These States Are Leading America’s Technology Job Market in 2026

The tech industry offers some of the highest-paying jobs in the U.S., but where you live can have a big impact on your career. Some states offer higher salaries, more job opportunities, stronger startup ecosystems, and better digital infrastructure, while others have fewer opportunities for people working in technology.

A new study conducted by Wolfstone Digital ranks the best and worst states for tech professionals in the U.S. based on salaries, job opportunities, innovation, education, affordability, and digital infrastructure. The study looks at factors including average tech salaries, tech jobs, technology companies, venture capital investment, research and development spending, STEM professionals, tech graduates, cost of living, internet speeds, broadband access, data centers, tech events, and remote work opportunities.

Washington ranks first, offering 61.44 tech jobs per 1,000 jobs and an average tech salary of $119,960. The state also leads the country in research and development spending at $530.70 per person, while 20.5% of employees work remotely and 9.18 tech events are held per 100,000 residents. Its combination of high salaries, abundant jobs, and extensive investment makes Washington a well-rounded destination for both established professionals and people entering the industry.

Massachusetts ranks second and leads the nation in venture capital investment, attracting $32,800 per $1 million of GDP. Technology businesses account for 5.4% of companies in the state, while tech professionals earn an average of $115,673 and fixed download speeds reach 218.54 Mbps. This access to private investment gives Massachusetts an especially strong environment for professionals looking to join startups or rapidly growing technology companies.

California ranks third, supported by one of the country’s most established innovation economies. The state spends $496.44 per resident on research and development and attracts $28,232 in venture capital per $1 million of GDP, second only to Massachusetts. It also offers 48.39 tech jobs per 1,000 positions and mobile download speeds of 114.08 Mbps. Despite greater competition, California continues to offer the investment and employment base expected from a global technology hub.

Colorado ranks fourth, with technology companies representing 5.88% of all businesses. It hosts 11.31 tech events per 100,000 people, the highest rate in the study, and 21.2% of employees work remotely. Colorado’s results suggest that its appeal extends beyond conventional office jobs, with a highly connected professional community and greater flexibility for remote workers.

Virginia ranks fifth, offering 60.67 tech jobs per 1,000 jobs, second only to Washington. It also has 7.52 data centers per 100,000 residents, the highest rate nationwide, and an average tech salary of $105,008. The state’s concentration of tech employment and data infrastructure makes it particularly attractive to professionals working in cloud computing, cybersecurity and related fields.

Delaware ranks sixth after attracting $27,235 in venture capital per $1 million of GDP and investing $239.29 per resident in research and development. Fixed download speeds average 246.95 Mbps, the fastest among the top 10 states. Delaware’s smaller size does not prevent it from competing with larger technology centers, particularly in funding and digital connectivity.

Maryland ranks seventh and stands out for the strength of its talent pipeline. The state has 89.02 STEM professionals per 1,000 workers, while 7% of graduates earn technology degrees, tied for the highest share in the study. It also provides 51 tech jobs per 1,000 jobs. These figures indicate that Maryland has both an established technical workforce and a steady supply of new graduates entering the field.

Utah ranks eighth, with technology companies accounting for 6.51% of businesses, the highest proportion among the top 10. Mobile download speeds reach 117.52 Mbps, while 18% of employees work remotely. Utah’s high concentration of technology businesses gives professionals access to a substantial industry relative to the state’s broader economy.

New Hampshire ranks ninth and has the highest proportion of technology companies nationwide, at 7.24% of all businesses. Broadband is available to 95.37% of households, and tech professionals earn an average salary of $103,004. The state’s technology sector may be smaller in absolute terms than those of California or Washington, but it accounts for a notably large share of its business community.

New Jersey rounds out the top 10, combining strong salaries with some of the fastest digital infrastructure in the country. Technology professionals earn an average of $107,530, while mobile download speeds reach a study-leading 123.26 Mbps and broadband covers 94.89% of households. Its strong connectivity and six-figure average salary make New Jersey a competitive alternative to neighboring East Coast technology markets.

At the other end of the rankings, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, Arkansas and Kentucky make up the bottom five. Mississippi ranks last overall, with just 13.9 tech jobs per 1,000 jobs. It also spends only $9.45 per person on research and development and records 0.2 tech events per 100,000 people, both the lowest among the bottom five. Just 5.5% of its workforce is employed remotely.

Louisiana ranks 47th and has only 12.67 tech jobs per 1,000 jobs, the lowest rate in the study. Just 3% of graduates earn technology degrees, while venture capital investment stands at $1,111 per $1 million of GDP. West Virginia ranks 46th, with tech professionals earning an average of $81,997, the lowest salary among the bottom five. The state also attracts just $424 in venture capital investment per $1 million of GDP, while fixed download speeds average 164.85 Mbps.

Arkansas ranks 45th, recording 19.3 tech jobs per 1,000 jobs and technology degrees among just 4% of graduates. It also has only 0.29 data centres per 100,000 people, one of the lowest rates in the ranking. Kentucky ranks 44th and rounds out the bottom five. The state receives only $525 in venture capital investment per $1 million of GDP and has 39.67 STEM professionals per 1,000 workers. Just 10.5% of employees work remotely.

The full ranking:

Rank	State	Average annual tech salary	No. of jobs in tech per 1,000 jobs	Share of technology companies	Venture Capital Investment per 1M of GDP	R&D spending per capita	Share of STEM professionals	% of tech graduates out of all graduates	Cost of living as per tech salary	Download speed (Mbps)	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Broadband availability (% of households served)	Data centers per 100,000 people	The number of tech events per 100,000 people	Share of Remote Workers	Total Score
1	Washington	1	1	12	8	1	1	1	28	23	20	3	13	6	2	75.15
2	Massachusetts	3	6	9	1	3	5	8	6	12	19	8	34	3	6	73.75
3	California	15	4	46	2	2	6	5	3	9	12	4	26	9	10	65.79
4	Colorado	7	4	5	7	13	4	9	25	11	25	5	21	2	1	61.45
5	Virginia	14	2	6	18	28	3	3	20	6	39	25	1	27	7	60.68
6	Delaware	12	12	8	3	5	13	21	21	1	17	9	11	39	20	56.54
7	Maryland	19	3	11	15	22	2	1	19	2	24	7	32	24	3	56.24
8	Utah	37	7	4	10	23	7	6	18	13	9	12	18	22	8	51.77
9	New Hampshire	18	14	2	14	9	12	13	14	14	43	1	33	30	9	49.79
10	New Jersey	9	8	36	31	6	17	4	9	3	6	6	25	42	12	49.61

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Note: Full data can be found here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FVRAhGNJP91-NVNDve1i5mKGLwtefb1iqwDTGzBql_s/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Methodology: The study ranks the best and worst states for tech professionals based on five main categories: salaries and affordability, employment opportunities, innovation, education and talent, and digital infrastructure. Each metric was scored, weighted, and combined to create the final ranking of the best and worst states for tech professionals in America. The metrics include: Average annual tech salary (12%); Number of tech jobs per 1,000 jobs (12%); Share of technology companies (10%); Venture capital investment per $1 million of GDP (10%); Research and development spending per capita (10%); Share of STEM professionals (7%); Tech graduates as a percentage of all graduates (7%); Cost of living as a percentage of tech salary (6%); Fixed download speed (Mbps) (5%); Mobile download speed (Mbps) (5%). Broadband availability as a percentage of households served (4%); Data centers per 100,000 people (4%); Tech events per 100,000 people (4%); Share of remote workers (4%)

Sources: ZipRecruiter, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), U.S. Census Bureau, HighSpeedInternet.com, Ookla Speedtest, Eventbrite.