As Arizona continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in the nation, the state’s population provides a strong pipeline of skilled talent with a drive for innovation. The state's job opportunities and premier quality of life attracts workers every year, with a momentum that’s only growing.
County for Attracting and Retaining Talent – Maricopa County
Lightcast Talent Attraction Scorecard, 2023
Fastest Growing County in the U.S. – Maricopa County
U.S. Census Bureau 2021
Largest Production Occupations Job Growth in the Nation
Lightcast, 2024
State for Workforce
CNBC, 2023
State for Job Growth Between 2018-2022
Lightcast Attraction Scorecard, 2023
Skilled Jobs Growth Between 2018-2022
Lightcast Attraction Scorecard, 2023
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Arizona’s workforce of 3 million has added more than 487,000 people since 2015. With more than 70 percent of the state's population born outside of Arizona, its clear people are flocking to Arizona for boundless opportunity and an unmatched quality of life.
Population Growth Rate from 2010 to 2020
Higher than the U.S. average of 7.4%
Arizona is Projected to Add 2,810,080 People
Between 2020-2050
Fastest Growing State – Arizona
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022
Largest city in the USA – Phoenix
Arizona's approach to workforce development is collaboration. We bring together academia, industry and community leaders and more to design customized solutions to meet private-sector needs.
The Arizona Commerce Authority has invested $100 million to strengthen Arizona's semiconductor ecosystem, focusing on the rapid development, commercialization and manufacturing of next-generation U.S. semiconductor technologies. The ACA is collaborating with industry partners to identify and address research infrastructure and workforce needs. Investments from the ACA include:
Investment to Arizona State University's Applied Materials/ASU Materials to Fab (MTF) Laboratory.
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Investment to Northern Arizona University's Metrology program, research and training.
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Investment to launch first U.S. Apprenticeship Program for Manufacturing Facility Technicians.
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Arizona is home to a world-renowned university system and one of the largest community college systems in the country. The trio of state universities and the community and private colleges are committed to preparing students for promising futures in leading industries.
Universities and Community Colleges
Post-Secondary Students Enrolled
Schools Offering Career & Technical Education
PHOENIX, AZ (August 5, 2025) – With billions in new investment, a surge of startups and venture activity, and a deep pool of skilled talent, Arizona's innovation economy is scaling fast — and the world is taking notice. Today, Governor Hobbs and the Arizona Commerce Authority, in partnership with the Arizona Venture Alliance, announced Arizona Tech Week, the state’s first-ever decentralized tech conference. The event will take place in locations across the state from April 6th-12th, 2026. Arizona Tech Week will bring together tech luminaries, investors, founders, and startup leaders for a week of lively keynotes, panels, social networking engagements, pitch competitions, and exclusive Arizona experiences. The first-of-its-kind conference in Arizona will emphasize the state’s prominent role in the global tech ecosystem and provide an opportunity to showcase the state’s most compelling innovations and tech leaders.
READ MORE about Governor Hobbs Announces Arizona Tech Week 2026»PHOENIX, AZ (July 29, 2025) – The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) today announced it is accepting applications for the Fall 2025 Arizona Innovation Challenge (AIC), one of the nation’s largest business plan competitions. This year, the Arizona Innovation Challenge will feature a Fall 2025 cohort and Spring 2026 cohort, with investments for the most promising companies taking place in partnership with investors and venture capitalists in Arizona. In addition, the ACA announced the Fall 2025 cohort will be focused on Software as a Service (SaaS) startups. The application window will run from Tuesday, July 29 to Monday, August 11. The AIC consists of three judging rounds where companies receive constructive feedback on their applications generated from the rigorous online evaluation and scoring process.
READ MORE about Arizona Commerce Authority Accepting Applications For 2025 Arizona Innovation Challenge»
