When you think of tech jobs, you probably think of places like Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and Seattle. While those are great places for tech jobs, the cost of living is sky high and so is the competition for information technology (IT) jobs.
If you’re looking for a change of scenery or a new career but want to make sure you’ll have a great job, read on for our top 11 cities for IT professionals! You might be surprised at which cities made the list.
How We Chose the Best Cities for IT Jobs
In compiling this list, we looked at the availability of IT jobs, median base salary of IT specialists, and the cost of living in the city. We looked for a good balance: plenty of opportunities, livable wages, and a reasonable cost of living. The listed salary information is from Glassdoor and the cost of living figures are from Nerdwallet.
MyComputerCareer’s Best Cities for IT Jobs in the US
Whether you want to move to the southeast, New England, or even out west, there’s a city sure to fit your life and your IT career!
Hunstville, AL
When you think of IT, you probably don’t think of Alabama, but you should! It’s home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, University of Alabama Huntsville, and Cummings Research Park, one of the biggest research parks in the country. Wages for an IT professional in Huntsville is slightly below average but the cost of living is much lower than other parts of the country.
Average base pay for IT specialists: $53,263 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $948 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $236,628
Jacksonville, FL
There are a few Florida cities in Florida that you could find a great IT job, but none are as affordable to call home as Jacksonville. Home to major companies like Fidelity Financial and Blue Cross Blue Shield, along with plenty of tech startups, Jacksonville sees a steady increase in tech and IT jobs year over year.
Average base pay for IT specialists: $55,002 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $1,256 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $250,957
Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City is often overlooked for tech jobs, but it’s a great family-friendly city to start, or continue, your IT career. It’s no wonder there has been a steady increase in IT jobs in the city: a lot of major companies with ever-growing needs for IT professionals call Salt Lake City home. The cost of living is slightly higher in Salt Lake City than other metro areas but it’s nowhere near major tech hubs like Seattle and San Francisco.
Average base pay for IT specialists: $58,801 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $1,155
Median 3br/2ba home price: $381,241
Nashville, TN
Known as “Music City” for it’s deep country music roots, Nashville is a southern city on the rise. It has one of the fastest-growing economies in the US and several Fortune 500 companies have offices in Nashville, including Dell, Nissan, and Bridgestone. Needless to say, there are a lot of IT opportunities in this southern boomtown!
Average base pay for IT specialists: $63,423 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $1,044 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $332,780
Cincinnati, OH
Located on the Ohio/Kentucky border, Cincinnati is part of Ohio’s largest metropolitan area and is home to several Fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Kroger, and Procter & Gamble. It’s a family-friendly city with a reasonable cost of living. The market for IT jobs in Cincinnati doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down anytime soon!
Average base pay for IT specialists: $58,855 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $978 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $290,786
Columbus, OH
Another great place for IT workers in Ohio! Columbus is a thriving city with a diverse economy. You could find yourself as an IT specialist for The Ohio State University or major companies like Nationwide or JP Morgan Chase. The cost of living in Columbus is affordable and wages for IT workers are slightly higher than comparable cities making it a great place to call home.
Average base pay for IT specialists: $62,328 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $1,016 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $252,900
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh is one of the fastest growing cities in the country thanks in large part to the high number of tech companies and startups. It’s home to North Carolina State University, a research university, and major tech players like Red Hat and IBM. Research Triangle Park, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill are just a short drive away, all helping make Raleigh one of the best cities for IT jobs.
Average base pay for IT specialists: $59,815 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $1,155 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $269,562
Indianapolis, IN
Known around the world for the Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis is a great city for a career in IT Major healthcare, biotech, and transportation companies call Indianapolis home, creating a steady demand for IT professionals. The cost of living and wages are on par for comparable cities across the country.
Average base pay for IT specialists: $58,566 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $1,084 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $252,385
Providence, RI
Another exception to the “avoid the coasts” rule! Compared to the other cities on our list, Providence is small but mighty. It is home to Brown University and Johnson & Wales University, as well as several hospitals and major corporations, so IT professionals are always in demand.
Average base pay for IT specialists: $57,808 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $1,893 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $467,360
Cedar Rapids, IA
Iowa’s capital and one of the state’s biggest economic hubs, Cedar Rapids is a great, quiet place to settle down and start, or continue, your IT career. While agriculture is still a big part of Cedar Rapids’ economy, Collins Aerospace, Toyota, Transamerica Corporation, and General Mills all have offices in Cedar Rapids.
Average base pay for IT specialists: $53,272 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $754 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $335,179
Austin, TX
Austin is a vibrant city known for its tech scene so it’s no surprise it’s one of the best cities for IT jobs! Some of the biggest names in technology have offices in Austin, including Apple, Cisco, PayPal, Samsung, and Google. The University of Texas at Austin and a number of biotech and healthcare companies also provide plenty of IT jobs.
Average base pay for IT specialists: $57,768 annually
Median two-bedroom apartment rent: $1,411 per month
Median 3br/2ba home price: $320,629
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