NextChapter

Best cities for director and executive jobs in the Midwest

Lake Forest leads the Midwest for director and executive jobs: 33% of its professional openings are director level or above, against 17% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Lake Forest, IL: 33%
  • #2 Eden Prairie, MN: 31%
  • #3 Minnetonka, MN: 31%
  • 69 cities ranked in the Midwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 17% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Lake Forest IL33%
  2. 2Eden Prairie MN31%
  3. 3Minnetonka MN31%
  4. 4Evanston IL27%
  5. 5Chicago IL26%
  6. 6Mundelein IL25%
  7. 7Northbrook IL24%
  8. 8Topeka KS24%
  9. 9Aurora IL24%
  10. 10Indianapolis IN21%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Lake Forest leads on 33%, and #10 Indianapolis is at 21%.
  • Chicago is the largest market in the top ten, with 8,033 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. 1

    Lake Forest IL

    33%

    Director and above
    37
    All openings
    111
    Median posted pay
    $167k

    Hiring most here: W.W. Grainger, Reynolds Consumer Products, Novolex

    Based on 111 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lake Forest

  2. 2

    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

  3. 3

    Minnetonka MN

    31%

    Director and above
    37
    All openings
    121
    Median posted pay
    $135k

    Hiring most here: Unitedhealth Group, LHC Group, Legrand North America

    Based on 121 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Minnetonka

  4. 4

    Evanston IL

    27%

    Director and above
    29
    All openings
    109
    Median posted pay
    $133k

    Hiring most here: Northwestern University, UL Standards & Engagement, Prime Healthcare

    Based on 109 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Evanston

  5. 5

    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

  6. 6

    Mundelein IL

    25%

    Director and above
    64
    All openings
    255
    Median posted pay
    $134k

    Hiring most here: Coda Search│Staffing

    Based on 255 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Mundelein

  7. 7

    Northbrook IL

    24%

    Director and above
    47
    All openings
    192
    Median posted pay
    $125k

    Hiring most here: UL Solutions, Astellas (ADP), Medline Industries

    Based on 192 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Northbrook

  8. 8

    Topeka KS

    24%

    Director and above
    27
    All openings
    112
    Median posted pay
    $87k

    Hiring most here: Stormont Vail, Colgate Palmolive

    Based on 112 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Topeka

  9. 9

    Aurora IL

    24%

    Director and above
    32
    All openings
    133
    Median posted pay
    $100k

    Hiring most here: Entegris, HelloFresh

    Based on 133 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Aurora

  10. 10

    Indianapolis IN

    21%

    Director and above
    313
    All openings
    1,496
    Median posted pay
    $124k

    Hiring most here: Eli Lilly and Company, State of Indiana, Masco

    Based on 1,496 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Indianapolis

  11. 11

    Jefferson City MO

    21%

    Director and above
    26
    All openings
    125
    Median posted pay
    $99k

    Hiring most here: State of Missouri, Lincoln University, Hitachi

    Based on 125 openings.

  12. 12

    Detroit MI

    20%

    Director and above
    161
    All openings
    786
    Median posted pay
    $126k

    Hiring most here: Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System, Accident Fund

    Based on 786 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Detroit

  13. 13

    Rosemont IL

    20%

    Director and above
    20
    All openings
    102
    Median posted pay
    $99k

    Hiring most here: Reyes Holdings, Regal Rexnord, US Foods

    Based on 102 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Rosemont

  14. 14

    Neenah WI

    19%

    Director and above
    19
    All openings
    101
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: Plexus, Michels, Menasha

    Based on 101 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Neenah

  15. 15

    Minneapolis MN

    18%

    Director and above
    242
    All openings
    1,313
    Median posted pay
    $130k

    Hiring most here: Mortenson, Ameriprise Certificate, U.S. Bank

    Based on 1,313 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Minneapolis

  16. 16

    Downers Grove IL

    18%

    Director and above
    27
    All openings
    147
    Median posted pay
    $110k

    Hiring most here: Zachry, Regal Rexnord, Glanbia

    Based on 147 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Downers Grove

  17. 17

    Des Moines IA

    18%

    Director and above
    72
    All openings
    394
    Median posted pay
    $129k

    Hiring most here: Principal Financial Group, OpenLoop, Olsson

    Based on 394 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Des Moines

  18. 18

    Milwaukee WI

    18%

    Director and above
    166
    All openings
    909
    Median posted pay
    $115k

