NextChapter

Best cities for director and executive jobs

Cambridge leads the United States for director and executive jobs: 53% of its professional openings are director level or above, against 19% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Cambridge, MA: 53%
  • #2 Princeton, NJ: 44%
  • #3 Gaithersburg, MD: 41%
  • 100 cities ranked in the United States
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 19% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Cambridge MA53%
  2. 2Princeton NJ44%
  3. 3Gaithersburg MD41%
  4. 4Foster City CA38%
  5. 5United PA37%
  6. 6Morristown NJ37%
  7. 7Boston MA34%
  8. 8Somerville MA34%
  9. 9Waltham MA32%
  10. 10Redwood City CA32%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Cambridge (53%) is well clear of Redwood City at #10 (32%).
  • Gaithersburg reaches #3 on a sample of 213 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Boston is the largest market in the top ten, with 5,338 openings behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 200 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Director, VP and executive openings are rare and cluster in headquarters cities. Their share of local openings shows where leadership hiring happens.

How to use it

Senior searches depend on a small number of employers. Follow the employers listed under each city and watch their openings page.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Cambridge MA

    53%

    Director and above
    638
    All openings
    1,204
    Median posted pay
    $198k

    Hiring most here: Harvard University, Biogen, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

    Based on 1,204 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cambridge

  2. 2

    Princeton NJ

    44%

    Director and above
    192
    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

  3. 3

    Gaithersburg MD

    41%

    Director and above
    88
    All openings
    213
    Median posted pay
    $153k

    Hiring most here: Astrazeneca, Adventist Healthcare, Leidos

    Based on 213 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Gaithersburg

  4. 4

    Foster City CA

    38%

    Director and above
    194
    All openings
    517
    Median posted pay
    $232k

    Hiring most here: Gilead Sciences, Zoox, Replit

    Based on 517 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Foster City

  5. 5

    United PA

    37%

    Director and above
    87
    All openings
    234
    Median posted pay
    $135k

    Based on 234 openings.

  6. 6

    Morristown NJ

    37%

    Director and above
    92
    All openings
    248
    Median posted pay
    $153k

    Hiring most here: Atlantic Health System, Sanofi-aventis Patient Assistance Foundation, Atlantic Health

    Based on 248 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Morristown

  7. 7

    Boston MA

    34%

    Director and above
    1,809
    All openings
    5,338
    Median posted pay
    $170k

    Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Confidential, Takeda Development Center Americas

    Based on 5,338 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Boston

  8. 8

    Somerville MA

    34%

    Director and above
    119
    All openings
    354
    Median posted pay
    $164k

    Hiring most here: Formlabs, Tulip Interfaces, Generate Biomedicines

    Based on 354 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Somerville

  9. 9

    Waltham MA

    32%

    Director and above
    204
    All openings
    634
    Median posted pay
    $193k

    Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry

    Based on 634 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Waltham

  10. 10

    Redwood City CA

    32%

    Director and above
    162
    All openings
    514
    Median posted pay
    $193k

    Hiring most here: Corcept Therapeutics, SB Energy, C3 AI

    Based on 514 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Redwood City

  11. 11

    Eden Prairie MN

    31%

    Director and above
    114
    All openings
    363
    Median posted pay
    $139k

    Hiring most here: Unitedhealth Group, LHC Group, Illinois Tool Works

    Based on 363 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Eden Prairie

  12. 12

    Addison TX

    30%

    Director and above
    65
    All openings
    215
    Median posted pay
    $150k

    Hiring most here: National Life Group, National Life Insurance Company, Bank of America

    Based on 215 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Addison

  13. 13

    Stamford CT

    30%

    Director and above
    100
    All openings
    336
    Median posted pay
    $145k

    Hiring most here: Philip Morris International, Gartner, Charter Communications

    Based on 336 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Stamford

  14. 14

    Wilmington DE

    29%

    Director and above
    147
    All openings
    507
    Median posted pay
    $161k

    Hiring most here: Astrazeneca, Sargent & Lundy, CSC

    Based on 507 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Wilmington

  15. 15

    Jersey City NJ

    29%

    Director and above
    195
    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

  16. 16

    Philadelphia PA

    29%

    Director and above
    559
    All openings
    1,960
    Median posted pay
    $135k

    Hiring most here: Confidential, GSK, Comcast

    Based on 1,960 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Philadelphia

  17. 17

    New York NY

    28%

    Director and above
    6,272
    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

  18. 18

    Brooklyn NY

    28%

    Director and above
    196
    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

  19. 19

    Alameda CA

    27%

    Director and above
    59
    All openings
    215
    Median posted pay
    $195k

    Hiring most here: Saildrone, Abbott, Penumbra

    Based on 215 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Alameda

  20. 20

    Hartford CT

    27%

    Director and above
    100
    All openings
    366
    Median posted pay
    $135k

