Strategic Planning Data Updates
De Anza's Educational Master Plan and strategic planning processes draw on a wide range of data, including educational, economic and demographic trends for the region. This webpage contains updated data to support implementing the EMP, including the development of initiative action plans.
Silicon Valley Index
The following draws from the Silicon Valley Index for 2024. The index is an annual analysis of the region's economy, produced by Joint Venture Silicon Valley.
Demographics
The region experienced its first net migration increase in seven years.
- The region gained 1,778 residents through net migration (in-migration minus out-migration) – the first net increase in seven years.
- Overall population growth in the region increased from 2,649,536 to 2,660,824 – an increase of 11,288.
- Population change (births minus deaths) remained stable at 9,510.
The region is largely composed of residents age 25-44, in the early to middle stages of their careers.
- Residents age 25-44 make up the largest population in the valley, at 30% of the total population, followed by 45-64, at 26% of the population.
- Residents under 18 make up 20% of the population, followed by 65+ at 16% and 18-24 at 8%.
Most of the valley's residents identify as Asian, white or Latinx.
- Residents who identify as Asian make up 36% of the population.
- Another 31% identify as white and 25% identify as Latinx.
- Other population groups include 6% who identify as Native American, Indigenous or multiracial; and 2% who identify as Black.
Nearly half of employed residents are foreign-born.
- 48% of the employed residents in the region were born outside the United States.
- Within that population, 64% of those employed in tech fields and 65% of those employed in computer or mathematical fields were born outside the U.S.
More than half (51%) of the region's residents speak a language other than English at home. Of those who don't speak English at home
- 32% speak Spanish at home.
- 20% speak Chinese at home.
- 12% speak other Indo-European languages; 9% speak other Asian or Pacific Islander languages; 9% speak Vietnamese; 7% speak Tagalog; 2% speak a Slavic language and 3% speak Korean.
Residents of the region are highly educated.
- 27% had a graduate or professional degree in 2022
- 29% had bachelor's degree.
- 20% had an associate degree or some college
- 14% were high school graduates with no college; and 11% did not graduate from high school
Economy
Job growth has steadily increased since the recession of 2009-2010.
- Between 2010 and 2023, job growth in the region has increased 33%.
The largest number of jobs are in community infrastructure and services.
- Community infrastructure and services include health care, social services, and state and local government jobs.
- The next largest sectors are, in descending order
- Innovation and information products and services – including computer hardware design and manufacturing, semiconductors, internet, technical research, software
- Business infrastructure and services – wholesale trade, personnel and accounting services, administrative services, technical management
- Other areas and other manufacturing fields
Average annual earnings in the region are $188,875 per year; the median income is $138,000.
- The region's average annual earnings for 2023 are slightly lower than in San Francisco ($192,603), above the Bay Area ($152,183) and above the state ($97,817) and nation ($80,691).
- Average wages in the region have seen the greatest increase, with year-over-year growth since 2019, currently at $164,073.
Poverty and Basic Needs
Poverty in the region affects 7% of the population.
- The poverty rate in the region is lower than the rest of the Bay Area, state and nation.
- Poverty in the region is greatest for Black residents, with 16% living in poverty, followed by Vietnamese residents at 10%, and Latinx residents at 9%.
- One in 15 children in the region are living in poverty.
A third of the region's households require public assistance to get by, with Latinx residents struggling the greatest.
- While 7% of residents live below the poverty line, another 24% live above the poverty line but below the standard of living within the region – a combined 32% of the population doesn't have enough income to meet household self-sufficiency standards.
- Among Latinx residents, 54% require government or community assistance. That rate is 79% for Latinx single mothers, 71% for non-citizen Latinx residents, and 70% for Latinx residents with limited ability to speak English.
- 37% of children in the region live in households that are not self-sufficient.
High School Graduates
High school graduation rates are improving.
- High school graduation rates declined in 2020 to 83% but have since improved to 88%.
