NextChapter

Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Northeast

Somerville leads the Northeast: 29% of its entry-level openings ask for AI skills, against 9% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Somerville, MA: 29%
  • #2 Lexington, MA: 19%
  • #3 Boston, MA: 18%
  • 48 cities ranked in the Northeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 9% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Somerville MA29%
  2. 2Lexington MA19%
  3. 3Boston MA18%
  4. 4Greenwich CT18%
  5. 5Cambridge MA14%
  6. 6New York NY13%
  7. 7New York NY10%
  8. 8Jersey City NJ10%
  9. 9Stamford CT10%
  10. 10Princeton NJ9%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Somerville (29%) is well clear of Princeton at #10 (9%).
  • Greenwich reaches #4 on a sample of 45 entry-level 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 4,967 entry-level openings behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 40 entry-level openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Entry-level roles used to ask for little technical background. When they ask for AI skills, the starting line has moved. This list shows where that has happened most.

How to use it

If you are applying for first roles, learn the tools named in the postings you want and show a small project that uses them.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Somerville MA

    29%

    Entry-level AI openings
    21
    Entry-level openings
    73
    All openings
    292

    Hiring most here: Formlabs, Tulip Interfaces, Generate Biomedicines

    Based on 73 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Somerville

  2. 2

    Lexington MA

    19%

    Entry-level AI openings
    11
    Entry-level openings
    58
    All openings
    253

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

    Based on 58 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lexington

  3. 3

    Boston MA

    18%

    Entry-level AI openings
    172
    Entry-level openings
    952
    All openings
    4,876

    Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Confidential, Veeva Systems

    Based on 952 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Boston

  4. 4

    Greenwich CT

    18%

    Entry-level AI openings
    8
    Entry-level openings
    45
    All openings
    128

    Hiring most here: iCapital, AQR Capital, Berkley W R

    Based on 45 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Greenwich

  5. 5

    Cambridge MA

    14%

    Entry-level AI openings
    21
    Entry-level openings
    151
    All openings
    1,134

    Hiring most here: Harvard University, Biogen, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

    Based on 151 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cambridge

  6. 6

    New York NY

    13%

    Entry-level AI openings
    628
    Entry-level openings
    4,967
    All openings
    20,452

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Publicis Groupe, Morgan Stanley

    Based on 4,967 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New York

  7. 7

    New York NY

    10%

    Entry-level AI openings
    22
    Entry-level openings
    210
    All openings
    1,035

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Publicis Groupe, Morgan Stanley

    Based on 210 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New York

  8. 8

    Jersey City NJ

    10%

    Entry-level AI openings
    13
    Entry-level openings
    130
    All openings
    607

    Hiring most here: DTCC, Verisk Analytics, JPMorgan Chase

    Based on 130 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Jersey City

  9. 9

    Stamford CT

    10%

    Entry-level AI openings
    8
    Entry-level openings
    82
    All openings
    307

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

    Based on 82 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Stamford

  10. 10

    Princeton NJ

    9%

    Entry-level AI openings
    7
    Entry-level openings
    74
    All openings
    385

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

    Based on 74 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Princeton

  11. 11

    Newark NJ

    8%

    Entry-level AI openings
    9
    Entry-level openings
    110
    All openings
    422

    Hiring most here: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Amazon, Audible

    Based on 110 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Newark

  12. 12

    Springfield MA

    8%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    40
    All openings
    102

    Hiring most here: MassMutual

    Based on 40 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  13. 13

    White Plains NY

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    5
    Entry-level openings
    68
    All openings
    213

    Hiring most here: New York Power Authority, FormativGroup, RWE Clean Energy

    Based on 68 openings.

    Jobs and employers in White Plains

  14. 14

    Camden NJ

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    41
    All openings
    161

    Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, NFI Industries, Cooper University Health Care

    Based on 41 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Camden

  15. 15

    King of Prussia PA

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    9
    Entry-level openings
    125
    All openings
    332

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

    Based on 125 openings.

