Boston Business Journal

By Jackie Noblett

Greater Boston is the fourth largest technology employer in the United States, according to a recent industry report.

The area employed some 191,700 tech workers in 2006, the American Electronics Association (AeA) said in its Cybercities 2008 report released Tuesday. Boston added 4,100 jobs in 2006, the sixth largest gain nationwide.

Area tech workers earned an average of $95,100, or 65 percent more than the metropolitan area’s average private sector wage, and total payroll of $18.2 billion, according to AeA.

The largest concentration of workers was in the computer systems and design sector, employing 41,400 and ranking fourth in the nation. Boston ranked third in the nation in research and development jobs, employing 38,500, and first in measuring and control instruments and manufacturing employment with 18,000 employees.

The five largest cities in terms of technology employment were New York Metro Area, Washington, DC, San Jose/Silicon Valley, Boston, and Dallas-Fort Worth, with Silicon Valley having the highest concentration of technology employers.

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