A new report out from the Interactive Advertising Bureau shows that the ad-supported Internet business now account for 5.1 million jobs in the U.S., more than double the amount from four years ago. The study, conducted by researchers at Harvard University, also found that the industry contributed $530 billion to the U.S. economy last year. That was also nearly double the amount from 2007.
“The substantial economic impact of the internet — through its evolution and dynamism — has been born out by this study,” said John Deighton, a professor at Harvard who conducted the survey. “Once accessed only from large desktop machines that connected the office or home to the world, the internet, thanks to mobile phones and tablets, has become ubiquitous. And looking to the future, features such as constant connectivity and location sensing hold the promise of unanticipated opportunities abound for technological development and new user experiences that build on the features of constant connectivity and participation.”
As the accompanying chart indicates, New York and California led the way with Internet ad related jobs, followed by Washington, Massachusetts and Illinois. In fact, nine states accounted for 72 percent of the employment in the industry.
Here’s a look at the full study.
