Section 05: Tech Occupations
Education & Automation
WORKFORCE DEMAND AND SUPPLY
Despite the consistent demand, a review of job postings shows that companies still prefer tech workers with some level of postsecondary training. In the last year, about 59% of postings for tech jobs required some form of postsecondary education. This reflects an increase of four percentage points from the level reported in last year’s report and indicates that companies continue to value traditional education pipelines when hiring tech workers.
NC Annual Education Completions
For Selected Programs
When reviewing data on educational completions (which include degrees, certificates, and awards from postsecondary institutions), there has been an increase over time in most tech-related programs. The state produced over 12,150 education completions in computer and information sciences in 2024, which should help supply the talent needed for tech companies choosing to locate in the state. From 2023 to 2024, completions in computer sciences, engineering, and biomedical sciences grew, while completions in physical sciences and in mathematics and statistics declined.
Source: EL calculations based on Lightcast 2025.4
North Carolina retains a large portion of the students educated in the state
Online job profiles for North Carolina STEM graduates indicate that about 56% stay in the area for work. This is an increase from 52% in last year’s report. North Carolina will need to continue producing talent through the postsecondary system and continue finding ways to connect that talent to local tech jobs.
Source: Lightcast 2025.4
Note: This data comes from individuals who have updated their online profile since 2020.
Current Location of STEM Program Completers From NC School
Companies will likely need to perform more in-house training than they have in the past, as the tech skills needed are changing rapidly
While computer science education is still listed as a preference in many of North Carolina’s tech job postings, specific software skills are requested just as often. Short-term training that focuses on programming languages such as SQL, Python, and API development could be helpful in filling talent gaps more quickly than four-year computer science degrees. Skills in AI became a top-requested skill in tech job postings in the last year.
Top Skills Listed in NC Tech Occupation's Job Postings
November 2024 - November 2025
