The 10 Best Cities For People In Science And Tech

Jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math are growing faster than in any other sector.

In fact, STEM jobs are expected to expand 1.7 times more quickly than non-STEM professions between 2008 and 2018, according to estimates by the US Department of Commerce.

Analysts at personal finance site WalletHub looked at the country's 100 largest metropolitan areas to determine which had the best job markets for people in STEM occupations.

They considered factors like job openings per capita, percentage of STEM workers, STEM employment growth, unemployment rate, annual median wage, and housing affordability to determine their rankings.

According to WalletHub's analysis, many of the country's best cities for STEM professionals are in the south and west.

STEM workers in Houston, for example, have an annual median wage of $79,589, twice the median wage for STEM professionals in Honolulu.

Here's WalletHub's list of the top 10.

1. Houston, TX

2. Austin, TX

3. Raleigh, NC

4. Denver, CO

5. Omaha, NE

6. Seattle, WA

7. Oklahoma City, OK

8. Salt Lake City, UT

9. Columbus, OH

10. Cincinnati, OH

WalletHub also shared the 10 worst cities for STEM professionals.

San Jose, which probably missed out on a spot in the top 10 because of the high cost of living in Silicon Valley, has 12 times the number of STEM job openings found in North Port, Florida, which fell in third-to-last place on the list.

91. Lakeland, FL

92. (tie) El Paso, TX

92. (tie) Stockton, CA

94. Cape Coral, FL

95. Deltona, FL

96. Oxnard, CA

97. Fresno, CA

98. North Port, FL

99. Riverside, CA

100. Miami, FL