The Demand for STEM Occupations in Tennessee

The Demand for STEM Occupations in Tennessee

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Workforce Insights, Research & Reporting Engine Division July 2019

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the core STEM occupations in the following broad categories:

? Management ? Architecture and Engineering ? Computer and Mathematical ? Education, Training, and Library ? Life, Physical, and Social Science ? Sales and Related

Listed below are the occupations in each category.

Table 1: STEM Occupations by Occupational Group

Management

Architectural and Engineering Managers Computer and Information Systems Managers Natural Sciences Managers

Computer and Mathematical

Actuaries

Computer and Information Research Scientists Computer Network Architects

Computer Network Support Specialists Computer Occupations, All Other

Computer Systems Analysts

Computer User Support Analysts

Database Administrators

Information Security Analysts Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other Mathematical Technicians Mathematicians Network and Computer Systems Administrators Operations Research Analysts Software Developers, Applications Software Developers, Systems Software Statisticians Web Developers

Architecture and Engineering Occupations Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians Aerospace Engineers

Agricultural Engineers

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval Architectural and Civil Drafters

Biomedical Engineers

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists Chemical Engineers

Civil Engineering Technicians

Civil Engineers

Computer Hardware Engineers

Drafters, All Other

Electrical and Electronics Drafters Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians Electrical Engineers

Electro-Mechanical Technicians

Electronics Engineers, Except Computer Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other Engineers, All Other

Environmental Engineering Technician

Environmental Engineers

Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors Industrial Engineering Technicians Industrial Engineers

Landscape Architects

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects Materials Engineers

Mechanical Drafters

Mechanical Engineering Technicians Mechanical Engineers

Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers Nuclear Engineers

Petroleum Engineers

Surveying and Mapping Technicians Surveyors

Life, Physical, and Social Science

Agricultural and Food Science Technicians Animal Scientists

Astronomers

Atmospheric and Space Scientists

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Biochemists and Biophysicists

Biological Scientists, All Other

Biological Technicians

Chemical Technicians

Chemists

Conservation Scientists

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Epidemiologists

Food Scientists and Technologists Computer Programmers

Forensic Science Technicians

Forest and Conservation Technicians Foresters

Geological and Petroleum Technicians Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

Hydrologists

Life Scientists, All Other

Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other Materials Scientists Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Microbiologists

Nuclear Technicians

Physical Scientists, All Other

Physicists

Soil and Plant Scientists

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

Education, Training, and Library Occupations

Agriculture Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary

Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Physics Teachers, Postsecondary

Sales and Related Occupations

Sales Engineers

Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.

High Growth

Tennessee will experience significant growth in STEM occupations over the decade through 2026. In 2016 there were 138,100 STEM employees. The level will increase to 167,950 in 2026. The 29,850 additional STEM jobs will make up 8.44 percent of the jobs being added in the state through 2026. Additionally, STEM occupations are projected to grow nearly twice as rapidly as all occupations in Tennessee. New STEM jobs as a whole are expected to grow by 21.6 percent from 2016 to 2026, while growth rate for all jobs is expected to be 11.4 percent. Although less than 10 percent of all new jobs in the state, STEM jobs are important because many are faster growing, high wage occupations for which significant shortages of job candidates exist and which are vital to the burgeoning information economy.

The majority of new STEM jobs will be in the computer and mathematical and architecture and engineering occupations. Of these core STEM occupations, more than half (53.8 percent) will be in the computer and mathematical occupational group.

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Table 2: Selected Core STEM Occupations with Rapid Employment Growth, Projected 2016-2026

Occupational Title Software Developers, Applications

Median Annual Wage,

2018

$88,910

Employment 2016

6,227

Projected Employment,

2026

9,497

Employment Growth

Projected 2016-

2026(%)

