Philadelphia’s Tech Industry Adds 3,600 Jobs
Philadelphia Has the Nation’s 5th Largest R&D and Testing Labs Sector

Clark, NJ (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.

Philadelphia’s high-tech industry added 3,600 net jobs, a three percent increase, for an industry total of 132,200 in 2006, according to the most current metropolitan data available. These jobs are particularly attractive to Philadelphia because they are well paid with wages of $83,300, 72 percent higher wages than the average private sector wage of $48,500.

Philadelphia has been a critical location for computer systems design and related services with 33,100 jobs in this industry in 2006, making it the 7th ranked cybercity nationwide in this industry. The R&D and testing labs sector was also very important to Philadelphia as it provided 28,000 jobs in 2006, making Philadelphia the fifth largest metro area by this sector.

“Philadelphia’s high-tech industry has added jobs for two years in a row,” said Peter J. Boni, President and Chief Executive Officer of Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. and Vice Chairman of AeA, Advancing the Business of Technology. “This is great progress for the City of Brotherly Love which has traditionally been seen as an old economy industrial city whose major innovation is not high tech, but the cheesesteak. Given that our strongest sector is in the highly technical field of R&D and testing labs, we need to make sure that we are adequately providing our children with a solid foundation for these types of jobs. This means that education is critical. Our K-12 systems must prepare our children for a 21st Century workforce, which focuses on math and science.”

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 Philadelphia?

• 132,200 high-tech workers in 2006 (8th ranked cybercity)
   

• 3,600 jobs gained between 2005 and 2006 (8th ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech firms employed 57 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2006 (33rd ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech workers earned an average wage of $83,300 (16th ranked), or 72 percent more than Philadelphia’s average private sector wage.
   

• A high-tech payroll of $11.0 billion in 2006 (9th ranked cybercity)
   

• 7,100 high-tech establishments in 2006 (8th ranked cybercity)

Philadelphia’s National Industry Sector Rankings:

• 5th in R&D and testing labs employment with 28,000 jobs
   

• 7th in computer systems design and related services employment with 33,100 jobs
   

• 11th in engineering services employment with 18,100 jobs

Notes:

Philadelphia = New Jersey Counties: Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem; Pennsylvania Counties: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia; Delaware: New Castle County; Maryland: Cecil 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 06/20/08.            
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