A Better Way of Measuring America's Science and Tech Jobs

Science and technology skills are seen as vital to U.S. innovation and competitiveness by technologists, business leaders, and policy-makers on both sides of the aisle. A growing chorus contends that America faces a shortage of so-called STEM skills and jobs, which span science, technology, engineering, and math, and there's long been rising concern that the U.S. needs to turn out more grads in these critical fields.

A Brookings Institution report released today takes a remarkably fresh look at the role of STEM jobs in the U.S. economy. Authored by economist Jonathan Rothwell, the report's findings shed new light on the extent and number of STEM jobs, their geographic clustering and distribution, and effects on innovation and economic growth.