Indeed: data center roles in the US offer a ~42% pay premium for hourly maintenance and installation workers compared with similar jobs at other businesses (Owen Tucker-Smith/Wall Street Journal)

Data center maintenance and installation workers in the U.S. are commanding about a 42% pay premium versus similar roles elsewhere, underscoring how the AI-driven expansion of data center capacity is tightening the labor market and raising operating costs. For CIOs and technology leaders, this means facilities talent is becoming a strategic constraint, with implications for budgeting, site selection, outsourcing decisions, and the need to invest in automation and monitoring to reduce dependence on scarce hourly labor.