Sallie Mae recently announced the creation of 150 new, high-paying information technology positions at Sallie Mae’s Hanover Township facility.

Members of the Chamber’s Economic Development team worked with Sallie Mae’s site selection professionals to make the case for this expansion in Greater Wilkes-Barre. The Chamber staff provided the company with data regarding the availability of local information technology professionals, organized interviews with local employers and directed the state and local response to the company’s RFP.

Representatives from Sallie Mae decided to expand their work force at the Hanover Industrial Estates site adding approximately 150 information technology jobs to their current workforce of 700. The new positions will offer an average salary of approximately $80,000 a year, contributing nearly $11 million in salaries and benefits annually to the Wilkes-Barre area. Since beginning their operations in Wilkes-Barre in 1987, Sallie Mae has grown rapidly, nearly tripling its workforce in the past five years.

Sallie Mae will receive $1,150,000 from a state government package, includibng $450,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits, through the efforts of state and federal legislators.