If you are one of those whose expertise is suited to semiconductor manufacturing, we have something you need to know. Semiconductor manufacturing expanded throughout the US in what some call ‘hubs’. These are areas where clusters of manufacturing facilities exist. This should not be confused with the ‘innovation hubs’ that are being widely discussed with the signing of the CHIPS Act (See CHIPS Act – What Does It Really Mean?). The hubs we want to talk about are the hotbeds of semiconductor manufacturing right now and the best locations for finding your next job.

  1. California – Silicon Valley

Historically, Silicon Valley is where you went to build a fab. Today, fifteen semiconductor fabs are in existence, but not one of the planned ‘mega-fabs’ of the future are slated for Silicon Valley. However, California remains a leader in important parts of the chip supply chain, such as research, design, manufacturing tools and sophisticated automation devices. Chip manufacturing majors such as Intel, Skyworks Solutions, Maxim, and Advanced Micro Devices still call California home.  And three of the five top chip equipment manufacturers — Lam Research, Applied Materials and KLA Corporation — are based in the Bay Area. So are powerful chip designers, such as Nvidia, Apple and Google.  In 2021, semiconductor manufacturing employees in California totaled approximately 46,000, higher than any other state in the U.S.

  1. Texas – Silicon Hills

Last year, Texas semiconductor companies employed a little over 40,000 people. Twelve fabs clustered around Dallas and Austin manufactured and exported $17.3 billion in semiconductors, the highest dollar value in the country. However, the biggest news out of Texas is EXPANSION. In November of 2021, Samsung announced it would build a $17 billion fab in Taylor, Texas just outside of Austin.  Texas Instruments announced a $30 billion dollar fab in Sherman, Texas north of Dallas. Applied Materials, the leading manufacturer of semiconductor equipment, is considering a $200 billion expansion in Hutto, Texas, a suburb of Austin. Infineon and NXP are also looking to Texas for their next wave of expansion.

  1. Oregon – The Silicon Forest

Fifteen percent of the U.S. semiconductor workforce live in the ‘Silicon Forest’ located in the Portland area. Over half of the 40,300 semiconductor employees are employed by Intel, according to SIA. Silicon Forest is home to ten existing semiconductor fabs that manufacture and export approximately $13.2 billion in semiconductors. Although there are no mega-fabs planned for this region at this time, Intel is highly invested and will continue to develop its capabilities in this area.

  1. Arizona – The Silicon Desert

According to SIA (Semiconductor Industry Association), Arizona was number four in semiconductor manufacturing employees in 2021 with 19,000+. Nine fabs, located in Phoenix and its surrounding areas, exported $3.5 billion in semiconductors. Companies such as Applied Materials, Intel, NXP and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) have a strong presence here. TSMC and Intel have committed to expansions totaling $60 billion.

  1. New York – Tech Valley

New York is currently home to companies that employ over 6,800 semiconductor manufacturing employees, including industry leaders like GlobalFoundries, Wolfspeed, onsemi, and IBM.  New York exports approximately $1.7 billion of semiconductors. Micron, a U.S.-based memory and storage manufacturer and the fourth-largest producer of semiconductors in the world, will invest up to $100 billion over the next 20-plus years to construct a new semiconductor manufacturing site, the first phase investment of $20 billion is planned by the end of this decade, creating nearly 9,000 new jobs.

If you are one of those whose expertise is suited to semiconductor manufacturing, we have something you need to know. Semiconductor manufacturing expanded throughout the US in what some call ‘hubs’. These are areas where clusters of manufacturing facilities exist.  This should not be confused with the ‘innovation hubs’ that are being widely discussed with the signing of the CHIPS Act (See CHIPS Act – What Does It Really Mean?). The hubs we want to talk about are the hotbeds of semiconductor manufacturing right now and the best locations for finding your next job.

  1. California – Silicon Valley

Historically, Silicon Valley is where you went to build a fab. Today, fifteen semiconductor fabs are in existence, but not one of the planned ‘mega-fabs’ of the future are slated for Silicon Valley. However, California remains a leader in important parts of the chip supply chain, such as research, design, manufacturing tools and sophisticated automation devices. Chip manufacturing majors such as Intel, Skyworks Solutions, Maxim, and Advanced Micro Devices still call California home. And three of the five top chip equipment manufacturers — Lam Research, Applied Materials and KLA Corporation — are based in the Bay Area. So are powerful chip designers, such as Nvidia, Apple and Google. In 2021, semiconductor manufacturing employees in California totaled approximately 46,000, higher than any other state in the U.S.

  1. Texas – Silicon Hills

Last year, Texas semiconductor companies employed a little over 40,000 people. Twelve fabs clustered around Dallas and Austin manufactured and exported $17.3 billion in semiconductors, the highest dollar value in the country. However, the biggest news out of Texas is EXPANSION. In November of 2021, Samsung announced it would build a $17 billion fab in Taylor, Texas just outside of Austin. Texas Instruments announced a $30 billion dollar fab in Sherman, Texas north of Dallas.  Applied Materials, the leading manufacturer of semiconductor equipment, is considering a $200 billion expansion in Hutto, Texas, a suburb of Austin. Infineon and NXP are also looking to Texas for their next wave of expansion.

  1. Oregon – The Silicon Forest

Fifteen percent of the U.S. semiconductor workforce live in the ‘Silicon Forest’ located in the Portland area. Over half of the 40,300 semiconductor employees are employed by Intel, according to SIA. Silicon Forest is home to ten existing semiconductor fabs that manufacture and export approximately $13.2 billion in semiconductors.  Although there are no mega-fabs planned for this region at this time, Intel is highly invested and will continue to develop its capabilities in this area.

  1. Arizona – The Silicon Desert

According to SIA (Semiconductor Industry Association), Arizona was number four in semiconductor manufacturing employees in 2021 with 19,000+. Nine fabs, located in Phoenix and its surrounding areas, exported $3.5 billion in semiconductors. Companies such as Applied Materials, Intel, NXP and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) have a strong presence here. TSMC and Intel have committed to expansions totaling $60 billion.

  1. New York – Tech Valley

New York is currently home to companies that employ over 6,800 semiconductor manufacturing employees, including industry leaders like GlobalFoundries, Wolfspeed, onsemi, and IBM. New York exports approximately $1.7 billion of semiconductors. Micron, a U.S.-based memory and storage manufacturer and the fourth-largest producer of semiconductors in the world, will invest up to $100 billion over the next 20-plus years to construct a new semiconductor manufacturing site, the first phase investment of $20 billion is planned by the end of this decade, creating nearly 9,000 new jobs.