A growing population, high demand for talent, and local investment in technology from large institutions: in all these ways (and more), Charlotte is experiencing its own form of a tech gold rush. Charlotte is no newbie to the tech scene. Dice first reported Charlotte was hub for recent tech grads back in 2008. The region has only become more attractive to tech professionals in the years since, as high-profile companies continue to invest in the city. Earlier this year, Bank of America announced it would commit $1.5 million to Charlotte’s fintech initiative. And the draw extends beyond financial services firms; as tech companies create disruptive financial-focused technologies, they’ll need skilled talent to carry out fintech initiatives. Our annual salary survey found 27 percent of tech pros across the U.S. are willing to relocate to a new city for a job this year. Where do they want to go? Dice analyzed application data within its résumé database to discover which tech pros were interested in relocating, and found tech candidates from 34 states applied to Charlotte jobs. Professionals from Texas top the list for applying to Charlotte tech jobs, followed by South Carolina, California, Georgia and Virginia. Tech pros in New York and New Jersey also indicate notable interest in moving to Charlotte (with the cost of living much cheaper in the Queen City than Brooklyn or Manhattan, it’s not hard to understand why). The application flow illustrates the allure of Charlotte and potential hope for employers who have struggled with finding skilled tech pros locally. Tech salaries in the city are slightly below the national average at $89,215, but higher than bordering neighbors to the south ($76,784 in South Carolina) and west ($82,749 in Tennessee). This is a positive for tech pros relocating from nearby, but a challenge as employers attempt to attract talent from higher-paid regions across the country. As Charlotte-based employers scour for hard-to-find tech pros, broadening the search outside North Carolina could prove to be the ticket to success. Offer above-average salaries, and be rewarded with a wealth of talent. 
