Fort Walton Beach Tech Employment Up 26 Percent
Fort Walton Beach Tech Wages Pay Double the Area’s Average Private Sector Wage

Orlando, FL (September 25, 2007) – AeA, the nation's largest trade association representing all segments of the high-tech industry, today released Florida Cybercities 2007. The report provides a comprehensive review of the high-tech industry statewide and in the 10 largest metropolitan areas by high-tech employment, wages, payroll, and establishments.

Fort Walton Beach's tech industry added 900 net jobs in 2005, the most current metropolitan data available, making it the state's 8th largest technology hub, with a total of 4,600 tech industry workers in 2005. This job growth placed Fort Walton Beach ahead of all other Florida cybercities with a 26 percent increase from 2004 to 2005. These workers are paid an average annual wage of $61,900 – 101 percent more than the average private sector wage in the region. High-tech firms employ 67 of every 1,000 private sector workers in Fort Walton Beach.

Fort Walton Beach's leading high-tech industry sectors are engineering services, computer systems design and related services, and telecommunications services. Of these sectors, the computer systems design and related services grew the most, adding 600 jobs in 2005.

"Fort Walton Beach might be among the last places in the state people would think of as having a growing high-tech industry," said Maryann Fiala, Executive Director of the AeA's Florida Council. "This report shows that they would be wrong. Local government officials need to help keep this growth going through pro-technology, pro-business policies. The fact that local high-tech firms pay an average salary that is double what the rest of the private sector pays is eye-opening to say the least. This report shows that Florida has many technology clusters for companies to choose from. It should be a priority for local leaders to ensure companies continue to elect to grow in Fort Walton Beach." 

The Fort Walton metropolitan area includes all of Okaloosa County.

Florida's statewide high-tech industry employment added 10,900 net jobs, or by four percent, for a tech industry total of 276,400 jobs in 2005, the most current state data available. This makes Florida the 4th ranked cyberstate by tech industry employment and the 2nd fastest growing cyberstate in 2005. Geographically, Florida's tech industry is diffused across the state.

Florida Cybercities 2007 is directly comparable to AeA's annual Cyberstates report. Released in April, Cyberstates 2007 provides a comprehensive review of the high-technology industry at the national and state-by-state level.

AeA members can purchase Florida Cybercities 2007 for $45; non-members for $90. Please visit www.aeanet.org/FLcybercities to download the report, or call 408.987.4200.

What Does High Tech Mean for Fort Walton Beach?

• 4,600 high-tech workers (8th ranked Florida cybercity)

• 900 net job gain between 2004 and 2005

• High-tech firms employed 67 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2005, ranked 2nd statewide

• High-tech workers earned an average wage of $61,900 (5th ranked), or 101 percent more than Fort Walton Beach's average private sector wage

• A high-tech payroll of $282 million in 2005, ranked 8th statewide

• 253 high-tech establishments in 2005, ranked 10th statewide

What Does High Tech Mean for Fort Walton Beach’s Tech Sectors?

• 1,700 jobs in the engineering services sector in 2005, a net gain of 200 from 2004 to 2005

• 1,400 jobs in the computer systems design and related services sector in 2005, a net gain of 600 from 2004 to 2005

• 500 telecommunications services jobs in 2005, a net gain of 100 from 2004 to 2005

Source: Florida Cybercities 2007

Data are for 2005 unless otherwise noted.

2005 data are the most current for state employment, wages, payroll, establishments, and industry sector jobs.

Data throughout this press release are rounded.

Published by AeA, Advancing the Business of Technology (www.aeanet.org)

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About AeA

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This page was last updated on 09/24/07.  
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