Oregon's High-Tech Jobs Grew in 2013, but Their Average Pay Didn't

There were 90,336 jobs in Oregon’s high-tech industry in 2013. This crucial and dynamic piece of Oregon’s economy contributed $8.5 billion in payroll for an average pay of $94,000. These latest job figures suggest that high-tech employment grew by roughly 1.6 percent from 2012, but average pay was unchanged, or even lower than 2012 after adjusting for inflation.

Like most sectors, high tech saw significant employment losses during the Great Recession. Employment peaked at 92,844 in July 2008 and began rapidly declining, reaching a trough of 82,844 in November 2009. The 10,000 jobs shed by the industry represented an 11 percent decline. By contrast, total employment across all industries during the same period declined by 7 percent. Fortunately, the industry has rebounded significantly since, although employment still sits below pre-recession levels.

For more information about this growing, generally well-paying industry, check out Jill Cuyler-Crook’s full article – “Oregon’s High-Tech Employment Trends – What is High Tech?” Also, thanks to our state employment economist, Nick Beleiciks, for the content of today's post!