Typical Entry-Level Education

52.51

Bachelor's degree

Operations Research Analysts

$66,144

1,816

2,645

45.65

Bachelor's degree

Information Security Analysts

$79,768

1,272

1,748

37.42

Bachelor's degree

Computer Network Architects

$98,771

2,072

2,805

35.38

Bachelor's degree

Software Developers, Systems Software

$92,212

4,135

5,597

35.36

Bachelor's degree

Computer User Support Specialists

$45,737

10,085

13,301

31.89

Some college, no degree

Civil Engineers

$85,114

5,231

6,714

28.35

Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Systems Manager $110,195

5,723

7,258

26.82

Bachelor's degree

Web Developers

$58,058

2,043

2,585

26.53

Associate's degree

Computer Systems Analysts

$73,475

7,407

9,327

25.92

Bachelor's degree

Industrial Engineers

$80,713

6,670

8,190

22.79

Bachelor's degree

Database Administrators

$77,688

1,286

1,579

22.78

Bachelor's degree

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Computer Network Support Specialists

$66,683 $55,539

1,569 3,151

1,921 3,816

22.43 21.10

Doctoral or professional degree

Associate's degree

Surveying and Mapping Technicians Architectural and Engineering Managers

$39,301 $119,367

1,381 3,428

1,637 4,051

18.54 18.17

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor's degree

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval

$73,752

1,262

1,485

17.67

Bachelor's degree

Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary $70,082

Architectural and Civil Drafters

$49,803

1,071 1,109

1,253 1,296

16.99 16.86

Doctoral or professional degree

Associate's degree

Mechanical Engineers

$83,537

4,085

4,769

16.74

Bachelor's degree

Environmental Engineers

$83,754

1,151

1,331

15.64

Bachelor's degree

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Electrical Engineers

$75,400 $90,926

5,630 2,505

6,494 2,870

15.35 14.57

Bachelor's degree Bachelor's degree

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

Mechanical Drafters

$65,297 $56,618

1,267 1,276

1,451 1,460

14.52 14.42

Bachelor's degree Associate's degree

Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Science Products

Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians

$50,718 $62,796

1,156 8,954

$55,910

2,489

1,309 10,133 2,815

13.24 13.17

Doctoral or professional degree

Bachelor's degree

13.10

Associate's degree

NOTE: "All Other" occupational residuals have been removed. SOURCE: TN Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, WIR2ED Div. June 26, 2019.

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STEM Openings

The number of job openings for STEM occupations is expected to increase through 2026. Three computer occupations- computer user support specialists, applications software developers, and computer systems analystsare in the top five STEM occupations expected to have the most job openings through 2026. Three other computer occupations are in the top 10. All require at least some college education, with most requiring a bachelor's degree.

Other occupations in the top 10 include two related to advanced manufacturing: wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives for technical products and industrial engineers. Only one of the top occupations requires a high school degree- all others require additional education.

Table 3: Selected STEM Occupations with more than 1,400 Openings, 2016-2026

Occupational Title

Computer User Support Specialists Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products Software Developers, Applications Computer System Analysts Industrial Engineers Computer and Information Systems Managers Civil Engineers Network and Computer Systems Administrators Software Developers, Systems Software Industrial Engineering Technicians Mechanical Engineers Computer Programmers Architectural and Engineering Managers Computer Network Support Specialists Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians Computer Network Architects Web Developers Operations Research Analysts Electrical Engineers Surveying and Mapping Technicians Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Chemical Technicians Civil Engineering Technicians Information Security Analysts Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

Employment 2016

10,085 8,954

6,227 7,407 6,670 5,723 5,231 5,630 4,135 4,457 4,085 4,425 3,428 3,151 2,489 2,072 2,043 1,816 2,505 1,381 1,569 1,603 1,585 1,272 1,267

Projected Employment,

2026 13,301 10,133

9,497 9,327 8,190 7,258 6,714 6,494 5,597 4,866 4,769 4,885 4,051 3,816 2,815 2,805 2,585 2,645 2,870 1,637 1,921 1,689 1,739 1,748 1,451

Job Openings Projected 2016-2026

11,610 10,720

8,205 7,185 6,241 6,214 5,716 4,565 4,516 4,354 3,426 3,350 3,175 3,166 2,571 2,276 2,147 2,127 2,048 1,827 1,785 1,598 1,560 1,479 1,411

SOURCE: TN Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, WIR2ED Div. June 26, 2019.

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In addition to reviewing the expected number of openings for the STEM occupations through 2026, real-time job listings and active candidates for STEM occupations were viewed on for the first quarter of 2019. Of 98 STEM occupations which had job postings and candidates, 66, or two in every three STEM occupations, had a shortage of candidates compared to job listings. The twenty occupations with the largest shortages are listed in Table 4. Occupations with the greatest shortages of candidates included electrical and mechanical engineers. Half of the occupations with significant shortages were computer occupations, including programmers, computer user support specialists, applications developers, database administrators, and information security analysts.

