Jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are the backbone of the Massachusetts economy. They comprise a substantial share of employment: about 13 percent of the state's jobs and one-third of its gross state product are related to STEM. And they also generate jobs in other fields, such as business and professional services, further increasing their impact on the economy. These are highly creative, high-paying, and fast-growing jobs: the kinds of jobs the Commonwealth will need to keep if it is to remain economically healthy. Massachusetts students perform relatively well on high school assessments in mathematics and science, and many are preparing to enter careers in STEM-related fields. Even so, some signals indicate that the state may not be producing enough well-qualified students to fill all the available jobs in these fields. Many STEM occupations are seeing increasing job vacancy rates within the state, indicating a possible mismatch of supply and demand. To bolster the state economy and ensure that its students remain competitive for Massachusetts-based STEM jobs, the Commonwealth will need to improve the STEM education of all students and strengthen the pipeline from high school through college and beyond. (Contains 1 table, 2 figures and 10 footnotes.)