Los Angeles Totals 165,700 Tech Jobs, 2nd in California
Los Angeles Leads the State in Defense Electronics Manufacturing Employment

Woodland Hills, CA (June 27, 2006) – AeA, the nation’s largest trade association representing all segments of the high-tech industry, today released California Cybercities 2006. The report provides a comprehensive review of the high-tech industry statewide and in the 17 largest metropolitan areas by high-tech employment, wages, payroll, and establishments.

Los Angeles is the state’s second largest technology hub after Silicon Valley, employing some 165,700 tech industry workers, and paying them an annual average wage of $75,500 – 71 percent more than the average private sector wage. Los Angeles saw a net loss of 2,500 tech industry jobs in 2004, dramatically fewer than the 5,300 lost in 2003 and the 15,600 lost in 2002.

Of the 16 high-technology sectors, Los Angeles is the employment leader in five. The largest of these is defense electronics manufacturing, employing 38,700 workers in 2004.

Ventura Country ranks eighth in the state in high-tech employment with 16,600 tech industry workers, down 800 net jobs in 2004. Ventura’s tech industry pays its workers an annual average wage of $64,000 – 53 percent more than the average private sector wage.

"Many people associate high-tech only with Silicon Valley without realizing that Los Angeles is the second largest technology hub in the state,” said André de Fusco, President and CEO of Sabeus Photonics and Vice Chair of the AeA Los Angeles Council. “And with such world-class universities as UCLA and USC, we are home to many thriving tech sectors, including defense electronics and electromedical equipment manufacturing."

“If we want to see job growth across the tech industry, however, we have to keep Los Angeles competitive,” continued de Fusco. “Tech companies need a highly educated workforce and many of our K-12 schools need dramatic improvements in math and science curricula if our kids are going to compete for these jobs. We also need a transportation system that helps people get to work, not get them stuck in traffic.”

California’s statewide high-tech industry employment edged downward by 10,600, or by one percent, for a tech industry total of 904,900 jobs in 2004, the most current state data available. This is dramatically slower than the 67,800 jobs lost in 2003. Geographically, California’s tech industry is diffused across the state. Northern California employs 439,000 tech industry workers, compared to 418,000 in Southern California.

California Cybercities 2006 is directly comparable to AeA’s annual Cyberstates report. Released in April, Cyberstates 2006 provides a comprehensive review of the high-technology industry at the national and state-by-state level.

AeA members can purchase California Cybercities 2006 for $45; non-members for $90. Please visit www.aeanet.org/research to download the report, or call 408.987.4200.


What Does High Tech Mean for Los Angeles?

• 165,700 high-tech workers (2nd ranked cybercity)
• 2,500 jobs lost between 2003 and 2004
• High-tech firms employed 48 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2004, ranked 10th statewide
   
• High-tech workers earned an average wage of $75,500 (6th ranked), or 71 percent more than Los Angeles' average private sector wage
   
• A high-tech payroll of $13.9 billion in 2004, ranked 3rd statewide
• 7,800 high-tech establishments in 2004, ranked 1st statewide

Los Angeles’ State Industry Sector Rankings:

• 1st in defense manufacturing employment with 28,700 jobs
• 1st in telecommunications services employment with 26,400 jobs
• 1st in engineering services employment with 18,000 jobs

What Does High Tech Mean for Ventura?

• 16,600 high-tech workers (8th ranked cybercity)
• 800 jobs lost between 2003 and 2004
• High-tech firms employed 63 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2004, ranked 7th statewide
   
• High-tech workers earned an average wage of $64,000 (10th ranked), or 53 percent more than Ventura’s average private sector wage
   
• A high-tech payroll of $1.1 billion in 2004, ranked 8th statewide
• 1,000 high-tech establishments in 2004, ranked 8th statewide

Ventura’s State Industry Sector Rankings:

• 6th in semiconductor manufacturing employment with 1,200 jobs
•  7th in electronic components manufacturing employment with 2,700 jobs
• 7th in measuring manufacturing employment with 1,300 jobs

Source: California Cybercities 2006

Data are for 2004 unless otherwise noted.

2004 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

AeA, founded in 1943, is a nationwide trade association with 2,500 member companies representing all segments of the technology industry and 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 06/22/06.