Table 4: Top Twenty STEM Occupations with the Greatest Shortages of Candidates

Occupational Title

Electrical Engineers Mechanical Engineers Computer Programmers Computer User Support Specialists Software Developers, Applications Computer Systems Analysts Software Developers, System Software Network and Computer Systems Administrators Civil Engineers Electrical and Electrons Engineering Technicians Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors Operations Research Analysts Database Administrators Architectural and Engineering Managers Natural Sciences Managers Computer and Information Research Scientists Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Information Security Analysts Industrial Engineers Computer Hardware Engineers

Candidates Openings

66

1,325

177

1,416

69

679

409

906

106

506

173

571

26

273

166

395

37

207

93

253

25

178

32

140

54

144

75

162

43

129

21

96

9

74

52

117

57

121

28

85

Candidates Per Openings 0.05 0.13 0.10 0.45 0.21 0.30 0.10 0.42 0.18 0.37 0.14

0.23 0.38 0.46 0.33 0.22 0.12 0.44 0.47 0.33

Shortage of Candidates

1,259 1,239 610 497 400 398 247 229 170 160 153

108 90 87 86 75 65 65 64 57

SOURCE: , job postings and active candidates, January-March 2019.

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High Wages

The median salary of Tennesseans employed in STEM occupations, $70,849, is more than twice the median salary for all occupations ($34,895). Table 5 lists the STEM occupations with the highest salaries in Tennessee. Top salaries include natural science researchers (physicists) with doctoral degrees, nuclear engineers, engineering and computer information systems managers, and mathematicians. Top earners include engineers, scientists, and

computer professionals.

Table 5: Top 10 STEM Occupations with the Highest Wages

Occupational Title

Physicists Nuclear Engineers Architectural and Engineering Managers Mathematicians Materials Engineers Computer and Information Systems Managers Natural Sciences Managers Computer and Information Research Scientists Chemical Engineers Computer Network Architects

Median Annual Wage,

2018 $126,497

$120,562

$119,367

$117,077

$113,377

$110,195

$107,604

$105,802

$104,701

$98,771

Employment 2016

235 765 3,428 18 711 5,723 523 156 712 2,072

Projected Employment,

2026 283 868 4,051 33 757 7,258 577 204 758 2,805

Typical Entry-Level Education

Doctoral or professional degree Bachelor's degree Bachelor's degree Master's degree Bachelor's degree Bachelor's degree Bachelor's degree Master's degree Bachelor's degree Bachelor's degree

NOTE: "All Other" occupational residuals have been removed. SOURCE: TN Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, WIR2ED Div. June 26, 2019.

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Knowledge, Skills, and Work Activities

Table 6, graph 1, and table 7 display the top projected STEM occupational openings by knowledge, skills, and detailed work activities for individual occupations. The top knowledge categories by number of job openings include both technical and interpersonal or soft skills: computers and electronics, engineering and technology, customer and personal service, mathematics, and English language. The next most important knowledge area is design, emphasizing the importance of artistic as well as technical knowledge. Another critical knowledge area is sales and marketing; as well as design, marketing is important in the introduction of new ideas and products. The importance of soft skills development should not be underrated.

The practical implication of this finding is that a region may see improved economic well-being from promoting STEM skill development, but the region may also benefit from focusing on soft skill development.i

Table 6: Projected STEM Openings by Occupational Knowledge Required

Knowledge Areas Biology Building and Construction Chemistry Computers and Electronics Customer and Personal Service Design Economics and Accounting Education and Training Engineering and Technology English Language Fine Arts Food Production Geography Law and Government Mathematics Mechanical Medicine and Dentistry Physics Production and Processing Sales and Marketing Telecommunications Total

Openings 5,535 8,421 5,303 69,364 31,401 19,027 71 4,747 50,198 23,893 109 216 345 575 27,219 5,638 1,785 8,945 216 12,002 2,276

277,286

SOURCE: TN Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, WIR2ED Div. June 26, 2019.

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