To determine the best markets for STEM professionals, WalletHub compared 100 of the largest metro areas across 21 key metrics. Our data set ranges from per-capita job openings for STEM graduates to the median wage growth for STEM jobs. We evaluated those dimensions using 21 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for STEM professionals. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available only at the state level. Finally, we determined each metro area’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
