Jacksonville Adding High-Tech Jobs

Jacksonville ranked second in Florida for percentage growth of high-tech jobs in 2005, according to a new report by AeA, a trade association for the high-tech industry.

The city's high-tech employment grew 12 percent from 2004 to 2005, trailing only Fort Walton Beach, which grew by 26 percent.

Jacksonville added 2,000 high-tech jobs to reach 18,200. The number of jobs added was third behind Orlando with 2,500 and Tampa-St. Petersburg with 2,100.

In adding 2,000 jobs in 2005, Jacksonville reversed a downward trend that saw the city lose 1,500 jobs from 2000 to 2004, going from 17,700 jobs to 16,200 jobs. Many other Florida cities also lost jobs during that period.

Although Jacksonville ranked high in growth and jobs added in 2005, it still trails far behind the top three cities for total high-tech employment. Miami-Fort Lauderdale had 75,300 jobs in 2005, followed by Tampa-St. Petersburg with 55,900 and Orlando with 42,600. Palm Bay-Melbourne was fourth with 20,900, followed by Jacksonville.

Jacksonville ranked fourth in average salary for high-tech workers at $61,900. Palm Bay-Melbourne ranked first at $65,800. Jacksonville's high-tech work force earns 65 percent more than the average worker, $37,500, according to the report.

Source: Jacksonville Business Journal