- The rate of students who are eligible to attend CSU or UC upon graduation from high school increased to 65%, above the statewide rate of 51%.
- Students who are learning English and homeless students have the highest rates of dropping out of high school – at 25% for each group – followed by foster youth, at 23%.
Job Projections
Associate Degree, Certificate or Some College
- The fastest-growing job fields that require an associate degree or some college are expected to include occupations related to education, health and environmental science.
Here are the top 20 occupational fields requiring an associate degree, certificate or some college, ranked by the projected percentage increase in job openings between 2020 and 2030 in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the table below:
- * indicates a field in which De Anza offers an associate degree or certificate
- ** indicates a field in which De Anza offers a transfer path
- If the word "New" appears in the "New Listing" column, that means the occupation was not in the top 20 list for projected growth from 2018-2028.
| Occupational Title | Projected Employment Increase | Median Annual Wage | New Listing? |
| Physical Therapist Assistants ** | 40% | $97,330.94 | |
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education * | 35% | $45,500.75 | |
| Respiratory Therapists | 32% | $124,567.62 | |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 26% | $157,045.96 | |
| Dental Hygienists | 26% | $130,358.81 | New |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health * | 24% | $55,518.79 | New |
| Life, Physical and Social Science Technicians, All Other | 23% | $63,941.40 | New |
| Calibration and Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other | 18% | N.A. | New |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | 17% | $77,885.84 | |
| Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | 17% | $79,726.65 | New |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants * | 16% | $85,023.82 | |
| Agricultural and Food Science Technicians | 15% | N.A. | New |
| Radiologic Technologists | 15% | $125,365.34 | |
| Dietetic Technicians ** | 15% | $60,336.15 | New |
| Computer Network Support Specialists * | 15% | $83,324.80 | New |
| Environmental Engineering Technicians * | 13% | $83,904.95 | New |
| Mechanical Engineering Technicians | 13% | $79,077.23 | New |
| Civil Engineering Technicians | 13% | $82,319.89 | New |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | 12% | $133,052.39 | |
| Industrial Engineering Technicians | 11% | $73,545.04 | New |
Bachelor's Degree
- The fastest-growing job fields that require a bachelor's degree are expected to include occupations related to data science and software development, among others.
Here are the top 20 occupational fields requiring a bachelor's degree, ranked by the projected percentage increase in job openings between 2020 and 2030 in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the table below:
- *** indicates a field in which De Anza offers a certificate, degree or transfer path
- If the word "New" appears in the "New Listing" column, that means the occupation was not in the top 20 list for projected growth from 2018-2028.
| Occupational Title | Projected Employment Increase | Median Annual Wage | New Listing? |
| Data Scientists and Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other *** | 43% | N.A. | New |
| Coaches and Scouts | 40% | $60,087.51 | |
| Athletic Trainers *** | 36% | $74,850.39 | |
| Operations Research Analysts *** | 31% | $135,787.41 | |
| Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers *** | 30% | N.A. | |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other, Except Substitute Teachers | 29% | N.A. | New |
| Biological Scientists, All Other *** | 23% | $122,464.56 | |
| Film and Video Editors *** | 22% | $74,332.39 | |
| Web Developers and Digital Interface Designers *** | 22% | N.A. | New |
| Forensic Science Technicians *** | 21% | $109,483.59 | New |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other *** | 20% | $77,430.01 | |
| Adult Basic and Secondary Education and Literacy Teachers and Instructors | 20% | $94,865.74 | New |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers *** | 20% | $106,738.21 | New |
| Music Directors and Composers *** | 20% | $66,396.70 | New |
| Civil Engineers *** | 19% | $119,770.98 | New |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | 19% | $105,318.90 | New |
| Interpreters and Translators *** | 19% | $82,817.16 | New |
| Technical Writers | 19% | $124,557.26 | New |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health *** | 18% | $109,483.59 | New |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | 18% | $63,837.80 |