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Arlington, Virginia is almost like an offshoot of Washington, D.C. In fact, years and years ago it was actually incorporated into the city but broke off and became part of Virginia in 1847. Today, many people live in Arlington and work in D.C. or live in D.C. and work in Arlington. The two cities are just across the Potomac river from each other.
Because of this proximity, many Arlington residents work for a federal agency or contractor. These organizations have a high need for data science and cybersecurity professionals because of the large scale and sensitive nature or their work.
The median household income in Arlington is nearly twice that of the median income in the U.S. as a whole, making it one of the wealthiest areas in the country! The county of Arlington is also one of the most educated in the country, with about 75% of the over-25 population holding at least a bachelor’s degree.
Arlington made huge tech news in 2018 when Amazon announced it would be the home of one of their next big headquarters. While Amazon isn’t expected to begin construction on the new HQ until 2022, they are already moving full-speed-ahead on hiring and expect to create 25,000 jobs by the time operations are up and running. There is no doubt that this major addition to Arlington’s economy will have waves of impact on all areas of the city – housing prices, urban infrastructure, wage growth, and more. Arlington Economic Development estimated that, “the project is estimated to generate at least $174 million in revenue [for Arlington] after 12 years.”
But Amazon isn’t the only company that sees the appeal of Arlington. The AES corporation, Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Bloomberg BNA are all major employers in the area.
On the opposite side of the spectrum is the wide range of small start-ups that call Arlington home. These include Federated Wireless, a company that applies the shared economy model to wireless service; Hungry, a catering company that connects customers to top-tier chefs; and Vemo Education, which designs flexible payment plans for higher education.
Because of the highly educated workforce concentrated in Arlington, companies of all kinds set up shop there and seek to fill roles with skilled employees. Arlington’s proximity to federal agencies, military operations, and universities like George Mason, George Washington, and Georgetown also creates an opportune environment for job seekers.
Careers that are especially popular among residents of the area include Computer & Mathematical Operations, Software Developers, Computer & Information Research Scientists, Information Security Analysts, Technical Writers, Computer Network Architects, Network Administrators, and Database Administrators.
All of these roles in Arlington pay well above the national average salary. Below is the breakdown by occupation.
| Occupation | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Computer & Mathematical Operations | $112,280 |
| Software Developers | $119,920 |
| Computer & Information Research Scientists | $146,440 |
| Information Security Analysts | $117,920 |
| Technical Writers | $90,280 |
| Computer Network Architects | $136,390 |
| Network Administrators | $102,450 |
| Database Administrators | $116,150 |
