Best cities for director and executive jobs in New England
Key facts
- #1 Cambridge, MA: 53%
- #2 Watertown, MA: 51%
- #3 Greenwich, CT: 35%
- 28 cities ranked in New England
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 28% across all cities in our data.
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Cambridge (53%) is well clear of Hartford at #10 (27%).
- Newton reaches #6 on a sample of 111 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 100 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
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.
- 2
Watertown MA
51%
- Director and above
- 74
- All openings
- 146
- Median posted pay
- $205k
Hiring most here: Tutor Intelligence, Kymera Therapeutics, Treeline Biosciences
Based on 146 openings.
- 3
Greenwich CT
35%
- Director and above
- 49
- All openings
- 142
- Median posted pay
- $155k
Hiring most here: iCapital, AQR Capital
Based on 142 openings.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
Newton MA
32%
- Director and above
- 36
- All openings
- 111
- Median posted pay
- $151k
Hiring most here: Panera Brands, Siemens Healthineers, The RMR Group
Based on 111 openings.
- 7
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.
- 8
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.
- 9
Worcester MA
27%
- Director and above
- 47
- All openings
- 171
- Median posted pay
- $116k
Hiring most here: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Umass Memorial Health Care, Milford Regional Medical Center
Based on 171 openings.
- 10
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.
- 11
Norwood MA
26%
- Director and above
- 31
- All openings
- 117
- Median posted pay
- $179k
Hiring most here: Moderna, Home Market Foods, Illinois Tool Works
Based on 117 openings.
- 12
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.
- 13
Providence RI
25%
- Director and above
- 51
- All openings
- 207
- Median posted pay
- $112k
Hiring most here: Gilbane, Brown University, Women and Infants Hospital
Based on 207 openings.
- 14
Bedford MA
24%
- Director and above
- 49
- All openings
- 201
- Median posted pay
- $168k
Hiring most here: The MITRE, Stoke Therapeutics, Entegris
Based on 201 openings.
- 15
New Haven CT
24%
- Director and above
- 74
- All openings
- 304
- Median posted pay
- $130k
Hiring most here: Yale University, Yale New Haven Health, Knights of Columbus
Based on 304 openings.
- 16
Burlington MA
24%
- Director and above
- 55
- All openings
- 227
- Median posted pay
- $148k
Hiring most here: Veracode, Vericel, Tufts Medicine Care AT Home
Based on 227 openings.
- 17
Portland ME
24%
- Director and above
- 45
- All openings
- 191
- Median posted pay
- $127k
Hiring most here: Unum Group, BerryDunn, Springborn Staffing
Based on 191 openings.
- 18
Framingham MA
22%
- Director and above
- 47
- All openings
- 213
- Median posted pay
- $145k
Hiring most here: Staples, Bose, TJX Companies
Based on 213 openings.
- 20
Marlborough MA
20%
- Director and above
- 52
- All openings
- 258
- Median posted pay
- $129k
Hiring most here: RTX, Danaher, Hologic
Based on 258 openings.
- 21
Wilmington MA
18%
- Director and above
- 30
- All openings
- 165
- Median posted pay
- $144k
Hiring most here: Onto Innovation, L3HARRIS Technologies, Symbotic
Based on 165 openings.
- 22
- 23
Quincy MA
17%
- Director and above
- 28
- All openings
- 169
- Median posted pay
- $161k
Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, Anduril, J.Jill
Based on 169 openings.
- 24
Springfield MA
14%
- Director and above
- 15
- All openings
- 105
- Median posted pay
- $99k
Hiring most here: MassMutual
Based on 105 openings.
- 25
Manchester NH
14%
- Director and above
- 22
- All openings
- 158
- Median posted pay
- $132k
Hiring most here: BAE Systems, Allegro Microsystems, Eversource Energy
Based on 158 openings.
Full ranking
All 28 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge MA | 53% | 1,204 |
| 2 | Watertown MA | 51% | 146 |
| 3 | Greenwich CT | 35% | 142 |
| 4 | Boston MA | 34% | 5,338 |
| 5 | Somerville MA | 34% | 354 |
| 6 | Newton MA | 32% | 111 |
| 7 | Waltham MA | 32% | 634 |
| 8 | Stamford CT | 30% | 336 |
| 9 | Worcester MA | 27% | 171 |
| 10 | Hartford CT | 27% | 366 |
| 11 | Norwood MA | 26% | 117 |
| 12 | Lexington MA | 26% | 253 |
| 13 | Providence RI | 25% | 207 |
| 14 | Bedford MA | 24% | 201 |
| 15 | New Haven CT | 24% | 304 |
| 16 | Burlington MA | 24% | 227 |
| 17 | Portland ME | 24% | 191 |
| 18 | Framingham MA | 22% | 213 |
| 19 | Woburn MA | 21% | 180 |
| 20 | Marlborough MA | 20% | 258 |
| 21 | Wilmington MA | 18% | 165 |
| 22 | Lowell MA | 18% | 145 |
| 23 | Quincy MA | 17% | 169 |
| 24 | Springfield MA | 14% | 105 |
| 25 | Manchester NH | 14% | 158 |
| 26 | Westborough MA | 12% | 116 |
| 27 | Andover MA | 11% | 160 |
| 28 | Danbury CT | 7% | 106 |
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 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 director and executive jobs in new england?
- Cambridge leads New England for director and executive jobs: 53% of its professional openings are director level or above, against 28% across all cities in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 28 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 28 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.
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- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in New England
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- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in New England
- Best cities for director and executive jobs
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for director and executive jobs in New England,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-director-and-executive-jobs-in-new-england
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-director-and-executive-jobs-in-new-england">Best cities for director and executive jobs in New England (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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