Tech job postings slipped nationally in 3Q. Here's how they fared in Greater Washington

Employers continued posting droves of technology jobs in the third quarter, but the frantic pace has abated slightly compared to earlier in 2021.

According to a CompTIA analysis of Burning Glass Technologies Labor Insights data, 77% of the nation’s largest metro areas posted at least a 20% increase in tech job postings in the third quarter compared to a year ago. Only three of the 70 metros in the analysis had fewer postings compared to a year ago. 

But the majority of large metros (58%) had fewer job postings in the third quarter than in the second quarter. Nationally, postings decreased by 1% between the second and third quarters. About 10,000 fewer tech jobs were posted nationally.

The trend held true in Greater Washington, albeit barely. The region had 50,039 tech job postings at the end of the third quarter, down from 50,355 — just 0.6% — from the second quarter. The number was up from 49,442 in the third quarter of 2020, indicating the region's tech job openings are largely holding steady amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the D.C. area didn't see big jumps in tech job growth in 2021 like some of its counterparts — Chicago saw 52% growth year-over-year in Q3 and Memphis, Tennessee, had 24% year-over-year growth — our region had the second-most tech job openings of any market at the end of Q3, behind only New York, which had 60,916.

And one of our own local companies, Reston-based General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE: GD) had the distinction of having the most tech job postings in the country at the end of the quarter, with 7,942. The Washington Business Journal's Carten Cordell dug into the plethora of tech job postings by federal contractors earlier this year.

The Business Journals used the CompTIA data to create a list of the top markets for technology job growth over the past year. You can view the top 30 in the gallery above. 

Here are some more insights and takeaways from the data.

The hiring picture

While numerous industries are grappling with labor shortages, the battle for talent has been particularly intense for those with tech skills because those individuals are in demand across a broad spectrum of industries. 

Data from CompTIA shows significant spikes in postings for roles in cybersecurity, in particular. 

Cybersecurity positions accounted for about 20% of postings in IT occupations. Cybersecurity postings are also up about 17%.

“It’s been an especially challenging period on the cybersecurity front with attacks on critical infrastructure, the growing threat of ransomware, and of course, new vulnerabilities brought on by the pandemic” said Tim Herbert, executive vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. “The persistently tight labor market for cybersecurity professionals means employers must cast an even wider net and look internally to develop talent from within their own ranks.“

The labor market has resulted in employers raising wages, offering bonuses and work-from-home flexibility and looking for ways to differentiate themselves from the pack.

Rising stars

While some of the nation’s largest business centers were among the top markets for growth, a number of emerging markets made the cut, including Springfield, Massachusetts; Lansing, Michigan; and Tallahassee, Florida. 

Among rising star markets for tech jobs, major universities were often a common thread, as illustrated by markets like Tallahassee (Florida State University), Lansing, Michigan (Michigan State University) and Boulder, Colorado (University of Colorado). 

Arkansas, North Dakota and Mississippi were among the top gainers on a statewide basis.

Heavy hitters

In terms of total job postings, New York City (60,916), Greater Washington (50,039), and Dallas (49,059) led the way, outpacing both San Francisco (35,278) and Silicon Valley (24,544). 

Overall, most California markets didn’t fare well in terms of growth in postings. Tech job postings in San Jose were only up 4% between the third quarter of 2020 and the third quarter of 2021. San Francisco posted just a 15% increase. Since the second quarter of 2021, tech job postings actually decreased 15% in San Jose.  

Dallas (17,080) and New York City (12,572) also led the way for the raw increase in postings compared to the prior year. 

Who's hiring for tech jobs?

CompTIA's data showed the top employers for tech job postings in September spanned a range of industries.

General Dynamics (7,942) had the most postings, but Big Four accounting firm Deloitte (5,552), Microsoft Corp. (4,037), health care giant Humana (3,094) and Wells Fargo & Co. were among the top 10.