DC - A Technology Hub in the Making ?

I was perusing my Facebook page this evening and saw a post by my friend David Patton of Trafficland.  It was a link to this article, “D.C. Capital Region Is A Major High-Tech Hub“

Apparently our little corner of the world is doing pretty good.  The article is based on a study recently conducted

Cyberstates report detailing national and state trends in high-tech employment, wages, and other key economic factors. The report, Cyberstates 2008: A Complete State-by-State Overview of the High-Technology Industry, covers all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

The study found that this area is starting to become a hub for technology and innovation.  Virginia has the highest concentration of high tech workers in the country with an average high tech salary if nearly $87,000, not too shabby huh ?

The DC Capital region may not immediately come to mind when people think of high tech, but it should,� said Matthew Kazmierczak, Vice President of Research and Industry Analysis, AeA. “Proximity to the federal government, including its major research centers, combined with a highly educated workforce, has made the area a key location for innovation. If you were to combine DC, Maryland, and Virginia, you would have the 2nd largest cyberstate by tech employment, slightly ahead of Texas.�

�What is hard to understand is that so many policymakers in Washington do not see the tremendous value of a high-tech workforce and are not committed to policies that would help it grow,� continued Kazmierczak.

I loved this quote.  While many don’t see the value of the tech community, it is here and growing and maybe soon people outside the area will take notice.

Thanks David for pointing out the study !