In the face of the current economic downturn, Oregon’s software industry is enjoying solid growth.
In the face of the current economic downturn, Oregon’s software industry is enjoying solid growth. Its largest field, software publishing, employed 9,600 people in September 2008, an increase of 4.3% over the previous year and equal to its early 2001 peak. Another key player in the software industry, computer systems design and services, employed 9,800 people in September 2008, a 6.5% increase versus the previous year, although only four-fifths of its late 2000 peak. While computer products manufacturing employs more than two-thirds of Oregon’s high-tech workers, these two service-oriented sectors employ almost one-third. They are also projected to continue growing, with software publishing services increasing by 22% from 2006-2016, and systems design and services by 20%. Additionally, wages for these sectors are very high relative to other industries across the state. Annual wages in 2007 averaged more than $89,000 in software publishing and more than $75,000 in systems design and services.
JILL CUYLER
WorkSource Oregon Employment Analyst
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