![[photo, 45 Calvert St., Annapolis, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/11dbm/images/1198-1-599b.jpg)
As an economic leader in technology advancements, Maryland possesses a strong information technology support base. This base includes State government agencies and private firms, as well as federal agencies, such as the National Security Agency at Fort George Meade.
In Maryland, the State agency responsible for information technology is the Department of Information Technology. Most commonly part of administrative agencies, local departments of information technology within county governments are responsible for local information technology applications.
Department of Information Technology, 45 Calvert St., Annapolis, Maryland, December 2003. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
In 2020, Maryland ranked fourth in the Milken Institute's State Technology and Science Index for its ability to foster and sustain a technology sector, which is considered a major indicator in determining a state's economic health. The Index examines human capital investment; research and development inputs; risk capital and entrepreneurial infrastructure; technology and science workforce; and technology concentration and dynamism.
According to CompTIA’s Cyberstates 2020 report, Maryland ranked fifth for concentration of tech jobs in the total workforce with 296,006 workers, 10.3% of overall employment. As of 2019, there were some 15,763 tech businesses in Maryland. The tech industry contributes $42.9 billion, or 11.8%, to Maryland's economy.
Moreover, in 2020, Maryland ranked fourth in the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation's State New Economy Index, which evaluates state economies on 25 factors, including economic dynamism, globalization, and innovation. Maryland also joined the top fifteen of "Innovation Champions" on the Consumer Technology Association's Innovation Scorecard.
In 2019, Maryland ranked first in the highest concentration of workers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs at 9.8% of the total workforce. Throughout Maryland, some 252,910 workers were in STEM jobs.
Maryland's colleges and universities also help develop advancements and new applications in this field. As well as offering classes in information technology, The Johns Hopkins University maintains the Information Security Institute, which examines and researches protocols and security measures designed to protect the national information infrastructure. The Institute offers classes and seminars, as well as oversees homeland security efforts at the University. Recognized by the National Security Agency, the Institute has been designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance.
At the University of Maryland, College Park, the Decision, Operations and Information Technologies Department conducts research and offers classes, and educational programs. Information system programs at the University's Robert H. Smith School of Business have received national recognition, consistantly placing at the top of professional surveys. For management information systems, Smith School programs ranked ninth in the nation in the 2015 U.S. News and World Report survey, and the School's information technology program placed sixth according to a 2015 Wall Street Journal poll.
In addition, the General Assembly addresses concerns about information technology through the Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Biotechnology.
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