Orange County Tech Industry Adds 1,300 Jobs
Orange County Defense Electronics Industry 2nd Largest in Nation with 9,400 Employed

Irvine, 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.

Orange County’s high-tech industry added 1,300 net jobs for an industry total of 100,900 jobs in 2006, according to the most current metropolitan data available. The average high-tech wage was $81,900, 68 percent higher then the average private sector wage.

Computer systems design and related services was the largest tech sector in Orange County, employing 16,900 in 2006. However, defense electronics manufacturing also stood out, as Orange County ranked second in the nation by employment in this sector, with 9,400 jobs in 2006.

"Orange County is more than just Disneyland, the Ducks, and the Angels, we are also high tech," said Don Hicks, Executive Director of AeA Orange County Council. "We have over one hundred thousand tech workers, making us the 14th largest metro area in the country. The tech industry finds Orange County attractive because of our strong K-12 system, our world class research universities, such as UC Irvine, and an attractive quality of life with beaches and great weather.”

“However,” continued Hicks, “in order to continue to attract these types of high-paying jobs, we need to ensure that we offer a workforce with the right set of skills. This means that our entire education system, from kindergarten to college, needs to focus on math and science. Furthermore, our national leaders need to make it easier to attract and retain high-skilled foreign nationals, many of whom are educated at U.S. colleges and universities. These individuals help create companies and jobs here. Kicking them out only increases competition from abroad."

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 Orange County, CA?

• 100,900 high-tech workers in 2006 (14th ranked cybercity)
   

• 1,300 jobs gained between 2005 and 2006 (26th ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech firms employed 74 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2006 (21st ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech workers earned an average wage of $81,900 (20th ranked), or 68 percent more than Orange County’s average private sector wage.
   

• A high-tech payroll of $8.3 billion in 2006 (15th ranked cybercity)
   

• 5,100 high-tech establishments in 2006 (13th ranked cybercity)

Orange County’s National Industry Sector Rankings:

• 15th in engineering services employment with 14,500 jobs
   
• 18th in computer systems design and related services employment with 16,900 jobs
   
• 19th in telecommunications services employment with 12,300 jobs

Notes:

Orange County, CA = Orange 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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