    Hiring most here: Michels, Rockwell Automation, Molson Coors Beverage

    Based on 909 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Milwaukee

  19. 19

    Rochester MN

    18%

    Director and above
    32
    All openings
    182
    Median posted pay
    $93k

    Hiring most here: Mayo Clinic, Gilbane, Via

    Based on 182 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Rochester

  20. 20

    Naperville IL

    17%

    Director and above
    34
    All openings
    196
    Median posted pay
    $120k

    Hiring most here: KeHE, viaPhoton, Wipfli

    Based on 196 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Naperville

  21. 21

    Fargo ND

    17%

    Director and above
    28
    All openings
    165
    Median posted pay
    $101k

    Hiring most here: American Civil Constructors, Mastec, Danaher

    Based on 165 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fargo

  22. 22

    Madison WI

    17%

    Director and above
    89
    All openings
    526
    Median posted pay
    $106k

    Hiring most here: Universities of Wisconsin [UW_Madison], Creative Financial Staffing, Catalent Pharma Solutions

    Based on 526 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Madison

  23. 23

    Oak Brook IL

    17%

    Director and above
    25
    All openings
    148
    Median posted pay
    $147k

    Hiring most here: Hub Group, Sotera Health

    Based on 148 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Oak Brook

  24. 24

    St. Louis MO

    16%

    Director and above
    98
    All openings
    596
    Median posted pay
    $104k

    Hiring most here: Stifel Charitable, BJC HealthCare, Kforce

    Based on 596 openings.

    Jobs and employers in St. Louis

  25. 25

    Springfield IL

    16%

    Director and above
    53
    All openings
    323
    Median posted pay
    $125k

    Hiring most here: State of Illinois, Army National Guard Units, Hshs Medical Group

    Based on 323 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

Full ranking

All 69 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Lake Forest IL33%111
2Eden Prairie MN31%363
3Minnetonka MN31%121
4Evanston IL27%109
5Chicago IL26%8,033
6Mundelein IL25%255
7Northbrook IL24%192
8Topeka KS24%112
9Aurora IL24%133
10Indianapolis IN21%1,496
11Jefferson City MO21%125
12Detroit MI20%786
13Rosemont IL20%102
14Neenah WI19%101
15Minneapolis MN18%1,313
16Downers Grove IL18%147
17Des Moines IA18%394
18Milwaukee WI18%909
19Rochester MN18%182
20Naperville IL17%196
21Fargo ND17%165
22Madison WI17%526
23Oak Brook IL17%148
24St. Louis MO16%596
25Springfield IL16%323
26Schaumburg IL16%242
27Springfield MO16%205
28Kansas City MO16%916
29Sioux Falls SD16%212
30Carmel IN16%148
31Cleveland OH15%917
32Omaha NE15%577
33Green Bay WI15%143
34Columbia MO14%133
35Toledo OH14%184
36Cincinnati OH14%1,451
37Columbus OH14%2,024
38Bloomington MN14%200
39Lincoln NE14%210
40Wichita KS14%237
41Rolling Meadows IL13%283
42Ann Arbor MI13%362
43Cedar Rapids IA13%370
44Troy MI13%258
45La Crosse WI13%118
46Dublin OH13%134
47St. Paul MN13%232
48Rockford IL12%145
49Grand Rapids MI12%439
50Waukesha WI12%122
51Lisle IL12%131
52Kansas City KS12%148
53Peoria IL12%167
54Fort Wayne IN12%293
55Dayton OH12%446
56Novi MI12%152
57Lansing MI12%229
58Southfield MI12%242
59Mason OH11%151
60Overland Park KS11%454
61Akron OH11%323
62Jeffersonville IN10%126
63Auburn Hills MI10%160
64Maple Grove MN10%100
65Appleton WI7%156
66Evansville IN6%124
67Lenexa KS5%223
68New Albany OH5%152
69Oakbrook Terrace IL3%153

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 the midwest?
Lake Forest leads the Midwest for director and executive jobs: 33% of its professional openings are director level or above, against 17% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
69 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 69 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 in the Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-director-and-executive-jobs-in-the-midwest

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-director-and-executive-jobs-in-the-midwest">Best cities for director and executive jobs in the Midwest (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