Bellevue has been named one of the top innovation hubs in the western United States, according to a new report by CommercialCafe. The study looked at cities across Washington, California, Oregon, Arizona, and Colorado, ranking them on things like STEM jobs, education, talent attraction, patent growth, and the strength of science and tech industries.
Bellevue ranked second overall in the West for its concentration of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) workers. The city has about 18,200 STEM professionals per 100,000 residents. That number is much higher than nearby Seattle, which has about 14,000.
Education also plays a big role in Bellevue’s ranking. About 65% of college graduates in the city hold STEM degrees, the third-highest share among the top 20 cities studied. Bellevue is one of the few cities outside of California and Washington that made the top tier for STEM education levels.
The report also noted Bellevue’s success in attracting highly educated newcomers. About 37% of residents with college degrees have recently moved to the city. That puts Bellevue fifth among the top 20 cities for talent attraction. This steady stream of skilled workers continues to support the city’s growth as a technology and science hub.
Other western cities ranked highly in different categories. Santa Clara, California, came in first overall because of its strength in STEM jobs, education, and talent attraction. Tempe, Arizona, ranked highest in education, with the most vocational STEM schools. Fremont, California, had the largest share of science, engineering, and tech businesses, making up 14% of all companies in the city.
San Jose, California, led the way in patents, producing more than 200,000 since 2020. Boulder, Colorado, stood out for STEM enrollment, with 253 of every 1,000 students studying in STEM fields. Salem, Oregon, saw the fastest STEM job growth, with a 158% increase between 2019 and 2023.
The report shows that while Bellevue is competing with some of the West’s biggest tech cities, it continues to grow as a center for science and technology jobs and talent.
