CNBC just released its “10 Best States for Working People” here — I was suspicious from the start. And I was right to be skeptical. Let’s start with the first element that indicates that the title is misleading at best:

To determine which states have the best workforce, we look at a variety of factors, including the percentage of workers with a college degree, the concentration of high-tech workers, as well as workers with an associate’s degree. and industry-recognized certificates. We also consider right-to-work laws protecting employees who refuse to join a union, as well as state worker training programs and the net migration of college-educated workers.

Oh so the analysis isn’t actually which state is best for workers, but rather which states have the best workforce for employers. Maybe that’s why Texas is #2, Georgia is #3, and Florida is #6. Yes, those are states I would really want to be in if I were a worker;

So what are the criteria, here is Colorado’s score (#1):

2022 squad note: 302 out of 410 points (Top State Grade: A+)

Net migration ranking: No. 11

Adults with a baccalaureate or higher: 36.7%

Professional Studies diploma : 41.6%

STEM workers: 9.2%

State of the right to work? Hybrid

Texas had 6% fewer college degrees and 2.5% fewer STEM workers, but:

Texas is in the top ten for labor productivity, with $139,549 in economic output per job last year. With an unemployment rate above the national average, employers have many industrious workers to choose from.

Yes, they don’t have degrees, but you can work them to death – great labor criteria.

Blue states (Maryland, Delaware, Washington, Oregon, and Colorado) all had higher numbers of college degrees and STEM workers than four of the five red states (Arizona, Florida, Texas, Georgia), with Utah the only number college degrees in the number of blue states but even fewer STEM workers.

So there you have it – if you want a 21st century workforce, look to blue states. If you want a 17th century workforce, the Red States are for you. Is it any wonder there is a growing gap in this country?

And again, CNBC categorizes this based on what’s in it for the employer, not what’s in it for the worker.