No. 28: Pennsylvania (No. 26 in 2020)

Workforce Experience and Education Rank: 35

State Employment and Economy Rank: 17

Tech Industry Employment: 441,162

Tech Worker Average Salary: $87,970

In 2020 Pennsylvania lost 2,389 tech jobs – No. 47 among all states. But the Keystone State is forecast to add 7,045 jobs (up 1.6 percent) to its tech worker ranks in 2021, ranking it a respectable No. 11.

U.S. News ranks Pennsylvania No. 50, at the bottom of all states, for higher education, based on such criteria as educational attainment, graduation rates, college debt and tuition costs. But 39.5 percent of the state’s workforce between 25 and 44 years old has a bachelor’s degree, No. 15 among the states.