Study illuminates the role of STEM jobs in D.C. area economy

By Sarah Halzack 

Jobs that incorporate science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills comprise a larger share of positions in the Washington region than in nearly every other metropolitan area in the United States, according to a study released Monday by the Brookings Institution.

Brookings found that 27.1 percent of Washington area jobs require STEM skills. Only San Jose, the metropolitan area that is a hub for start-ups and home to technology giants such as Google and Apple, had a larger share of STEM jobs: 33.2 percent.

“D.C. is famous for being one of the highest-educated metro areas in the country, but many people assume that that knowledge is embodied in legislative knowledge and legal knowledge,” said Jonathan Rothwell, a senior research associate at Brookings who authored the study. “But, in fact, many of the jobs require scientific and mathematical knowledge.”

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