10 fastest growing US tech hubs for IT talent

The average tech salary in Philadelphia is $121,187 per year — a 11.8% increase from 2022, according to Dice.

3. Orlando, Fla.

In the city best known for its Disney theme parks, Orlando is also invested in growing its tech industry. The tech job market in Orlando is expected to increase 27% by 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is more than double the expected growth for computer and IT jobs nationally. Because of this, Orlando is quickly becoming a top metro area for tech growth, with companies such as EA, Deloitte, Oracle, Verizon, Veritas, and Stax setting up offices in the city. The University of Central Florida in Orlando awarded over 4,600 STEM degrees in the 2022-2023 academic year, making it a hot spot for companies looking to bring in fresh talent. UCF’s graduate game design program is also highly regarded, ranking in the top two, according to The Princeton Review and PC Gamer.

The average tech salary in Orlando is $106,693 per year — a 9.2% increase from 2022, according to Dice.

4. Columbus, Ohio

Columbus has always held interest for businesses due to the area’s diverse population, which has historically made it a popular test market for companies looking to launch new products. In recent years, it’s become a popular spot for the tech industry, with companies such as Facebook and Amazon moving into the city. And Intel recently announced plans to construct two chip factories right outside Columbus, slated to bring more than 3,000 jobs to the area. The city hasn’t lost its draw as a place for testing and launching new products either, as there is a growing startup community in Columbus. Between 2017 and 2021, investments into city startups started peaking, going from $583 million in 2020 to over $1 billion, with half of  the funding going to Olive, a healthcare technology company, and Path Robotics, an autonomous robotics company, according to TechCrunch.

The average tech salary in Columbus is $114,287 per year — a 6.4% increase from 2022, according to Dice.

5. Houston

Houston has emerged as a top Texas competitor to Austin for tech companies, entrepreneurs, and employees who are looking for a lower cost of living. In the past five years, venture-backed startups in Houston have received more than $6 billion in venture capital funding, with the city launching more than 80 startup development organizations (SDOs), from incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, nonprofits, and academic institutions. The city of Houston has plans to continue growing as a tech hub for entrepreneurs, offering entrepreneurship programs at Rice University and University of Houston that have been recognized as being some of the top programs in the country, according to Princeton Review. There are plans to open an Innovation Hub in 2025 through the University of Houston, with the goal to continue encouraging the startup culture and entrepreneurship in the city. Houston is also home to the Ion District, which was established in 2021 as a “16-acre innovation community and economic engine” that is home to over 30 businesses, according to Greater Houston Partnership.