The demand for STEM professionals is expected to grow substantially in the U.S. by 2020, adding over one million new STEM jobs. However, the number of STEM bachelor's degrees awarded has remained flat for 15-20 years, and many graduates are leaving STEM jobs. This talent gap is exacerbated by the underrepresentation of women and minorities in STEM fields, despite their growing presence in the overall workforce. Certain U.S. metro areas such as Atlanta, Baltimore, and Boston are expected to experience above-average STEM job growth and opportunities.

1. the
demand for stem professionals is expected to add more The number of STEM even though stem careers in
than one million new stem jobs to the U.S. workforce Bachelor degrees the u.s. offer job security and
awarded in the u.s. has high earnings graduates are
2020 remained relatively flat defecting from stem jobs
STEM
2010
for the past 15-20 years.
Change in degrees awarded
2008/09 compared to 2001/02
talent
46%
↑ 16.8% 26%
visual performing arts
33%
Information sciences
of women
STEM jobs 32%
gap
with STEM
40% of STEM
under-
degrees
19% work in
computer and
of men graduates STEM jobs
engineering
with STEM work in
degrees stem jobs
business
work in
STEM jobs
science technology engineering Mathematics
STEM workers in the U.S. are a part of an
↑ 21.8% ↑ 15.2% ↑ 16.6%
-14%
increasingly global economy of innovation. ↑ 10.3%
Technology architecture & science mathematics
This new reality is fueling demand both in (IT/Computer) engineering jobs jobs
jobs jobs global stem concentrations
traditional STEM occupations and throughout as a percentage of employment, the following
other sectors across the economy that countries have the highest share of Human Resources
in science and technology (HRST):
demand similar competencies. Couple this
Luxembourg
with the underrepresentation of growing Sweden
worker populations and defection of STEM- Denmark
Switzerland
capable workers into other careers and we norway
STEM Workers are Turning to Free Agency:
are left with a significant talent gap that Between 2009 – 2011, the growth of self-employed
shows no signs of letting up. STEM workers in the U.S. was nearly twice the rate
The U.s. (ranked 12th)
of growth for all self-employed workers
population shifts in the U.s. are translating into top 11 STEM opportunity Markets
more women and minorities entering the workforce, In addition to having strong concentrations and
however these growing worker populations are large volumes of STEM jobs, the following metro
severely underrepresented in stem fields areas are expected to experience higher relative
STEM growth rates in the next five years:
75% men 1. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA
2. Baltimore-Towson, MD
Women fill close to half of all 3. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH
jobs in the US, but they hold
4. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
less than 25% of STEM jobs
5. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
6. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
Only half as many non-Hispanic Black 7. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
or Hispanic workers have STEM jobs 8. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
relative to their overall representation 9. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
in the U.S. workforce 10. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
11. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV