NextChapter

Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Mid-Atlantic

Gaithersburg leads the Mid-Atlantic for AI skills: 30% of its professional openings ask for them, against 12% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Gaithersburg, MD: 30%
  • #2 Radnor, PA: 26%
  • #3 Tysons, VA: 20%
  • 85 cities ranked in the Mid-Atlantic
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 12% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Gaithersburg MD30%
  2. 2Radnor PA26%
  3. 3Tysons VA20%
  4. 4New York NY20%
  5. 5McLean VA17%
  6. 6Reston VA17%
  7. 7Jersey City NJ16%
  8. 8Arlington VA14%
  9. 9Silver Spring MD13%
  10. 10King of Prussia PA13%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Gaithersburg (30%) is well clear of King of Prussia at #10 (13%).
  • Silver Spring reaches #9 on a sample of 104 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • New York is the largest market in the top ten, with 22,145 openings behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Some labor markets ask for AI skills in a large share of postings, others in very few. The share tells you how far AI has moved from a specialist skill into ordinary job requirements in that place.

How to use it

Compare your own city to the top of the list. A gap is a reason to build one AI skill and show it on your résumé before you apply, not a reason to move.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Gaithersburg MD

    30%

    AI-skill openings
    64
    All openings
    213
    Median posted pay
    $153k

    Hiring most here: Astrazeneca, Adventist Healthcare, Leidos

    Based on 213 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Gaithersburg

  2. 2

    Radnor PA

    26%

    AI-skill openings
    33
    All openings
    128
    Median posted pay
    $134k

    Hiring most here: Lincoln National, Cytokinetics, Airgas

    Based on 128 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Radnor

  3. 3

    Tysons VA

    20%

    AI-skill openings
    39
    All openings
    191
    Median posted pay
    $127k

    Hiring most here: M.C. Dean, Alarm.com Holdings, LMI

    Based on 191 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tysons

  4. 4

    New York NY

    20%

    AI-skill openings
    4,428
    All openings
    22,145
    Median posted pay
    $169k

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Publicis Groupe, Morgan Stanley

    Based on 22,145 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New York

  5. 5

    McLean VA

    17%

    AI-skill openings
    198
    All openings
    1,182
    Median posted pay
    $160k

    Hiring most here: Capital One, The MITRE, Steampunk

    Based on 1,182 openings.

    Jobs and employers in McLean

  6. 6

    Reston VA

    17%

    AI-skill openings
    137
    All openings
    828
    Median posted pay
    $160k

    Hiring most here: ICF International, CACI International, Anduril Industries

    Based on 828 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Reston

  7. 7

    Jersey City NJ

    16%

    AI-skill openings
    108
    All openings
    679
    Median posted pay
    $162k

    Hiring most here: DTCC, JPMorgan Chase, Verisk Analytics

    Based on 679 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Jersey City

  8. 8

    Arlington VA

    14%

    AI-skill openings
    287
    All openings
    2,079
    Median posted pay
    $148k

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Bloomberg Industry Group

    Based on 2,079 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Arlington

  9. 9

    Silver Spring MD

    13%

    AI-skill openings
    14
    All openings
    104
    Median posted pay
    $124k

    Hiring most here: Food and Drug Administration, Eagle Bancorp, Think Tank

    Based on 104 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Silver Spring

  10. 10

    King of Prussia PA

    13%

    AI-skill openings
    46
    All openings
    347
    Median posted pay
    $108k

    Hiring most here: Lockheed Martin Services, Sikorsky Aircraft, Lockheed Martin

    Based on 347 openings.

    Jobs and employers in King of Prussia

  11. 11

    Herndon VA

    13%

    AI-skill openings
    112
    All openings
    849
    Median posted pay
    $163k

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Peraton

    Based on 849 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Herndon

  12. 12

    Exton PA

    12%

    AI-skill openings
    15
    All openings
    124
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: West Pharmaceutical Services, Bentley Systems, NextGen Security

    Based on 124 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Exton

  13. 13

    Princeton NJ

    12%

    AI-skill openings
    52
    All openings
    439
    Median posted pay
    $191k

    Hiring most here: Genmab A/S, Otsuka, ZS Associates

    Based on 439 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Princeton

  14. 14

    Horsham PA

    11%

    AI-skill openings
    13
    All openings
    117
    Median posted pay
    $135k

    Hiring most here: Veeco Instruments, Coherent, Johnson & Johnson

    Based on 117 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Horsham

  15. 15

    Piscataway NJ

    11%

    AI-skill openings
    14
    All openings
    127
    Median posted pay
    $129k

    Hiring most here: Colgate Palmolive, Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Element Solutions

    Based on 127 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Piscataway

  16. 16

    Owings Mills MD

    11%

    AI-skill openings
    12
    All openings
    110
    Median posted pay
    $115k

    Hiring most here: Price T Rowe Group, Dewberry, RadNet

    Based on 110 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Owings Mills

  17. 17

    Brooklyn NY

    11%

    AI-skill openings
    75
    All openings
    693
    Median posted pay
    $142k

    Hiring most here: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Williams-Sonoma, Etsy

    Based on 693 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Brooklyn

  18. 18

    Vienna VA

    11%

    AI-skill openings
    18
    All openings
    171
    Median posted pay
    $133k

    Hiring most here: Esri, Navy Federal Credit Union, Antithesis

    Based on 171 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Vienna

  19. 19

    Washington DC

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    489
    All openings
    4,748
    Median posted pay
    $163k

    Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, Confidential, Shield AI

    Based on 4,748 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Washington

  20. 20

    Wilmington DE

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    51
    All openings
    507
    Median posted pay
    $161k

    Hiring most here: Astrazeneca, Sargent & Lundy, CSC

    Based on 507 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Wilmington

  21. 21

    Bethesda MD

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    47
    All openings
    470
    Median posted pay
    $144k

    Hiring most here: Black Canyon Consulting, ZoomInfo, Leidos

    Based on 470 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Bethesda

  22. 22

    Chantilly VA

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    54
    All openings
    553
    Median posted pay
    $194k

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Trinzic, Peraton

    Based on 553 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chantilly

  23. 23

    Newark NJ

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    44
    All openings
    455
    Median posted pay
    $138k

    Hiring most here: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Amazon, Audible

    Based on 455 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Newark

  24. 24

    Malvern PA

    9%

    AI-skill openings
    10
    All openings
    115
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: Vanguard, Siemens Healthineers, CubeSmart

    Based on 115 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Malvern

  25. 25

    Annapolis Junction MD

    9%

    AI-skill openings
    19
    All openings
    220
    Median posted pay
    $149k

    Hiring most here: Peraton, General Dynamics Mission Systems, CACI International

    Based on 220 openings.

Full ranking

All 85 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Gaithersburg MD30%213
2Radnor PA26%128
3Tysons VA20%191
4New York NY20%22,145
5McLean VA17%1,182
6Reston VA17%828
7Jersey City NJ16%679
8Arlington VA14%2,079
9Silver Spring MD13%104
10King of Prussia PA13%347
11Herndon VA13%849
12Exton PA12%124
13Princeton NJ12%439
14Horsham PA11%117
15Piscataway NJ11%127
16Owings Mills MD11%110
17Brooklyn NY11%693
18Vienna VA11%171
19Washington DC10%4,748
20Wilmington DE10%507
21Bethesda MD10%470
22Chantilly VA10%553
23Newark NJ10%455
24Malvern PA9%115
25Annapolis Junction MD9%220
26Rockville MD8%383
27Bridgewater NJ8%170
28Columbia MD8%280
29Mc Lean VA7%242
30Hoboken NJ7%122
31Fort Meade MD7%275
32Springfield VA7%277
33Philadelphia PA7%1,960
34Iselin NJ7%154
35Florham Park NJ7%140
36White Plains NY7%229
37Morristown NJ7%248
38Albany NY7%397
39Trenton NJ7%118
40Edison NJ7%122
41Falls Church VA6%172
42Pittsburgh PA6%1,592
43Alexandria VA6%618
44Hanover MD6%114
45Fort Belvoir VA6%197
46Fairfax VA6%421
47Ashburn VA6%259
48Sterling VA6%312
49Baltimore MD6%1,158
50Frederick MD5%168
51Reading PA5%215
52Conshohocken PA5%161
53Secaucus NJ5%121
54Newark DE5%183
55Linthicum Heights MD5%111
56Richmond VA4%1,209
57Buffalo NY4%461
58Aberdeen MD4%103
59Norfolk VA4%342
60Lynchburg VA3%117
61Camden NJ3%180
62Berkeley Heights NJ3%121
63Charlottesville VA3%517
64Allentown PA3%218
65Rochester NY3%537
66Annapolis MD3%391
67Harrisburg PA3%300
68Queens NY3%105
69Ithaca NY3%108
70United PA3%234
71Dulles VA2%127
72Parsippany NJ2%274
73Virginia Beach VA2%275
74Chesapeake VA2%140
75Manassas VA2%236
76Syracuse NY2%419
77Melville NY2%158
78Hampton VA2%120
79York PA2%122
80Bronx NY2%190
81Lancaster PA1%165
82Roanoke VA1%184
83Bethlehem PA1%115
84Newport News VA1%130
85Mechanicsburg PA1%145

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool, found by our AI-skill tagger on the posting text.

The tagger looks for named skills (for example prompt engineering, machine learning, or a named AI tool), not the words "AI-powered" in a company blurb.

A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.

Sample bar: cities with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles on employer career sites, verified in the last week. Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which city ranks first: best cities for ai-skill jobs in the mid-atlantic?
Gaithersburg leads the Mid-Atlantic for AI skills: 30% of its professional openings ask for them, against 12% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
85 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 85 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its open professional roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool, found by our AI-skill tagger on the posting text. The tagger looks for named skills (for example prompt engineering, machine learning, or a named AI tool), not the words "AI-powered" in a company blurb. A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Mid-Atlantic,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-ai-jobs-in-the-mid-atlantic

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-ai-jobs-in-the-mid-atlantic">Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Mid-Atlantic (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

The job market, once a week

One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.

Applying and hearing nothing back?

Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.

Already a member? Log in

Get my Market Reality Assessment

Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?

Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.

See how organizations use it