A new report by the Brookings Institution found that STEM is, well, everywhere. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math.
Some key findings:
- Workers in STEM fields play a direct role in driving economic growth. And it’s not just jobs in the innovation economy. As of 2011, 26 million U.S. jobs require a high level of knowledge in any one STEM field. The “hidden” STEM economy represents 20 percent of all jobs.
- Half of all STEM jobs are available to workers without a four-year college degree, and these jobs pay $53,000 on average.
- Half of all STEM jobs are in manufacturing, health care, or construction industries.
- Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations constitute 12 percent of all STEM jobs, one of the largest occupational categories. Other blue-collar or technical jobs in fields such as construction and production also frequently demand STEM knowledge.
Read more: The Hidden STEM Economy
