More and more, the jobs with better pay and job security are in STEM fields.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The jobs related to these professions are vital for everything from manufacturing to food processing and healthcare, so they are most likely to be the country’s best-paying and secure jobs, but how much are they thriving in the country?
Website 24/7 Wall Street recently carried out an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find out the cities with the highest rates of STEM employment, finding that California-Lexington Park in Maryland is the city with the highest share of hi-tech jobs in the country with 24.8% of its entire workforce falling into the category of STEM.
Unsurprisingly, the San Jose area in California (including Silicon Valley) is high up on the list, ranking second, as 20% of workers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro region are employed in STEM occupations. Huntsville, Alabama; Boulder, Colorado; and Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina complete the top 5.
Gender gap in STEM
The global STEM sector has struggled with female representation, creating a harsh gender gap nevertheless, there has been a steady rise.
According to NCES data, the number of female students awarded a STEM degree or certificate in the U.S. has steadily risen over the most recent 8 year period.
Statista data shows that the number of male students who have been granted a STEM degree or certificate increased by 38% between the 2008-2009 and the 2015-2016 school year, while the number of female students who achieved the same degree or certificate increased by 48%.
