Utah, Alaska and Ohio Rise in Milken State S&T Rankings
Massachusetts continues to be the country's most successful high-tech economy, according to the 2010 edition of the Milken Institute State Technology and Science Index: Enduring Lessons for the Intangible Economy. The Index uses 79 indicators to evaluate and rank state performance in five categories: R&D inputs, risk capital and entrepreneurial infrastructure, human capital capacity, technology and science workforce, and technology concentration and dynamism.
Smaller Share of Tech-Related Jobs in MA, Other Leading Tech States
Massachusetts remains the most tech-oriented state economy in the country, according to the latest edition of the annual Massachusetts Innovation Index. Nearly 38 percent of the state’s workforce is employed in tech industries, the highest share in the country, and Massachusetts generally outperforms other leading tech states in tech industry output, research and licensing. The MassTech Collaborative warns, however, that the state’s innovation economy is experiencing some of the same negative trends present in its peer tech states.
Measuring State Success in Science and Technology
The health and potential of a state's innovation ecosystem does not always directly correlate to current economic performance and overall job creation, despite media and policymakers' focus on such metrics. Although they vary across organizations and in scope, indices serve to assess states' assets and processes within their innovation ecosystems.