Top 10 States for Technology & Innovation
In our annual CNBC rankings of "America's Top States for Business," our Technology & Innovation category is among the most important measures of success.
States like to promote themselves as fertile ground for innovation — so we put those claims to the test.
The category ranks states based on their support for innovation, with metrics including the number of patents issued to their residents, the dollar value of federal health and science research grants, and deployment of broadband services rankings from the Federal Communications Commission. Click ahead to see the leaders in innovation.
Sources: CNBC.com, United States Patent & Trademark Office, National Institutes of Health; National Science Foundation, Federal Communications Commission
Posted 27 March 2012
10. Maryland
Patents issued (2010): 1,578
Medical research grants (2010): $1,018,825,272
Science research grants (2010): $162,573,000
Broadband deployment rank: #16
9. New Jersey
Patents issued (2010): 3,874
Medical research grants (2010): $251,607,770
Science research grants (2010): $157,957,000
Broadband deployment rank: #8
8. Michigan
Patents issued (2010): 3,823
Medical research grants (2010): $625,298,979
Science research grants (2010): $192,512,000
Broadband deployment rank: #10
7. Pennsylvania
Patents issued (2010): 3,351
Medical research grants (2010): $1,405,917,085
Science research grants (2010): $279,662,000
Broadband deployment rank: #5
6. Illinois
Patents issued (2010): 3,611
Medical research grants (2010): $732,681,496
Science research grants (2010): $352,967,000
Broadband deployment rank: #6
5. Washington
Patents issued (2010): 5,258
Medical research grants (2010): $846,526,930
Science research grants (2010): $144,683,000
Broadband deployment rank: #14
4. Texas
Patents issued (2010): 7,545
Medical research grants (2010): $1,078,078,997
Science research grants (2010): $236,429,000
Broadband deployment rank: #2
3. Massachusetts
Patents issued (2010): 4,923
Medical research grants (2010): $2,447,323,040
Science research grants (2010): $476,666,000
Broadband deployment rank: #13
2. New York
Patents issued (2010): 7,082
Medical research grants (2010): $2,001,047,954
Science research grants (2010): $491,947,000
Broadband deployment rank: #3
1. California
Patents issued (2010): 27,337
Medical research grants (2010): $3,332,378,004
Science research grants (2010): $1,043,258,000
Broadband deployment rank: #1