    Hiring most here: CVS HEALTH, Hartford HealthCare, Eversource Energy

    Based on 366 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Hartford

  21. 21

    Durham NC

    27%

    Director and above
    214
    All openings
    804
    Median posted pay
    $122k

    Hiring most here: Duke University, Duke Health, GSK

    Based on 804 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Durham

  22. 22

    Lexington MA

    26%

    Director and above
    67
    All openings
    253
    Median posted pay
    $172k

    Hiring most here: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Lincoln Lab), Takeda Development Center Americas, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International

    Based on 253 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lexington

  23. 23

    Parsippany NJ

    26%

    Director and above
    72
    All openings
    274
    Median posted pay
    $147k

    Hiring most here: Langan, Clark Davis Associates, Ferrero North America

    Based on 274 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Parsippany

  24. 24

    Chicago IL

    26%

    Director and above
    2,050
    All openings
    8,033
    Median posted pay
    $140k

    Hiring most here: Publicis Groupe, Confidential, Mars

    Based on 8,033 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chicago

  25. 25

    Washington DC

    25%

    Director and above
    1,209
    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

Full ranking

All 100 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Cambridge MA53%1,204
2Princeton NJ44%439
3Gaithersburg MD41%213
4Foster City CA38%517
5United PA37%234
6Morristown NJ37%248
7Boston MA34%5,338
8Somerville MA34%354
9Waltham MA32%634
10Redwood City CA32%514
11Eden Prairie MN31%363
12Addison TX30%215
13Stamford CT30%336
14Wilmington DE29%507
15Jersey City NJ29%679
16Philadelphia PA29%1,960
17New York NY28%22,145
18Brooklyn NY28%693
19Alameda CA27%215
20Hartford CT27%366
21Durham NC27%804
22Lexington MA26%253
23Parsippany NJ26%274
24Chicago IL26%8,033
25Washington DC25%4,748
26Newark NJ25%455
27Mundelein IL25%255
28El Paso TX25%319
29Providence RI25%207
30Coral Gables FL25%264
31Bedford MA24%201
32New Haven CT24%304
33Burlington MA24%227
34Newport Beach CA24%310
35Richardson TX24%433
36Oakland CA23%609
37Miami FL23%2,485
38San Diego CA23%3,240
39Jacksonville FL23%1,131
40Santa Clara CA23%1,689
41Rockville MD23%383
42Los Angeles CA23%5,439
43Sacramento CA23%1,431
44Santa Monica CA23%327
45San Jose CA22%2,552
46San Mateo CA22%960
47Frisco TX22%207
48Berkeley CA22%249
49Framingham MA22%213
50Dallas TX22%4,778
51Charlottesville VA22%517
52New Orleans LA22%386
53Mc Lean VA21%242
54Atlanta GA21%5,877
55Anchorage AK21%209
56Menlo Park CA21%449
57Indianapolis IN21%1,496
58Plano TX21%1,109
59Baltimore MD21%1,158
60Detroit MI20%786
61Las Vegas NV20%980
62Chattanooga TN20%216
63Irving TX20%948
64Marlborough MA20%258
65Bethesda MD20%470
66Culver City CA20%252
67Lexington KY20%230
68Nashville TN19%1,737
69Lehi UT19%273
70Irvine CA19%1,587
71Tallahassee FL19%840
72Memphis TN19%708
73Knoxville TN19%466
74San Francisco CA19%12,335
75Pasadena CA19%278
76Cary NC19%242
77Austin TX19%6,257
78Minneapolis MN18%1,313
79Des Moines IA18%394
80Milwaukee WI18%909
81Syracuse NY18%419
82Harrisburg PA18%300
83Fort Worth TX18%1,339
84Palo Alto CA18%1,263
85Tampa FL18%1,845
86Salt Lake City UT17%1,102
87Fresno CA17%214
88Reno NV17%311
89Broomfield CO17%294
90Portland OR17%837
91Madison WI17%526
92Phoenix AZ17%2,922
93Albany NY17%397
94Fort Lauderdale FL17%624
95Reading PA17%215
96San Antonio TX17%1,352
97Denver CO17%2,996
98Carlsbad CA17%313
99Charlotte NC17%3,402
100McLean VA17%1,182

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles at director, senior manager, vice president, head-of or C-suite level, read from the full posting text.

Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted.

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 200 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 director and executive jobs?
Cambridge leads the United States for director and executive jobs: 53% of its professional openings are director level or above, against 19% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
100 cities have at least 200 openings, so the list has 100 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its open professional roles at director, senior manager, vice president, head-of or C-suite level, read from the full posting text. Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. 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 director and executive jobs,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-director-and-executive-jobs

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-director-and-executive-jobs">Best cities for director and executive jobs (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

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