Portland Metro Area High-Tech Industry Adds 2,500 Jobs
Portland Ranks Second Only to Silicon Valley In Semiconductor Manufacturing Jobs

Lake Oswego, OR (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.

The Portland metro area’s high-tech industry added 2,500 net jobs, a four percent increase, for an industry total of 73,700 in 2006, according to the most recent metropolitan data available. This represented the 13th fastest job growth in the nation. This industry is vital to Portland’s economy because tech employees are paid well, $79,900 annually, 86 percent more than the area’s average private sector wage.

The Portland metro area is a major hub for semiconductor manufacturing, with 24,600 employees in 2006, making this the second largest cybercity in the nation by semiconductor employment. Computer systems design and related services was Portland’s second largest tech sector, providing 7,400 jobs.

“The high-tech industry is a key economic driver of the Portland area and has now reached a level where eight percent of private sector employees work in the tech industry,” said Jennifer Bosze, executive director of the AeA Oregon Council. “This growth is driven by our strong semiconductor industry, which added 900 jobs in 2006. Our industry is working with the Oregon Legislature and our public universities to strengthen engineering and computer science programs. In the past 10 years, we’ve increased the annual number of engineering graduates by 30 percent and our companies have donated more than $100 million in cash and equipment to Oregon universities.”

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 the Portland Metro Area?

• 73,700 high-tech workers in 2006 (20th ranked cybercity)
   

• 2,500 jobs gained between 2005 and 2006 (15th ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech firms employed 84 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2006 (18th ranked cybercity)
   

• High-tech workers earned an average wage of $79,000 (25th ranked), or 86 percent more than Portland’s average private sector wage.
   

• A high-tech payroll of $5.8 billion in 2006 (21st ranked cybercity)
   

• 3,000 high-tech establishments in 2006 (23rd ranked cybercity)

Portland’s National Industry Sector Rankings:

• 2nd in semiconductor industry employment with 24,600 jobs
   

• 27th in telecommunication services employment with 6,800 jobs
   

• 35th in computer systems design and related services employment with 7,400 jobs

Notes:

Portland Metro Area definition = Oregon Counties: Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill; Washington Counties: Clark and Skamania.

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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