Los Angeles’s Tech Employment Totals 172,200
Los Angeles Defense Electronics Manufacturing Largest in Nation

Woodland Hills, CA (June 24, 2008) – AeA, the nation’s largest technology trade association representing all segments of the high-tech industry, today released Cybercities 2008: An Overview of the High-Technology Industry in the Nation's Top 60 Cities. This detailed report tracks trends in high-tech employment, wages, establishments, payroll, employment concentration, and wage differential at the metropolitan level.

The high-tech industry in Los Angeles employed 172,200 in 2006, according to the most current metropolitan data available, an increase of 3,000 from the previous year. Los Angeles’s high-tech industry was the 6th largest in the nation. These workers were well compensated for their skills, earning $83,300 in 2006, or 74 percent more than the average private sector wage.

Los Angeles remains a critical location for defense electronics manufacturing with 28,600 employed in this industry in 2006, making it the top ranked metro area nationwide in this sector.

“The high-tech industry in Los Angeles is large and has been steadily growing for the past couple of years,” said Joella Lapiana, Executive Director of AeA’s Los Angeles Council. “This is partly due to the fact that there are there are so many fantastic colleges and universities in the area supplying the constant stream of skills the tech industry needs. However, in order to continue providing the tech industry with talented workers, we need to emphasize K-12 math and science education as well as keep high-skilled foreign workers in the area by increasing the H1-B visa cap and speed up the process for green cards.”

Cybercities 2008 shows that the top five cybercities by high-tech employment in 2006 were the New York Metro Area, Washington, DC, San Jose/Silicon Valley, Boston, and Dallas-Fort Worth. The nation’s highest tech industry concentration was in San Jose/Silicon Valley, where more than one in four private sector workers were employed by the tech industry. Seattle saw the largest tech industry employment growth, adding 7,800 jobs in 2006.

Later this summer, AeA will release Trade in the Cyberstates 2008: A State-by-State Overview of High-Tech International Trade. That report will look at the most recent data on high-tech exports from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

AeA members can purchase Cybercities 2008 for $125; non-members for $250.  Visit www.aeanet.org/cybercities to download the report, or call 408.987.4200. 

What Does High Tech Mean for Los Angeles?

• 172,200 high-tech workers in 2006 (6th ranked cybercity)
   

• 3,000 jobs gained between 2005 and 2006 (9th ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech firms employed 48 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2006 (41st ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech workers earned an average wage of $83,300 (17th ranked), or 74 percent more than Los Angeles’ average private sector wage
   

• A high-tech payroll of $14.3 billion in 2006 (6th ranked cybercity)
   

• 8,100 high-tech establishments in 2006 (5th ranked cybercity)

Los Angeles’s National Industry Sector Rankings:

• 1st in defense electronics manufacturing employment with 28,600 jobs
   
• 6th in telecommunications services employment with 25,300 jobs
   
• 11th in computer systems design and related services employment with 26,300 jobs

Notes:

Los Angeles = California: Los Angeles County.

Data are for 2006 unless otherwise noted.

2006 data are the most current available for employment, wages, payroll, establishments, and industry sector jobs.

Source: Cybercities 2008

Published by AeA, Advancing the Business of Technology (www.aeanet.org)

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About AeA

AeA, the nation’s largest technology trade association, representing all segments of the high-tech industry, is dedicated solely to helping our members’ top line and bottom line. We do this in partnership with our small, medium, and large member companies by lobbying governments at the state, federal, and international levels, providing access to capital and business opportunities, and offering select business services and networking programs. For more information, please visit http://www.aeanet.org.   

This page was last updated on 06/24/08.            
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