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
Arizona’s diverse and innovative education system prepares students for tomorrow’s workforce. The system includes magnet schools for the arts, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and other specialties, as well as high-quality public and private schools. Moreover, the state’s public and charter schools have near-universal open enrollment so parents may send their children to a school of their choice.
Arizona has more charter schools than any other state with one in five students in Arizona attending a charter school. BASIS Charter Schools, founded in Arizona over 25 years ago, has many locations across the state and due to its success has expanded to states across the nation. These schools are routinely listed on “best high schools” lists with BASIS Tucson North recently named the best high school and best charter high school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and has 11 of the top 100 high schools in the nation. In Arizona, BASIS students boast an average 95 percent AP exam pass rate and 100 percent of graduates are accepted to a four-year college or university.
MESA, AZ (January 29, 2026) – Hadrian, the advanced manufacturing company building AI-powered factories for America, today celebrated the opening of Factory 3 (F3), a large-scale manufacturing and software hub in Mesa, Arizona. Hadrian has invested $200 million in the 290,000-square-foot facility, which will bring over 350 new jobs to the community in early 2026. Hadrian executives were joined by state, federal, and local elected officials including Governor Hobbs, City of Mesa leadership, and partners including the Arizona Commerce Authority to celebrate the project at a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the significant impact it will have on the local and state economy. Factory 3 features state-of-the-art manufacturing systems, autonomous production workflows, and deep integration of AI and robotics to accelerate throughput and enhance quality.
READ MORE about Hadrian Celebrates Ribbon Cutting Of Factory 3 Facility In Mesa »MESA, AZ (January 21, 2026) – DSV today broke ground on its new Arizona regional headquarters in Mesa. The $14.5 million investment supports Arizona's high-growth industrial sectors with a 950,000-square-foot facility that will serve as a hub for DSV customers and house all service offerings, including air, sea, and road transport, and contract logistics, including inventory management solutions, with plans to employ a maximum capacity of approximately 160 employees. The groundbreaking ceremony featured key executives from DSV, their customers, and partners including the Arizona Commerce Authority, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and City of Mesa leaders.
READ MORE about DSV Breaks Ground On New Arizona Regional Headquarters In Mesa »
