STEM workers are in great demand.

According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis, science, technology, engineering and math professions are expected to grow 8.8 percent between 2018 and 2028, compared to just 5.0 percent for all other occupations. In addition, the median annual STEM wage is $84,880, compared to $37,020 for all non-STEM occupations.

Given their growing demand, STEM careers today provide some of the most lucrative employment opportunities. They pay higher salaries and boast far fewer threats of unemployment compared with other types of jobs.

To determine the best markets for STEM workers, WalletHub compared the 100 biggest metro areas across 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from per-capita job openings for STEM graduates to annual median wage growth for STEM workers.  
 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has the most per-capita overall STEM job openings for STEM graduates, 114.12, which is 35.1 times higher than in Deltona, Florida, the metro area with the fewest at 3.25.

San Jose, California has the highest average monthly earnings for new employees in STEM industries, $11,798, which is 3.7 times higher than in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the metro area with the lowest at $3,175.

San Jose also has the highest share of all workers in STEM occupations, 21.00 percent, which is 15 times higher than in McAllen, Texas, the metro area with the lowest at 1.40 percent.

Houston has the highest annual median wage for STEM workers (adjusted by cost of living), $98,886, which is 2.3 times higher than in Honolulu, the metro area with the lowest at $42,293.  

To see the full report: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200/