Maryland is number one in concentration of computer scientists, according to Open.Maryland.gov. It isn’t surprising considering the state is home to more than 60 federal agencies and 20 military installations, including the National Security Agency. Aerospace employment also soars in Maryland, with 15 of the country’s top 20 aerospace companies located in the state. With a variety of commercial and government employers in industries from research and development to unmanned systems, Maryland is a state of career opportunity. In addition to a variety of vocations, the state is diverse—in geography, opportunity, and population.
Compensation by Clearance Level
It’s not clear why Top Secret security clearance holders reported a slight (2%) dip in salaries, but TS/SCI clearance holders made up for it with an 8% jump. The move signifies the continued emphasis on TS/SCI, particularly for the technology, engineering, and research opportunities prevalent in Maryland.
Compensation by Career Level
Career level was a significant driver for compensation increases. Senior executives saw the biggest bump (17%), but senior level career, early career, and entry-level professionals also saw 8-9% compensation increases. Maryland is a great state for professionals at every stage of their career. Compensation is competitive for entry-level professionals, driven by high-demand for talented cleared professionals to work for the NSA and the many contracting companies supporting government missions Maryland offers. The highdemand for cyber talent in Maryland means there will always be major push and hot competition for all career levels.
The federal government is also increasingly taking steps to ensure they can onboard professionals regardless of experience or degree. “You know at this point, particularly in cyber, I’m not sure it matters if you’re 45 or 17, which speaks to the ways that we need to evolve our hiring practices,” said Chris Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency.
Top Maryland Cleared Jobs
Tech is king when it comes to top-paying careers in Maryland. With the continual need for cybersecurity professionals, colleges including the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the University of Maryland, College Park are working to churn out new professionals for the never-ending stream of tech job openings. In Maryland, Management professionals also garner top pay, with program managers needed to make sure those technical missions get accomplished on time and budget. Business Sales professionals make it into the top five, because you can’t have federal contract awards without business development professionals making it happen. In addition to cyber, Maryland has the most federal obligations per capital for research and development—$15.4 billion. Business Sales professionals help marry contracting ingenuity with federal opportunity. Civil Engineering finishes out the top five highest-paying jobs in Maryland. Civil Engineers are at work at military installations in Annapolis, managing projects for the Department of Energy in Germantown, and supporting government contractors with logistics, GIS, and technology missions for the federal government.
