BioHive Flying High

September 9, 2021

Newly released data from the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute shows that Utah’s mature life sciences industry – our BioHive – continues to experience strong growth relative to state and national trends, even during the pandemic.

Key findings include:

• In 2020, Utah’s workforce concentration in life sciences reached 1.9% of all employees, first among states and more than double the national average of 0.9%. Since 2007, life sciences growth has outpaced the rest of Utah’s economy.
• In 2020, when the state experienced an overall 1.8% contraction in average employment, the life sciences industry experienced employment growth of 7.2%, second highest among all states in the nation.
• Growth in Utah’s Life Sciences industry has grown at an annual rate of 4.8% which is also second in the nation trailing Arizona by only six one-hundredths of a percentage point.

“Life sciences is a forward-looking industry that’s been a source of strength and resilience to the rest of our economy. Life sciences jobs offer Utahns advanced career options in support of the healthcare sector and a variety of applications. That’s what we’re seeing in our latest research for COVID and prior years,” explained Levi Pace, PhD, Senior Research Economist with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

Click here to view the full report.