Metropolitan-area population: 1.1 million
Who's hiring now: Convergys, Fresenius Medical Care, Wells Fargo
Hottest jobs Senior software developer ($81,600), electrical engineer ($73,800), IT project manager ($69,200), financial controller ($67,200), construction project manager ($65,800)
Boasting one of the youngest big-city populations in the country, Salt Lake is luring more top employers with its affordable but highly educated labor pool. According to a survey by Manpower, more than half of Salt Lake businesses expect to add headcount this year, one of the highest rates among large U.S. metros.
Construction is growing 15 percent annually, and contractors are having to delay expansion projects for Wells Fargo, Zions Bank, and other companies because they can't find enough workers to keep pace. The two banks alone are expected to add 1,200 jobs. To help accommodate a state that boasts the highest birth rate in the nation, the Mormon church is investing in a $1 billion redevelopment project to add more condos and retail and office space.
Sources: Conference Board, Global Insight, Moody's Economy.com, PayScale, and Radford Surveys & Consulting.
