Michigan Leads The Nation In Tech Job Loss

Michigan had the most high-tech job losses of any state in the U.S. in 2006 but remained ranked as the No. 10 cyber state in the nation for total jobs, according to “Cyberstates 2008,” a report released by Washington-based AeA, the largest technology trade association in the country.

It was one of just three states to lose high-tech jobs in the year, the most recent year state-by-state data was available.

Michigan had 176,100 tech jobs, down about 1,500. Colorado lost 900 jobs and Delaware lost 300.

Michigan’s total high-tech payroll of $13.2 billion ranked 13th in the U.S.

The state gained 500 jobs related to computer systems design and 400 related to electronic components, but saw losses in engineering services (1,800), R&D and testing (600) and telecommunications (200).

Nationally, tech jobs increased for the second consecutive year in 2006, adding 139,000 jobs for a total of about 5.8 million.

California added 21,4000 jobs for a total of 940,700, with Texas adding 13,700 jobs, Virginia 9,800, New Jersey 8,500 and New Mexico 6,700.

In Michigan, high-tech firms employed 49 of every 1,000 private-sector workers, and they had average earnings of $75,200, which was 79 percent more than Michigan’s average private-sector wage.

Filed by Tom Henderson of Crain’s Detroit Business, a sister publication of Workforce Management. To comment, e-mail editors@workforce.com.