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Spokane is a beautiful city in the eastern part of Washington. Though a small city by national standards, Spokane is the second largest city in Washington, after Seattle. Unlike other Washington population centers, like Bellevue, Tacoma, or Kirkland, Spokane is fully removed from Seattle’s orbit and is much closer to Idaho. This means it is not part of western Washington’s established tech bubble, but it does have a minor tech scene of its own, mostly centered around a cluster of universities – Gonzaga University, Whitworth University, Eastern Washington University, Washington State University, and Spokane Community College. As such, Spokane has a large young adult population – about 40% of the population is in their 20s and 30s.
In Inc. Magazine’s 2020 rankings of 50 Best Cities to Start a Business, Spokane came in at #31, which makes it part of a larger trend of entrepreneurship in the Pacific Northwest. For the sub-ranking of “entrepreneurship,” Spokane came in at #6 in the country!
In 2020, Spokane was a finalist for the Smart Cities North America Awards. Being so close to natural wonders like the impressive Spokane Falls and Mount Spokane, the city’s ‘smart’ proposals mostly center around sustainability and clean energy. Priorities for development include rooftop solar panels, reducing runoff pollution to the Spokane River, and data-backed insights.
Spokane’s unemployment rate of 4.2% is better than the U.S. rate as a whole. The network of universities we mentioned above offer a large proportion of Spokane’s job opportunities. Regional hospitals and the city’s multi-model transportation network (which includes the Spokane International Airport) offer employment opportunities as well. Another notable player in Spokane’s extended tech and innovation scene is the Fairchild Airforce Base situated just outside of the city.
Major Spokane employers for job-hunters with coding and data skills include Nuvodia, an IT service provider; ESP, Inc., which provides core processing for credit unions; Two Barrels, a systems & software company; and IntelliTect, a software development company.
Spokane also has a number of startup accelerators that support techies who want to forge their own path in the industry. Startup Spokane offers community networking opportunities, coworking spaces, consulting services, and an accelerator program for entrepreneurs. Ignite Northwest is an entrepreneur-serving organization that helps startups connect with talent, investors, and business mentors.
Powerful startups have emerged from Spokane over the last few years like RiskLens in the cybersecurity space; SB Live Sports, for high school sports fans; and GoToTags, an IoT firm. And in the direction the city is headed we’re on the lookout for more to come!
Popular roles for skilled tech workers include web developer, user support specialist, network support specialist, and information security analyst.
Below, we’ve broken down the average salary data for a variety of tech roles that a bootcamp graduate might take in Spokane. To learn more about these careers, you can browse our comprehensive career guides.
| Job Title | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Web Developer | $56,880 |
| User Support Specialist | $50,260 |
| Network Support Specialist | $82,190 |
| Information Security Analyst | $106,240 |
| Database Administrator | $96,920 |
| Software Developer | $99,140 |
| Computer Programmer | $69,570 |
