Pittsburgh Climbs Four Spots to No. 31 in CBRE’s Annual Scoring Tech Talent Rankings

Pittsburgh ranks No. 31 overall in CBRE’s 2025 Scoring Tech Talent report, moving up four spots as tech talent hiring in North America slowed despite strong growth in artificial-intelligence specialty talent, according to a new report from CBRE.

Overall U.S. tech talent employment grew only 1.1% (64,140 jobs) in 2024, far below its peak in 2022 (+7%). Canada had stronger growth (+5.9%) than the U.S., adding 66,600 tech talent jobs overall, primarily in the high-tech industry. The number of computer and information systems managers surged in the U.S. (+9%) and Canada (+16%) due to the widespread adoption of AI, making that job the fastest growing among all tech talent roles across North America. In 2024, computer and information systems managers accounted for 83% of U.S. tech talent job growth.

Pittsburgh continues to be a national leader in technology and AI education. In 2025, Carnegie Mellon University was ranked first in the U.S. for its AI program, surpassing several prominent tech universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. Additionally, the city had the 12th lowest annual operating costs ($48.5 million) among tech companies with an average of 500 employees and 60,000 square feet of office space across all markets.

“The city of Pittsburgh has firmly established itself as a leading hub for innovation in technology and AI education,” said CBRE’s Carmine DiLucente, senior vice president in Pittsburgh. “With Carnegie Mellon leading the nation in AI education, coupled with offering one of the most cost-effective environments for growing companies, the city offers an unmatched location for innovation and growth.”

CBRE’s annual Scoring Tech Talent report covers 75 North American markets, ranks the top 50 tech markets in the U.S. and Canada and outlines tech talent labor market trends amid economic shifts and increased remote hiring. CBRE also ranks the Next 25 emerging tech markets on a narrower set of criteria. Tech talent is a group of highly skilled workers in more than 20 tech-oriented occupations – such as software engineers and systems and data managers – across all industries.

For the third year, CBRE’s report examines tech talent wages paid by tech companies based on geography. Pittsburgh ranks third among all small tech talent markets at an average annual wage of $102,657 as of 2023 for tech talent employed in the tech industry. The San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle had the highest average wages among large markets, while Madison, Wis., and Sacramento registered the highest among small markets.

Pittsburgh stood out in the report in several other key areas:

• Pittsburgh had the ninth-highest concentration of tech talent employees in the tech industry (33.7%) among all small tech talent markets.
• Pittsburgh generated 15,393 tech graduates from 2021 to 2023, the latest year for which data is available.
• Additionally, Pittsburgh produced far more tech degrees (from 2021 to 2023) than tech jobs (2022 to 2024), making it a top draw for tech companies that are expanding or relocating into the market and looking for a pool of available tech talent.