- Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development
The demand for STEM jobs is higher in Massachusetts than in almost any other state. According to a 2022 report by Commonwealth Corporation (CommCorp), 21% of the Commonwealth’s workforce is employed by a STEM industry, significantly higher than the nation’s average of 14%.
Between March 2022 – March 2023, data from Lightcast (formerly known as Burning Glass) suggests:
- There were 169,000 unique STEM-related job postings in Massachusetts, not including internships.
- The Median Advertised Salary for STEM-related occupations is $49.42 per hour.
- 54% of job postings were seeking a bachelor's degree.
- 18% of job postings are seeking “Computer Science” skills, the top specialized skill.
STEM jobs are part of almost every industry in Massachusetts, consisting of more than 100 occupations and are not limited to health care, science, computers, and engineering categories. Business services, financial activities, and the wholesale/retail sectors employ more than 70,000 workers in STEM occupations. According to the 2021 STEM Brief from CommCorp, the number of STEM jobs in Massachusetts is expected to increase by 7.2% by 2028 and account for 40% of total employment growth. Additionally, more than 20% of manufacturing jobs in Massachusetts have become STEM jobs.
The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) recognizes the need to expand access to vocational-technical education, which is why the Healey-Driscoll Administration proposed allocating $17.9 million in its Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal. This investment will allow EOLWD, in partnership with the Workforce Skills Cabinet (WSC), to continue expanding career pathways via Career Technical Institutes (CTI) so the Commonwealth can address the persistent demand for workers in STEM occupations, like manufacturing, but also in other fields like the construction and trades. As of 2023, there are 25 technical institutions across the Commonwealth, with 50% located in gateway cities, running three shifts per day with the goal of training and placing the unemployed and underemployed in jobs that lead to upward mobility.
Workforce development requires a collaborative approach, and we look forward to collaborating with government partners, employers, workers, and training institutions. Visit https://commcorp.org/program/career-technical-initiative/ to learn more about the Career Technical Initiative!