The information technology industry accounts for 12.1 million jobs in the U.S. and accounts for $1.9 trillion of U.S. value-added GDP, according to the Department of Commerce’s SelectUSA agency.
When it comes to the IT industry’s influence on the D.C.-area economy, Maryland and Virginia (and D.C. when compared to states) check a lot of boxes. Chances are very good that you have friends or family that work in IT.
App development platform Appy Pie has ranked states across a variety of IT industry metrics using data from the Census Bureau, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources to rank “The Best States for Tech” companies.
Maryland and Virginia rank No. 3 and No. 4 overall. The District would rank No. 12 compared to states.
Maryland and Virginia have some of the highest per capita rates of government funding for tech innovation — at $525 and $460 respectively — due to the plethora of government contractors in the region.
In Virginia, 1 in 10 working adults work in the high-tech sector — the highest share of any state in the country. It is 7.7% of all workers in the District and 7.7% in Maryland.
The District ranks No. 1 for tech firm concentration, with 8.5% of companies operating in the technology field. Virginia is right behind at 8.1%. Maryland ranks fourth for tech firm concentration, at 7.7%.
When it comes to growth in venture capital activity over the past five years, neither D.C., Virginia or Maryland make the top 10, but is still an impressive 281% in Maryland, 250% in the District, and 229% in Virginia.
California and Massachusetts lead the overall list of “Best States for Tech Companies.” Both also rank No. 1 and No. 2 for new patents.
Appy Pie’s list by category, which also ranks the worst states for technology, can be found on its website.
