The important role that Arizona’s technology industry and workforce has to the state’s economy was recently highlighted in a report from the Arizona Technology Council that commissioned a study of the state’s 8,000 plus technology companies that provide 168,211 jobs. According to the report, titled the, “Arizona Technology Council Industry Impact Report”, Arizona’s technology sector is experiencing 1.38% employment growth, ahead of California’s and second overall in the Southwest.
Average annual wages for technology industry workers in Arizona is just above $77,000, the third highest in the Southwest. Nearly half of the total annual wages in all of Arizona come from the tech sector, specifically computer system design, semiconductor manufacturing, and aerospace product and parts manufacturing. In 2016 alone, the Arizona tech industry contributed over $32.5 million in total taxes.
Also reported was the average Arizona technology startup having a valuation of $3.9 million and that 2,741 patents were awarded in Arizona in 2015.
“We have continued to see our local technology community grow and flourish in recent years,” said the Arizona Technology Council’s CEO and president, Steven G. Zylstra. “Arizona is well-positioned to claim its place in the national playing field of competitive technology markets. We hope this report showcases not only the areas in which we are excelling but also uncovers areas where we can focus attention to encourage improvement.”
This report was conducted by eImpact and commissioned by the Council itself, with a basis on eImpact’s analysis of data coming from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, AngelList, CompTIA, and other sources.
