Looking for a career in tech where you can actually earn six figures?
Every job seeker wants to work in a market that pays well, has ample opportunity for career growth, and bonus incentives that actually reward hard work. After all, landing in the right city can lead to:
- More job opportunities
- Higher total compensation
Here’s the issue…
Too many people are ranking for “top tech cities”. San Francisco, New York, Seattle. You know the drill. But ranking for these markets is like trying to rank for Nike.com in SEO.
Instead of focusing on what everyone else is looking at, focus on finding the next great tech ecosystem before it becomes popular.
In this article, the top underrated tech markets that are producing real results for job seekers right now are outlined. Cities where performance-based bonuses are competitive, cost of living is low and career growth is actually happening. Anyone considering employment in Tucson or one of the other underrated tech ecosystems mentioned in this article will find some pretty competitive compensation packages with performance-based bonus potential that rivals the major metros.
Let’s dig in!
Table of Contents
- Why Underrated Tech Markets Should Matter to Job Seekers Right Now
- The Top Underrated Tech Markets for Job Seekers
- How Performance-Based Bonuses Work
- Making The Move for Career Advancement
Why Underrated Tech Markets Should Matter to Job Seekers Right Now
The playing field has shifted for tech jobs.
As reported by the BLS, computer and IT occupations are expected to witness about 317,700 openings each year through 2034. That’s millions of openings over the next decade.
And listen closely…
These jobs aren’t all going to be in Silicon Valley.
Businesses large and small are moving away from traditional tech hubs and setting up remote teams all over the country. Remote work unlocked the door and companies have followed their workforce to cities where they can pay lower costs and have access to hungry talent pools. For those willing to look outside of Silicon Valley type cities, it’s possible to gain access to:
- Lower competition for available jobs
- Better salary to cost of living ratios
- Higher performance-based bonuses
- Faster career growth
Imagine making a six figure salary in San Francisco versus a tech salary of $90,000 in a city where the cost of living is 40% lower. $90,000 in an underrated market can equal eating, drinking and wearing money in a major tech city.
See what that means?
The Top Underrated Tech Markets for Job Seekers
These markets are really starting to make a name for themselves as things stand. Each city offers something unique and they’re growing at rates worth paying attention to for anyone looking for a job.
Tucson, AZ
Tucson may not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of tech but things are absolutely heating up. Home to over 9,300 tech companies and fueled by the University of Arizona right now. Aerospace, cybersecurity and AI are leading the way in terms of growth.
There’s a perfect balance between cost of living and compensation here. Tech salaries are high enough to provide a luxurious lifestyle but the cost of living doesn’t hurt like other tech markets do. Bonus incentives for tech talent in Tucson are strong, especially in defense tech and semiconductor manufacturing.
Why? Because companies have to fight to attract and retain top talent.
Raleigh-Durham, NC
Fast tech job growth. Huge talent pool thanks to Duke, UNC, and NC State. Thriving ecosystems focused around biotech, AI, and software development.
The Research Triangle is on fire right now.
This area has been upping their game for years and it feels like things are about to blow up. The academic ties to the local ecosystem allow startups to grow with some of the best minds in the country. Graduates want to stay and work near campus. Businesses are catching on.
Richmond, VA
Wait, tech jobs in Richmond? Absolutely.
Virginia recently came in at number two in the entire country for best cities to launch a tech career. High demand in DevOps engineering, software development and cloud computing.
The growth here is rapid, especially when looking at AI related roles. Data centre expansions equal major growth and tons of opportunity for people with these skills.
Richmond also has some of the best boosted salary ranges for tech positions when you factor in performance-based bonuses.
Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix is being positioned as one of the fastest growing tech hubs in the US. Right behind Tucson on this list are opportunities in semiconductor manufacturing, greentech, and aerospace. Opportunities in Phoenix are about to explode thanks to TSMC’s massive investment in the valley.
Semiconductor companies are known for offering some of the best performance-based bonuses in tech (talking 10% to 20% of base salary ranges) because there is so much competition for specialized technical talent.
Want the best of both worlds? Look at what Phoenix has to offer.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is becoming a hotbed for enterprise software startups and fintech companies. Startups come here to scale and they seem to do it pretty quickly.
Thinking about making the move? Salt Lake City checks all the boxes.
How Performance-Based Bonuses Work
Before getting too far… let’s talk about how performance-based bonuses work.
It’s pretty simple:
Tech industry bonuses can be split into three categories. Individual performance, company performance, and seniority level. The higher up within a company the larger the bonus will be.
Entry level employees will likely see bonuses around the 10% mark. Senior engineers and managers? Double that 10% and you’re at 20%. But what happens when there is tough competition for talent in a growing market?
Companies are willing to up their bonus percentages to get the top talent.
Enter the underrated tech markets.
Businesses in up and coming ecosystems have to offer more to outmatch salaries in bigger tech hubs. They know the value of a good performance-based bonus structure and many will up their percentages to lure the best talent away from big company offers.
Making The Move For Career Advancement
Moving to a new city is a big deal. When done right though it can propel a career to new heights. When hunting for that next great position there are a few things to take into consideration:
- Cost of living → Compensation. $100k in San Francisco isn’t the same as $100k in Phoenix. Throw in some performance-based bonus potential and Phoenix blows out San Fran every time.
- Industry Match: Pick an ecosystem that specializes in the right skillset. Cybersecurity? Look at Tucson and Richmond. Biotech? Raleigh-Durham is the goto spot.
- Where is the investment going? That equals where the growth will be 2-5 years down the road. Follow the big business expansions and venture capital investments.
- Job Seeker Competition. The big markets have tons of competition for available jobs. Ecosystems considered “underrated” or “up and coming” have far less competition.
Savvy job seekers are finding these opportunities before everyone else figures it out.
Wrapping It All Up
The days of flooding into San Francisco and New York City to soak up all of the tech jobs are long gone. Cities like Tucson, Raleigh-Durham, Richmond, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City are providing tech workers with opportunities that match big city compensation with real performance-based bonuses and career advancement potential.
Numbers don’t lie either. There will be roughly 317,700 computer and IT job openings every year for the next decade. Companies have already set the precedent by moving teams to cheaper markets and that trend will continue.
Stop settling for big markets with expensive costs of living. Choose a city that fits the right skillset, has room for growth, and won’t break the bank when maxing out that bonus.
The time to make the move was yesterday. Best time is now.
