Louisiana now ranks among the 10 fastest-growing states for high-tech employment, a new study released today shows. Tech America’s 12th annual Cyberstates report shows Louisiana gained 4,349 high-tech jobs between 2002 and 2007, up 11.3%. The state ranks 10th in the nation for numeric gains and seventh for percent change. That’s at a time when the country as a whole lost 71,863 high-tech jobs, down 1.2%. Most of the growth was in engineering and research and development laboratories.
Even so, Louisiana still ranks 47th when it comes to per capita high-tech workers. As of 2007, the most recent year for which data is available, Louisiana had 42,873 high-tech workers. Also, between 2006 and 2007, Louisiana was just one of six states to lose high-tech establishments — 18 of them to be exact — a loss of 0.5%. In 2007, the state had 3,492 high-tech establishments. By comparison, the country as a whole gained 10,136 high-tech businesses, up 2.9%. One problem may be wages. High-tech workers here are paid an average of $58,409 a year, and can earn higher salaries in 40 other states. The state’s average high-tech wages climbed $3,738 annually, or about 6.8%, between 2002 and 2007. Nationally, high-tech wages during that same period were up $7,076, or 9.3%. One high note: Louisiana’s high-tech workers earn $20,000 than others in private industry in the state. Overall, Louisiana’s annual high-tech payroll was $2.5 billion in 2007, compared to Florida — the highest-ranking Gulf Coast state — which boasted nearly $19 billion.
