 348,026 | 1.72 | 1.70 | ||
| Virginia | 151,810 | 169,830 | 3,704,593 | 3,878,988 | 4.10 | 4.38 | ||
| Washington | 83,480 | 80,140 | 3,008,352 | 3,160,350 | 2.77 | 2.54 | ||
| West Virginia | 7,230 | 7,250 | 744,034 | 767,134 | 0.97 | 0.95 | ||
| Wisconsin | 46,380 | 46,400 | 2,871,034 | 2,918,155 | 1.62 | 1.59 | ||
| Wyoming | 1,750 | 2,040 | 263,705 | 275,617 | 0.66 | 0.74 | ||
| Puerto Rico | 7,380 | 9,050 | 1,226,251 | 1,260,703 | 0.60 | 0.72 | ||
NOTES: For a small number of states, data for selected computer occupations suppressed by state or Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and not reported at state level. Workforce represents employed component of civilian labor force and reported as annual data not seasonally adjusted. SOURCES: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates; and Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 |
||||||||
Source Data
- 1st quartile
(10.71%–2.23%) - 2nd quartile
(2.12%–1.72%) - 3rd quartile
(1.70%–1.23%) - 4th quartile
(1.22%–0.70%)
Quartiles
| 1st quartile (10.71%–2.23%) |
2nd Quartile (2.12%–1.72%) |
3rd Quartile (1.70%–1.23%) |
4th Quartile (1.22%–0.70%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Arizona | Alabama | Alaska |
| Colorado | Georgia | Florida | Arkansas |
| Connecticut | Illinois | Hawaii | Indiana |
| Delaware | Kansas | Idaho | Kentucky |
| District of Columbia | Michigan | Iowa | Louisiana |
| Maryland | Missouri | New Mexico | Maine |
| Massachusetts | Nebraska | North Dakota | Mississippi |
| Minnesota | New York | Oklahoma | Montana |
| New Hampshire | North Carolina | South Dakota | Nevada |
| New Jersey | Ohio | Tennessee | South Carolina |
| Utah | Oregon | Vermont | West Virginia |
| Virginia | Pennsylvania | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
| Washington | Rhode Island | ||
| Texas | |||
| SOURCES: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates; and Local Area Unemployment Statistics. See Data Table. | |||
Findings
- In the United States, 2.96 million individuals, or 2.05% of the workforce, were employed as computer specialists in 2006, an increase over the 2.80 million computer specialists employed in 2004, which was 2.02% of the workforce.
- Individual states showed considerable differences in the intensity of computer-related operations in their economies, with 0.70% to 4.38% of their workforce employed in computer-related occupations in 2006.
- There was a concentration of computer-intensive occupations in the District of Columbia and the adjacent states of Maryland and Virginia. This may be due to the fact that there are many government offices, colleges and universities, and government contractors in the area that employ scientists and engineers, especially computer scientists.
- Between 2004 and 2006, the percentage of computer specialists in the workforce increased in 31 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 18 states.
Description
This indicator shows the extent to which a state's workforce makes use of specialists with advanced computer training. Computer specialists are identified from 10 standard occupational codes that include computer and information scientists, programmers, software engineers, support specialists, systems analysts, database administrators, and network and computer system administrators. States with higher values may indicate a state workforce that is better able to thrive in an information economy or to embrace and utilize computer technology.
The location of computer specialists reflects where the individuals work and is based on estimates from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey, a cooperative program between the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and state employment security agencies. The size of a state's civilian workforce is estimated from the BLS Current Population Survey, which assigns workers to a location based on residence. Because of this difference and the sample-based nature of the data, estimates for sparsely populated states and the District of Columbia may be imprecise.
Data Table
| Table 8-30 | ||||||||
| Computer specialists as share of workforce, by state: 2004 and 2006 | ||||||||
| Computer | Employed workforce | Computer specialists in workforce (%) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | 2004 | 2006 | 2004 | 2006 | 2004 | 2006 | ||
