The analysis conducted by German digital association Bitkom is based on data from the German Federal Employment Agency on employees subject to social security contributions in Germany as at June 30, 2018. According to the figures, Hamburg is the federal state with the highest density of IT specialists. Here, 4.1% of all employees subject to social security contributions work as IT specialists or in other ICT occupations. It is followed by Berlin (3.2%), Hesse (3.1%), and Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria (3.0% each). Bremen (2.6%) and North Rhine-Westphalia (2.4%) also achieve the national average (2.4%). Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt (1% each) and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (0.9%) rank lowest.

As at June 30, 2018, a total of 802,318 persons subject to social security contributions were employed nationwide in IT and other ICT occupations, 388,014 of whom were employed by IT and telecommunications companies. The leader in absolute figures is Bavaria (165,713) – around 20% of Germany’s IT experts work here. The figure is similarly high in North Rhine-Westphalia (162,219), followed by Baden-Württemberg (142,290).