Kansas City’s Tech Employment Totals 62,100
Kansas City Ranks 7th Nationwide by Telecommunications Services in 2006

Oakbrook Terrace, IL (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.

Kansas City is among the top 25 largest cybercities in the country, employing 62,100 people in 2006, according to the most current metropolitan data available. These jobs pay well, with the average tech industry worker in Kansas City earning $72,400 in 2006, or 75 percent more then the average private sector wage of $41,400. This wage differential is significant given that 7.6 percent of the workforce is in the high-tech industry.

The largest high-tech sector in Kansas City was telecommunications services with 21,900 employees in 2006, making it the 7th largest telecommunications services sector in the nation. The next largest sector in this metro area was computer systems design and related services with 13,600 employees.

“Kansas City’s high-tech industry created 1,600 new jobs from 2005 to 2006, but if we want this growth to continue, we need to be doing more,” said Laura E. Owen, President, Chief Operating Officer, ICOP Digital, Inc., a high-growth surveillance technology company based in Lenexa, Kansas. “As former Secretary of Commerce for the State of Kansas, it was always my position that government leaders must provide meaningful economic incentives to foster job creation and innovation, especially in the technology sector. We also greatly value the highly skilled workforce and strong work ethic in Kansas City, and should continue to encourage a stronger emphasis on math and science in our schools.”

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 Kansas City?

• 62,100 high-tech workers in 2006 (24th ranked cybercity)
   

• 1,600 jobs gained between 2005 and 2006 (21st ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech firms employed 76 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2006 (20th ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech workers earned an average wage of $72,400 (32nd ranked cybercity), or 75 percent more than Kansas City’s average private sector wage
   

• A high-tech payroll of $4.5 billion in 2006 (24th ranked cybercity)
   

• 2,600 high-tech establishments in 2006 (26th ranked cybercity)

Kansas City’s National Industry Sector Rankings:

• 7th in telecommunications services employment with 21,900 jobs
   

• 20th in engineering services employment with 10,500 jobs
   

• 22nd in computer systems design and related services employment with 13,600 jobs

Notes:

Kansas City = Kansas Counties: Franklin, Johnson, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami, and Wyandotte. Missouri Counties: Bates, Caldwell, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Jackson, Lafayette, Platte, and Ray.

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 06/20/08.            
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