    Jobs and employers in King of Prussia

  16. 16

    Worcester MA

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    45
    All openings
    158

    Hiring most here: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Umass Memorial Health Care, Milford Regional Medical Center

    Based on 45 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Worcester

  17. 17

    Waltham MA

    6%

    Entry-level AI openings
    8
    Entry-level openings
    124
    All openings
    577

    Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry

    Based on 124 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Waltham

  18. 18

    Framingham MA

    6%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    47
    All openings
    202

    Hiring most here: Staples, Bose, TJX Companies

    Based on 47 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Framingham

  19. 19

    Brooklyn NY

    6%

    Entry-level AI openings
    11
    Entry-level openings
    186
    All openings
    675

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

    Based on 186 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Brooklyn

  20. 20

    Andover MA

    6%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    52
    All openings
    148

    Hiring most here: RTX, Vicor, Mercury Systems

    Based on 52 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Andover

  21. 21

    Edison NJ

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    2
    Entry-level openings
    42
    All openings
    116

    Hiring most here: Xoriant, DHL

    Based on 42 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Edison

  22. 22

    Providence RI

    4%

    Entry-level AI openings
    2
    Entry-level openings
    55
    All openings
    198

    Hiring most here: Gilbane, Women and Infants Hospital, Brown University

    Based on 55 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Providence

  23. 23

    Syracuse NY

    3%

    Entry-level AI openings
    5
    Entry-level openings
    143
    All openings
    400

    Hiring most here: Upstate Medical University, Hidden Level, HII Mission Technologies

    Based on 143 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Syracuse

  24. 24

    Albany NY

    3%

    Entry-level AI openings
    4
    Entry-level openings
    116
    All openings
    361

    Hiring most here: KPMG, New York State, Broadview Credit Union

    Based on 116 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Albany

  25. 25

    Philadelphia PA

    3%

    Entry-level AI openings
    16
    Entry-level openings
    497
    All openings
    1,803

    Hiring most here: Confidential, GSK, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

    Based on 497 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Philadelphia

Full ranking

All 48 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Somerville MA29%73
2Lexington MA19%58
3Boston MA18%952
4Greenwich CT18%45
5Cambridge MA14%151
6New York NY13%4,967
7New York NY10%210
8Jersey City NJ10%130
9Stamford CT10%82
10Princeton NJ9%74
11Newark NJ8%110
12Springfield MA8%40
13White Plains NY7%68
14Camden NJ7%41
15King of Prussia PA7%125
16Worcester MA7%45
17Waltham MA6%124
18Framingham MA6%47
19Brooklyn NY6%186
20Andover MA6%52
21Edison NJ5%42
22Providence RI4%55
23Syracuse NY3%143
24Albany NY3%116
25Philadelphia PA3%497
26Pittsburgh PA3%530
27Hartford CT3%96
28Portland ME3%64
29Morristown NJ2%42
30New Haven CT2%90
31Burlington MA2%45
32Harrisburg PA2%94
33Conshohocken PA2%48
34Melville NY2%48
35Quincy MA2%49
36Woburn MA2%49
37Reading PA2%52
38Marlborough MA2%58
39Allentown PA2%64
40Lancaster PA2%64
41Buffalo NY2%133
42Rochester NY1%160
43United PA0%79
44Bronx NY0%71
45Parsippany NJ0%68
46York PA0%61
47Mechanicsburg PA0%48
48Manchester NH0%47

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its entry-level and early-career roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool.

Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. A city where one employer posts at least half the openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.

Sample bar: cities with fewer than 40 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 entry-level jobs that want ai skills in the northeast?
Somerville leads the Northeast: 29% of its entry-level openings ask for AI skills, against 9% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
48 cities have at least 40 entry-level openings, so the list has 48 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its entry-level and early-career roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool. Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. A city where one employer posts at least half the 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 entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Northeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-entry-level-ai-jobs-in-the-northeast

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-entry-level-ai-jobs-in-the-northeast">Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Northeast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

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