Is Washington DC the new Silicon Valley?
That’s a legitimate question to ask as you read the latest data from CompTIA’s monthly Tech Jobs Report, in which the nation’s capital tops all other metro areas with regard to tech job postings. Nor is this a new phenomenon: Washington DC and its surrounding area has not-so-quietly grown into a substantial tech hub over the past couple of years.
Check out the chart; while other tech hubs such as Boston saw a slight decline in total tech job postings between May and June, up-and-coming tech centers like Washington DC, Dallas and Los Angeles jumped ahead:
What’s behind Washington DC’s robust tech market? The federal government and a galaxy of local tech contractors have spent years hiring tech specialists, of course. The government’s hunger for tech hiring won’t abate anytime soon; virtually every agency needs specialists in everything from cybersecurity to data analytics.
But the city (along with nearby Virginia and Maryland) has also played host to a growing number of private tech companies. Amazon has been constructing a massive “HQ2” facility in Northern Virginia that, if everything goes according to plan, will reportedly employ more than 25,000 workers by 2030. Maryland is attracting numerous tech companies, according to data from CompTIA. And the tech community within DC itself has been working hard on fostering and growing an ecosystem of startups.
The most-established tech hubs—including Silicon Valley, Boston, New York City, and Austin—offer a unique combination of vibrant startup scenes alongside huge tech companies. Drive down the 101 toward San Jose, for example, and you’ll see the headquarters of the world’s biggest tech giants on your left, while the communities on your right host literally hundreds of smaller companies all trying to innovate their way to burgeoning success. Washington DC and its surroundings aren’t quite there yet, but it has all the ingredients necessary to emerge as a true rival on the national tech scene. Can it sustain its momentum?
