Best And Worst States: Workforce Education And Experience

The Top Five And The Bottom Five

A big challenge solution providers face is finding talented, experienced employees. Our overall analysis of the best and worst states in which to start a business included an examination of the states with the biggest and smallest pools of educated, experienced workers, looking at such criteria as a state's percentages of the following: adults aged 25+ with a college degree (national average: 28 percent); a state's private sector workforce employed in IT jobs (national average: 2.0 percent); and those employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (national average: 30.9 percent). It also looks at the education levels of a state's migrant (within the U.S.) and immigrant populations. Information sources included the U.S. Census Bureau and the 2012 New State Economy Index issued by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. The analysis used criteria and metrics weighted to reflect their importance to solution providers based on a February 2013 CRN study conducted among 250 technology solution providers. The first five states have the highest scores (from No. 5 to No. 1), followed by the five states with the worst rankings (from No. 46 to No. 50).

This report originally ran in September exclusively on the CRN Tech News App, available in the iTunes App Store or the Windows Store.

Best States No. 5: Washington

Washington is No. 11 in the percentage of the adult population with a bachelor degree or higher (31.9 percent). It's No. 5 in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (33.7 percent), and it's No. 4 in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (2.8 percent).

Washington is No. 13 in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. And the state ranks No. 19 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.

Best States No. 4: Colorado

Colorado is No. 3 in the percentage of the adult population with a bachelor degree or higher (36.7 percent). It's No. 6 in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (33.4 percent), and it ranks No. 6 in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (2.7 percent).

Colorado is No. 14 in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. That seems surprisingly low given reports that many technology professionals are fleeing California and moving to the Rocky Mountain state. Colorado ranks No. 9 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.

Best States No. 3: Virginia

Virginia is No. 7 in the percentage of the adult population with a bachelor degree or higher (35.1 percent). But, the state is No. 3 in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (35.2 percent) and No. 1 in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (3.2 percent).

Virginia is No. 6 in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. And, the state ranks No. 10 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.

Best States No. 2: Maryland

Maryland is No. 2 in the percentage of the adult population with a bachelor degree or higher (36.9 percent). It's also No. 2 in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (37.2 percent), as well as No. 2 in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (2.9 percent).

Maryland is No. 9 in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. And, the state ranks No. 6 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.

Best States No. 1: Massachusetts

With MIT, Harvard and dozens of other colleges and universities, it's no surprise Massachusetts is tops in the education and experience level of its workforce.

The state is No. 1 in the percentage of the adult population with a bachelor degree or higher (39.1 percent). The state is also No. 1 in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (37.9 percent), and No. 5 in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (2.8 percent).

Massachusetts is No. 2 (behind No. 1 Vermont) in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. That means Massachusetts not only has a lot of graduates coming out of its colleges and universities but also attracts a lot of smart people from elsewhere in the country. The state ranks No. 12 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.

Worst States No. 46: Nevada

Nevada is No. 44 in the percentage of the adult population with a bachelor degree or higher (22.5 percent). It's dead last among all states (No. 50) in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (22.5 percent), and it's No. 47 in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (1.1 percent).

Nevada is No. 43 in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. And, the state ranks No. 23 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.

Worst States No. 47: Mississippi

Mississippi is No. 49 in the percentage of the adult population with a bachelor degree or higher (19.8 percent). It's No. 49 in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (25.4 percent), and it's dead last (No. 50) in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (0.6 percent).

Mississippi is No. 48 in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. And, the state ranks a respectable No. 14 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.

Worst States No. 48: Kentucky

Kentucky is No. 46 in the percentage of the adult population with a bachelor degree or higher (21.1 percent). It's No. 39 in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (27.5 percent), and it's No. 42 in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (1.3 percent).

Kentucky is No. 46 in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. It's also No. 46 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.

Worst States No. 49: Louisiana

Louisiana is No. 46 (tied with Kentucky) in the percentage of the adult population with a bachelor degree or higher (21.1 percent). It's No. 44 in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (26.5 percent) and No. 48 in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (0.8 percent).

Louisiana is No. 42 in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. It's also No. 44 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.

Worst States No. 50: West Virginia

West Virginia is No. 50 in the percentage of the adult population over 25 with a bachelor degree or higher (18.5 percent). It's No. 41 in the share of the private sector employed in managerial, professional and technical occupations (27.5 percent), and it ranks No. 46 in employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of private sector employment (1.1 percent).

West Virginia is No. 50 in the average education level of recent migrants from within the U.S. aged 25 and over. It's No. 48 in the average level of education of recent immigrants from abroad aged 25 and older.