| United States | 2,806,910 | 2,960,460 | 139,213,523 | 144,581,912 | 2.02 | 2.05 | ||
| Alabama | 28,320 | 32,720 | 2,014,678 | 2,120,573 | 1.41 | 1.54 | ||
| Alaska | 3,320 | 3,810 | 312,922 | 323,531 | 1.06 | 1.18 | ||
| Arizona | 45,930 | 49,180 | 2,649,243 | 2,854,381 | 1.73 | 1.72 | ||
| Arkansas | 12,470 | 13,360 | 1,228,163 | 1,292,886 | 1.02 | 1.03 | ||
| California | 370,180 | 380,040 | 16,444,457 | 17,029,307 | 2.25 | 2.23 | ||
| Colorado | 74,940 | 76,200 | 2,384,562 | 2,537,037 | 3.14 | 3.00 | ||
| Connecticut | 44,120 | 44,160 | 1,714,758 | 1,765,075 | 2.57 | 2.50 | ||
| Delaware | 8,730 | 11,930 | 408,022 | 424,506 | 2.14 | 2.81 | ||
| District of Columbia | 28,040 | 31,810 | 285,567 | 296,957 | 9.82 | 10.71 | ||
| Florida | 137,740 | 143,450 | 8,056,259 | 8,692,761 | 1.71 | 1.65 | ||
| Georgia | 94,080 | 89,390 | 4,257,465 | 4,522,025 | 2.21 | 1.98 | ||
| Hawaii | 7,440 | 8,140 | 597,147 | 628,277 | 1.25 | 1.30 | ||
| Idaho | 8,710 | 10,180 | 670,746 | 723,621 | 1.30 | 1.41 | ||
| Illinois | 114,860 | 129,880 | 6,012,320 | 6,315,715 | 1.91 | 2.06 | ||
| Indiana | 37,540 | 37,230 | 3,017,271 | 3,108,806 | 1.24 | 1.20 | ||
| Iowa | 22,650 | 24,940 | 1,542,342 | 1,602,849 | 1.47 | 1.56 | ||
| Kansas | 20,850 | 24,110 | 1,378,713 | 1,400,169 | 1.51 | 1.72 | ||
| Kentucky | 23,800 | 23,510 | 1,859,902 | 1,922,163 | 1.28 | 1.22 | ||
| Louisiana | 18,500 | 17,090 | 1,926,594 | 1,910,348 | 0.96 | 0.89 | ||
| Maine | 6,860 | 7,640 | 661,163 | 678,843 | 1.04 | 1.13 | ||
| Maryland | 92,450 | 91,040 | 2,766,653 | 2,892,620 | 3.34 | 3.15 | ||
| Massachusetts | 103,280 | 109,430 | 3,204,653 | 3,234,860 | 3.22 | 3.38 | ||
| Michigan | 74,600 | 89,280 | 4,694,981 | 4,730,291 | 1.59 | 1.89 | ||
| Minnesota | 67,600 | 71,930 | 2,781,744 | 2,822,297 | 2.43 | 2.55 | ||
| Mississippi | 8,770 | 8,510 | 1,234,167 | 1,218,664 | 0.71 | 0.70 | ||
| Missouri | 56,460 | 61,120 | 2,821,802 | 2,885,857 | 2.00 | 2.12 | ||
| Montana | 4,500 | 5,790 | 456,624 | 478,162 | 0.99 | 1.21 | ||
| Nebraska | 15,890 | 20,030 | 940,047 | 945,270 | 1.69 | 2.12 | ||
| Nevada | 11,540 | 12,940 | 1,134,550 | 1,240,868 | 1.02 | 1.04 | ||
| New Hampshire | 13,180 | 16,390 | 693,648 | 711,512 | 1.90 | 2.30 | ||
| New Jersey | 114,370 | 116,290 | 4,177,841 | 4,309,021 | 2.74 | 2.70 | ||
| New Mexico | 9,720 | 11,060 | 850,164 | 895,623 | 1.14 | 1.23 | ||
| New York | 170,140 | 188,620 | 8,810,155 | 9,072,733 | 1.93 | 2.08 | ||
| North Carolina | 77,240 | 80,150 | 4,028,598 | 4,250,619 | 1.92 | 1.89 | ||
| North Dakota | 4,250 | 4,650 | 338,221 | 346,359 | 1.26 | 1.34 | ||
| Ohio | 93,300 | 99,960 | 5,507,404 | 5,609,056 | 1.69 | 1.78 | ||
| Oklahoma | 21,600 | 26,200 | 1,608,849 | 1,650,877 | 1.34 | 1.59 | ||
| Oregon | 29,120 | 33,960 | 1,722,058 | 1,796,165 | 1.69 | 1.89 | ||
| Pennsylvania | 102,590 | 110,090 | 5,889,957 | 6,009,858 | 1.74 | 1.83 | ||
| Rhode Island | 7,150 | 9,490 | 531,121 | 547,618 | 1.35 | 1.73 | ||
| South Carolina | 20,730 | 23,070 | 1,900,122 | 1,988,378 | 1.09 | 1.16 | ||
| South Dakota | 5,090 | 5,160 | 409,263 | 417,100 | 1.24 | 1.24 | ||
| Tennessee | 36,870 | 36,570 | 2,733,793 | 2,835,530 | 1.35 | 1.29 | ||
| Texas | 209,360 | 224,330 | 10,456,224 | 10,921,673 | 2.00 | 2.05 | ||
| Utah | 25,340 | 30,060 | 1,169,163 | 1,272,801 | 2.17 | 2.36 | ||
| Vermont | 5,810 | 5,920 | 337,709 | 348,026 | 1.72 | 1.70 | ||
| Virginia | 151,810 | 169,830 | 3,704,593 | 3,878,988 | 4.10 | 4.38 | ||
| Washington | 83,480 | 80,140 | 3,008,352 | 3,160,350 | 2.77 | 2.54 | ||
| West Virginia | 7,230 | 7,250 | 744,034 | 767,134 | 0.97 | 0.95 | ||
| Wisconsin | 46,380 | 46,400 | 2,871,034 | 2,918,155 | 1.62 | 1.59 | ||
| Wyoming | 1,750 | 2,040 | 263,705 | 275,617 | 0.66 | 0.74 | ||
| Puerto Rico | 7,380 | 9,050 | 1,226,251 | 1,260,703 | 0.60 | 0.72 | ||
NOTES: For a small number of states, data for selected computer occupations suppressed by state or Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and not reported at state level. Workforce represents employed component of civilian labor force and reported as annual data not seasonally adjusted. SOURCES: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates; and Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 |
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Source Data
