Metro Atlanta ranks third in employment growth in STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — according to a market analysis publication.
WalletHub also says the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell area ranks 27 on a top 100 list of best markets for STEM
Another Georgia area made the national rankings: the Augusta-Richmond County at 72, while north Georgia area that is lumped in with Chattanooga, Tenn. While Chattanooga is third in highest annual median wage growth for STEM workers, Augusta is near the bottom at 97.
The U.S. Department of Commerce predicts STEM professions will expand 1.7 times faster than non-STEM occupations through the year 2018.
The Obama administration announced its plans in 2012 to increase STEM jobs by that many over the next decade.
Students and those thinking about changing career paths may want to pay attention. The annual average wage for all STEM jobs was $79,640 in 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor states. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that is 71 percent more than the national annual average wage of $46,440 for all jobs.
To help STEM professionals find the best markets for their valuable occupations, WalletHub analyzed the 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S. across 11 key metrics. The data set includes such metrics as job openings per capita for STEM graduates, annual median wage growth for STEM jobs and the projected number of STEM jobs needed in 2018.
WalletHub.com bill itself as “a one-stop destination for all the tools and information consumers and small business owners need to make better financial decisions and save money.”