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Wyoming Labor Force Trends

May 2025 | Volume 62, No. 5


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Wyoming Projected to Outpace the U.S. in STEM Job Growth

Article | Tables and Figures

by: Michael Moore, Research Supervisor

 

Wyoming is projected to add more than 2,700 new jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations over the next 10 years, according to the most recent long-term industry and occupational projections from the Research & Planning (R&P) section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services.

R&P recently published updated tables that include employment and wage information for STEM occupations in Wyoming and the U.S. In addition, these tables also show the education, experience, and training that are typically required to enter each occupation. Examples of this are seen in Table 3.

This article discusses selected findings for STEM occupations using the 2022-2032 long-term projections. This type of information helps students, jobseekers, educators, training providers, employers, policymakers, and others make educated decisions for Wyoming’s future.

The full tables on which this article is based are available at https://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/STEM.htm.

STEM Jobs in Wyoming

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has identified more than 100 STEM occupations (BLS, 2022). STEM occupations consist of computer & mathematical, architecture & engineering, and life & physical science occupations. In addition, STEM occupations also include managerial and postsecondary teaching occupations related to these areas, and sales occupations requiring scientific or technical knowledge at the postsecondary level.

As noted by Hauf (2023), these four occupational groups “encourage advanced education in science, technology, engineering, and math, along with other skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.”

In total, R&P was able to identify projections data for 96 STEM occupations in Wyoming. Data for 10 occupations were marked as non-discloseable, meaning that they did not meet R&P’s disclosure guidelines. For some STEM occupations, such as biomedical engineers and nuclear engineers, data were not available. This does not necessarily mean these occupations don’t exist in Wyoming; it could be that these jobs were not captured in the panel of the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program on which the projections were partially based.

Wyoming had 18,156 jobs in STEM occupations in 2022 (see Table 1), which accounted for 6.2% of all jobs in the state. According to the 2022-2032 long-term occupational projections for Wyoming, employment in STEM jobs is projected to grow to 20,928 — an increase of 2,772 jobs, or 15.3%. In contrast, the projections show Wyoming’s total employment increasing by 12.2%.

Table 1 shows the 10 STEM occupations with the greatest projected employment growth in Wyoming from 2022-2032. Most of the occupations in Table 1 require a bachelor’s degree, with the exception of computer user support specialists (some college, no degree). The occupation with the greatest projected growth is software developers, with 257 new openings, a 38.3% increase. Other jobs with high projected growth include civil engineers, computer user support specialists, mechanical engineers, and computer & information systems managers.

For most occupations, growth makes up a small portion of total projected openings (Yetter, 2024). Occupational projections also take into consideration anticipated openings due to workers exiting the workforce (exits) or changing occupations (transfers). Total openings refers to the sum of projected growth, exits, and transfers. For example, as shown in Table 1, computer user support specialists is projected to grow by 85 jobs, with 181 openings due to exits and 303 openings due to transfers. In total, 569 openings are projected for this occupation.

Jobs and Wages in Wyoming and the U.S.

Projected job growth for STEM occupations is noticeably higher for Wyoming (15.3%) compared to the national average (9.8%). Table 2 includes the 10 STEM occupations with the greatest projected growth for Wyoming and compares them with projected growth in the U.S. In all 10 occupations, Wyoming is projected to see substantially greater percentage growth. For example, the number of jobs for software developers is projected to grow by 38.3% in Wyoming, compared to 25.7% nationally. The number of jobs for web & digital interface designers is projected to grow by 32.6% in Wyoming and 15.2% nationally.

Although greater growth is projected for Wyoming than the U.S., wages for these jobs tended to be higher nationally than in Wyoming. Overall, average hourly wage data were available for 53 STEM occupations for Wyoming and the U.S. Wyoming trailed the national average hourly wage in 39 of those, and led in just 14.

Table 3 shows the average hourly wage for Wyoming and the U.S. for the 10 occupations discussed in Table 1 and Table 2. The average hourly wage for computer & information systems managers in Wyoming was $57.23, substantially lower than $86.88 for the U.S. In addition, the average hourly wage for computer occupations, all other in Wyoming was $40.24 compared to $54.05 nationally. Of the 10 occupations presented in Table 3, only industrial engineers had a noticeably higher wage in Wyoming ($56.81) than nationally ($49.59).

As an example of wage disparity in STEM occupations between Wyoming and other states, Wyoming had the 22nd highest average hourly wage for software developers among all 50 states.

Figure 1 shows the average hourly wage for selected STEM occupations in Wyoming, the U.S., and surrounding states. Wyoming's average hourly wage of $61.44 for software developers was lower than surrounding states like Colorado ($69.92), Idaho ($64.91), and Montana ($63.16), but higher than states like Utah ($58.30), Nebraska ($54.01), and South Dakota ($45.44). Similar differences in wages were seen in mechanical engineers and computer user support specialists. Wyoming's average hourly wage of $57.23 for computer & information systems managers was lower than all surrounding states and the U.S.

Conclusion

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations accounted for approximately 6% of all Wyoming jobs in 2022. In addition, many STEM occupations are projected to grow at a much greater rate than the overall average.

From 2022-2032, STEM occupations are projected to grow at a greater rate in Wyoming (15.3%) than nationally (9.8%). However, the average hourly wage for most STEM occupations in 2023 was substantially lower than the national average. So while Wyoming is projected to provide plenty of job opportunities in STEM occupations in the next 10 years, employers may have a difficult time competing for labor with states that pay higher wages for these jobs.

References

Hauf, D. (2023, February). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations in Wyoming. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, 60(2). Research & Planning, WY DWS. Retrieved March 12, 2025, from https://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/trends/0223/a1.htm

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, February). Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics topics – STEM. Retrieved April 4, 2024, from https://tinyurl.com/2h3f4bb5

Yetter, L. (2024, July). Long-term industry and occupational employment projections, 2022-2032. Research & Planning, WY DWS. March 12, 2025, from https://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/projections/2024/WY_LT_Projections_2022-2032_a1.htm