Washington Tech Industry Adds 4,500 Jobs

Washington's high-tech industry added 4,500 jobs for a total of 156,500 in 2005 (the most current state data available), according to a new report released by AeA. The report also reveals that, in 2006, venture capital investments in the state rose by 24 percent to more than $1 billion, the fifth-highest in the country.

Washington's largest and fastest-growing industry sector remains software publishers, which grew by 2,100 net jobs in 2005 for a total of 41,100 jobs. The state ranks second in the country in this sector, behind only California. Other sectors that experienced significant growth in 2005 included Internet services, engineering services, and computer systems design and related services.

Across the nation, the report shows that the high-tech industry is picking up. Industry employment was up by 146,600 out of 5.8 million workers in 2006, the second year in a row that the U.S. tech industry has added jobs.

The report, titled "Cyberstates 2007: A Complete State-by-State Overview of the High-Technology Industry," covers all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.