“Tech jobs pay more than other types of jobs.” Steve Zylstra, President and CEO of Arizona Technology Council says there is a huge upside for millennials – especially young women – to get into tech. Now. Zylstra points to Intel as an example. The company has about 11,000 employees in Arizona, and the average compensation, he says, is $131,000.

“We did a study of about 171 technology companies in the state and they want experienced people who are going to hit the ground running. They can’t afford the training required to get new graduates up to speed.”

The tech industry in the desert is booming. But tech employees with work experience won’t go just anywhere for a job. Why would they? They have options. Beyond Silicon Valley, cities on the rise like Phoenix and Austin, Texas are competing for talent.