It’s official: Missouri ranks 10th in the nation for the diversity of its tech workforce. As for percentage of women working for tech companies, Missouri has the 6th highest rank nationally.

That’s just two of the findings in the Missouri Chamber Foundation’s new study, the Technology 2030 Report. The report dives deep into the workings of our state’s tech sector and how it compares to the tech industries of the other states.

The qualitative benefits of workforce diversity make sense — to deliver the most value, an organization naturally needs diverse talent and perspectives that mirror the diverse society we live in. Quantitative research tells the same story. According to one McKinsey report, ethnically diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to perform better than the national industry median. That study also revealed gender-diverse companies are 15 percent more likely to have better financial returns.

Simply put, diverse companies fare better. And there’s even more good news: Technology 2030 data suggests Missouri is well-positioned to continue to build an inclusive tech sector in the future. Looking forward to the next five years, our state’s tech industry is expected to grow its workforce by 9.5 percent, which ranks us in the top 10 states for projected growth.

Technology 2030 is a part of Missouri 2030, the Missouri Chamber’s data-driven 15-year strategic initiative to make Missouri a global economic leader. This is just a small sneak peek at what the Technology 2030 study revealed. Access the full Technology 2030 Report to read more about how Missouri’s tech industry stacks up to the rest of the U.S.