Best and Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals in 2026

[Anonymous]

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200

1 Boston, MA
2 Atlanta, GA
3 Seattle, WA
4 Pittsburgh, PA
5 Austin, TX
6 San Francisco, CA
7 Cincinnati, OH
8 Salt Lake City, UT
9 Minneapolis, MN
10 Orlando, FL
11 Worcester, MA
12 Sacramento, CA
13 San Jose, CA
14 Washington, DC
15 Portland, OR
16 Madison, WI
17 Hartford, CT
18 Tampa, FL
19 San Diego, CA
20 Chicago, IL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200

1 Boston, MA
2 Atlanta, GA
3 Seattle, WA
4 Pittsburgh, PA
5 Austin, TX
6 San Francisco, CA
7 Cincinnati, OH
8 Salt Lake City, UT
9 Minneapolis, MN
10 Orlando, FL
11 Worcester, MA
12 Sacramento, CA
13 San Jose, CA
14 Washington, DC
15 Portland, OR
16 Madison, WI
17 Hartford, CT
18 Tampa, FL
19 San Diego, CA
20 Chicago, IL

Wow, Chicago is much lower and Minnepolis is much higher than I would have expected.

[Anonymous]

“STEM” covers so many things, I think lists like this are fairly useless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“STEM” covers so many things, I think lists like this are fairly useless.

Agreed. The best cities depends on the field.

[Anonymous]

It seems odd to consider San Francisco and San Jose separate metro areas.

They are both part of one giant metro area. I assume if you combine those two (which would include all the tech corp HQ cities like Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Santa Clara et al), then the Silicon Valley metro area is hands down the #1 metro area for STEM professionals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200

1 Boston, MA
2 Atlanta, GA
3 Seattle, WA
4 Pittsburgh, PA
5 Austin, TX
6 San Francisco, CA
7 Cincinnati, OH
8 Salt Lake City, UT
9 Minneapolis, MN
10 Orlando, FL
11 Worcester, MA
12 Sacramento, CA
13 San Jose, CA
14 Washington, DC
15 Portland, OR
16 Madison, WI
17 Hartford, CT
18 Tampa, FL
19 San Diego, CA
20 Chicago, IL

San Jose in 13, below Cincinnati. That's when you know this is a dumb list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200

1 Boston, MA
2 Atlanta, GA
3 Seattle, WA
4 Pittsburgh, PA
5 Austin, TX
6 San Francisco, CA
7 Cincinnati, OH
8 Salt Lake City, UT
9 Minneapolis, MN
10 Orlando, FL
11 Worcester, MA
12 Sacramento, CA
13 San Jose, CA
14 Washington, DC
15 Portland, OR
16 Madison, WI
17 Hartford, CT
18 Tampa, FL
19 San Diego, CA
20 Chicago, IL

San Jose in 13, below Cincinnati. That's when you know this is a dumb list.

P&G, GE Aerospace, a couple hospital systems, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200

1 Boston, MA
2 Atlanta, GA
3 Seattle, WA
4 Pittsburgh, PA
5 Austin, TX
6 San Francisco, CA
7 Cincinnati, OH
8 Salt Lake City, UT
9 Minneapolis, MN
10 Orlando, FL
11 Worcester, MA
12 Sacramento, CA
13 San Jose, CA
14 Washington, DC
15 Portland, OR
16 Madison, WI
17 Hartford, CT
18 Tampa, FL
19 San Diego, CA
20 Chicago, IL

San Jose in 13, below Cincinnati. That's when you know this is a dumb list.

P&G, GE Aerospace, a couple hospital systems, etc.

Going by your industry logic, NYC should be #1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200

1 Boston, MA
2 Atlanta, GA
3 Seattle, WA
4 Pittsburgh, PA
5 Austin, TX
6 San Francisco, CA
7 Cincinnati, OH
8 Salt Lake City, UT
9 Minneapolis, MN
10 Orlando, FL
11 Worcester, MA
12 Sacramento, CA
13 San Jose, CA
14 Washington, DC
15 Portland, OR
16 Madison, WI
17 Hartford, CT
18 Tampa, FL
19 San Diego, CA
20 Chicago, IL

San Jose in 13, below Cincinnati. That's when you know this is a dumb list.

P&G, GE Aerospace, a couple hospital systems, etc.

Going by your industry logic, NYC should be #1

Relax. Just listed some major employers. I didn't generate (or post) the list.