The 8 best metro areas in America for STEM workers right now

The STEM field is booming and is only expected to get bigger. New data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates science, technology, engineering and math will grow at triple the rate of other occupations in the next eight years.

But some places are feeling the growth more than others.

WalletHub looked at 21 key metrics to determine the best metro areas for STEM professionals.

It analyzed major factors per-capita job openings for STEM graduates and median wage growth as well as more nice ones, like tech meetups per capita and the the invention patents per capita.

“Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs tend to have high salaries, and job opportunities grow at nearly three times the rate of non-STEM jobs. We can only expect this to accelerate in the future as new technologies continue to change the employment landscape,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.

“The top metro areas for STEM professionals have high-quality schools, an abundance of jobs and high pay,” Lupo continued. “They’re also great places to live, but since many STEM jobs can be done remotely, you might also consider working in one of these areas while living elsewhere.”

Continue reading to see which metro areas made the list.