With the U.S. ranking third out of 139 countries in the latest Global Innovation Index, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its report on 2026’s Most & Least Innovative States, with Maryland ranked the 6th most innovative state in the country.
In order to give credit to the states that have contributed the most to America’s innovative success, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 25 key metrics. The data set ranges from the share of STEM professionals to R&D spending per capita. Innovation in Maryland (1=Most Innovative, 25=Avg.):
- Overall Rank: 6th
- 4th – Share of STEM Professionals
- 2nd – Projected STEM-Job Demand by 2030
- 4th – Share of Science & Engineering Graduates Aged 25+
- 4th – Share of Technology Companies
- 1st – R&D Spending per Capita
- 13th – Venture-Capital Funding per Capita
For the full report, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/most-innovative-states/31890
