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<p>STEM jobs are projected to grow by 10.4% between 2023 and 2033, compared to just 3.6% for other occupations. But some cities offer better career opportunities in this field than others. The personal-finance website WalletHub followed conducted an in-depth analysis of the <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200&;source=gmail&;ust=1737649956694000&;usg=AOvVaw0ycRB8xEPNtqet9KC-et2W">Best &; Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals in 2025</a>.</p>
<p>“Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs tend to have high salaries, and job opportunities grow at nearly three times the rate of non-STEM jobs. We can only expect this to accelerate in the future as new technologies continue to change the employment landscape. The top metro areas for STEM professionals have high-quality schools, an abundance of jobs and high pay. They’re also great places to live, but since many STEM jobs can be done remotely, you might also consider working in one of these areas while living elsewhere,” says WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo.</p>
<p>To determine the best markets for STEM workers, WalletHub compared 100 of the biggest metro areas across 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from per-capita job openings for STEM graduates to the median wage growth for STEM workers. If you are considering a career in STEM or already working in the field, consider these findings when deciding where to start your job search.</p>
<h2><strong>Top 10 Metro Areas For STEM Jobs</strong></h2>
<p>The following metro areas have the best job opportunities for science, technology and engineering.</p>
<p>Austin, TX</p>
<p>Boston, MA</p>
<p>Seattle, WA</p>
<p>Atlanta, GA</p>
<p>San Francisco, CA</p>
<p>Pittsburgh, PA</p>
<p>Madison, WI</p>
<p>San Jose, CA</p>
<p>Springfield, MA</p>
<p>Orlando, FL</p>
<h2><strong>The Worst Metro Areas for STEM jobs</strong></h2>
<p>The cities below ranked lowest (out of 100 metro areas) for STEM career opportunities.</p>
<p>McAllen, TX</p>
<p>Oxnard, CA</p>
<p>Greensboro, SC</p>
<p>Winston, NC</p>
<p>North Port, FL</p>
<p>Cape Coral, FL</p>
<p>Louisville, KY</p>
<p>Memphis, TN</p>
<p>Little Rock, AR</p>
<p>Jackson, MS</p>
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<p><strong>Key Findings:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>San Jose, California, has the highest<strong> average monthly earnings for new employees in STEM industries</strong> – 6.3 times higher than in Lakeland, Florida, which has the lowest.</li>
<li>Seattle, Washington ranked first in <strong>professional opportunities</strong>, while Stockton, CA ranked last.</li>
<li>Dayton, Ohio ranked first in <strong>quality of life</strong>, while Boston, MA took the top spot for <strong>STEM-friendlines</strong>s.</li>
<li>Greenville, South Carolina, has the most <strong>STEM job openings per capita</strong> – 17.8 times higher than in North Port, Florida, which has the fewest.</li>
<li>Charlotte, North Carolina, has the highest<strong> median annual wage for STEM workers* </strong>– 2.3 times higher than in Honolulu, Hawaii, which has the lowest.</li>
<li>Jackson, MS not only ranked last overall, but <strong>last in quality of life</strong> and 99 out of 100 in STEM-friendliness.</li>
</ul>
<p>See the full rankings and study here: <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200">https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200</a></p>
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