This post continues my series of posts trying to help individuals get a job as a Data Center Technician. This role has seen more positions open, along with increased popularity, due to the boon of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) here in America. Companies continue to invest in their own on-premise compute, or buying compute from other companies. Thus, data centers need more employees (such as Data Center Technicians) to meet customer demand. Where are those jobs located? I’m glad you asked! In today’s posts I provide the best data center work locations in America.
Why Choosing One Of The Best Data Center Work Locations Is Important
As an experienced Data Center Technician choosing where to work is important because there are some states where data centers aren’t plentiful. Thus, if one lives one of those states getting a Data Center Technician job is going to be difficult, if not impossible.
So it’s best to move to a state and/or city where there are dozens of data centers. In turn, the chances of getting a job in one improves. Also, I want interested applicants to get paid what their worth, which means choosing to live in one of the best data center work locations.
Data Center Techs Best Work Locations In America
Here’s the list of the cities providing the best data center work locations in America in no particular order:
- Ashburn, VA
- Atlanta, GA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Central Ohio
Ashburn, VA
Ashburn, VA is on the list because it is “Data Center Alley.” This city is home to Silicon Valley data centers like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, to colocation providers like Equinix, QTS, and Digital Realty. In addition, there are many data centers providing the U.S. Federal Government support.
Why should data center technicians choose Ashburn, VA? Here are two reasons:
Plenty of employers: With over 60 data centers in the city there are plenty of employers to choose from. Which means it will be easier to find an entry-level data center position for those new to the role, or find a senior position for those more tenured. Also, with so many employers vying for workers they offer higher salaries and better benefits.
Great networking opportunities: The city and the county holds events constantly where Data Center Technicians can get together and talk. These events also help those individuals find better jobs, or improve their skill-sets by learning about new technologies.
While this city is a great place to move to there are two downsides:
- High cost of living
- Traffic
I’ve been to this part of Virginia since my employer has a few data centers there and life is expensive there. Housing is crazy expensive, no matter if you rent or buy. Food is expensive, even if one shops at Walmart. Going out on the town is expensive. Just everything is expensive.
Finally, traffic is bad in the city due to its closeness to Washington, DC. Yes, the toll roads help, but that’s another added cost. I didn’t take the toll road when I worked there and just dealt with the traffic.
Atlanta, GA
Next on the list of one of the best data center work locations is Atlanta, GA. Georgia is my home state so I’m biased, but there are several data centers in the Atlanta, GA metro area. They range from major Silicon Valley companies like Google and Meta, but they are located in suburbs (Douglas County and Walton & Newton County respectively). However, the city contains major data center colocation providers.
Why should data center technicians choose Atlanta, GA? Here are a couple of reasons:
Most of the employers are located in Downtown Atlanta: This really helps with commuting purposes. One could decide to live close to downtown and walk to work (or take public transportation).
Various types of data centers are available to choose from: If you want to work for a data center handling state lotteries there’s Scientific Games. Or if you want to work with various types of customers then work at Digital Realty, QTS, or Equinix.
While this city is a great place to move to there are two downsides:
- The cost of living continues to increase
- Terrible traffic
I lived and worked in Atlanta for about 8 years (2014 to 2022), and I saw the cost of living continue to increase year after year. My rent increased from $650 to $800+ before I bought a house in 2020. Today the rent for my previous apartment now just under $1100 per month!
Finally, the traffic in Atlanta is just plain terrible. There’s too many people, not enough public transportation, and the highways weren’t built to contain it all. Yes, the city continues to expand the highway system and its city streets, but it’s not enough.
Phoenix, AZ
Let’s jump over to the West Coast for a moment. One of the best data center work locations is Phoenix, AZ. There are 40+ data centers in the area. And if you don’t mind traveling 20 miles away there is the Apple data center in Mesa, AZ which is considered their global command center. Like the other two cities on this list Phoenix has several major colocation providers like PhoenixNAP, H5, Digital Realty, and QTS.
Why should data center technicians choose Phoenix, AZ? Here are two reasons:
- Decent cost of living
- Various employers to choose from
Unlike the other two cities on this list Phoenix, AZ has a decent cost of living. It is higher than what it used to be due to the influx of Californians moving into the city over the past few years. Yet, when I check out the cost of living for the city is only 4% higher than the national average. Housing is high, however, just like it is in every major American city.
Finally, just like the other cities there are plenty of employers to choose from. So it shouldn’t be too hard to get a job.
New Albany, OH
The last location on this list may surprise readers because it’s not a city well-known to many. However, more people will probably know of it within the next 3 to 5 years: New Albany, OH. It’s a suburb of Columbus, OH, and is home to data centers for Google, Amazon, Meta, and in the next few years Microsoft. In short, this part of Ohio is becoming a place for Big Tech and I expect this part of Central Ohio to become a tech hub in the next few years.
So if anyone wants to work for a major tech company without moving to California this city is the top choice. However, this move is going to come with some costs. Housing is getting more expensive in the area. That’s due to the large salaries these companies pay for talent. And Columbus, OH is the capital of the state, and people move out to the suburbs and commute into the city for work. Finally, you’ll have to deal with traffic. Yet, like with Atlanta, the city and the state are working on expanding the highway system.