Number of high-tech Jobs: 95,042

High-tech payroll: $7.6 billion

Average wage: $80,093

Area employers: Compuware, General Motors

Earlier this year, automaker General Motors (GM) said it would hire 1,000 engineers and researchers in the next two years. That's welcome news in a region that's been hard-hit by the recession and the auto industry's decline. Last year was particularly rough: The Motor City lost 15 percent of its high-tech jobs in computer system design, research and development, and engineering services. Still, a high-tech worker made 70 percent more than the area's average private sector worker.