NextChapter

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

Tysons leads the Southeast: 27% of its entry-level openings ask for AI skills, against 4% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Tysons, VA: 27%
  • #2 Alpharetta, GA: 13%
  • #3 McLean, VA: 10%
  • 77 cities ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 4% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Tysons VA27%
  2. 2Alpharetta GA13%
  3. 3McLean VA10%
  4. 4Reston VA10%
  5. 5Oak Ridge TN10%
  6. 6Herndon VA10%
  7. 7Arlington VA8%
  8. 8Chantilly VA7%
  9. 9Vienna VA7%
  10. 10Durham NC7%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Tysons (27%) is well clear of Durham at #10 (7%).
  • Oak Ridge reaches #5 on a sample of 41 entry-level openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Arlington is the largest market in the top ten, with 558 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

    Tysons VA

    27%

    Entry-level AI openings
    13
    Entry-level openings
    49
    All openings
    188

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

    Based on 49 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tysons

  2. 2

    Alpharetta GA

    13%

    Entry-level AI openings
    22
    Entry-level openings
    166
    All openings
    571

    Hiring most here: Morgan Stanley, Fiserv, Landis+Gyr

    Based on 166 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Alpharetta

  3. 3

    McLean VA

    10%

    Entry-level AI openings
    23
    Entry-level openings
    228
    All openings
    1,127

    Hiring most here: Capital One, The MITRE, Steampunk

    Based on 228 openings.

    Jobs and employers in McLean

  4. 4

    Reston VA

    10%

    Entry-level AI openings
    16
    Entry-level openings
    163
    All openings
    775

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

    Based on 163 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Reston

  5. 5

    Oak Ridge TN

    10%

    Entry-level AI openings
    4
    Entry-level openings
    41
    All openings
    195

    Hiring most here: UT-Battelle (ORNL), Centrus Energy, BWX Technologies

    Based on 41 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Oak Ridge

  6. 6

    Herndon VA

    10%

    Entry-level AI openings
    21
    Entry-level openings
    218
    All openings
    818

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Peraton

    Based on 218 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Herndon

  7. 7

    Arlington VA

    8%

    Entry-level AI openings
    46
    Entry-level openings
    558
    All openings
    1,989

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Bloomberg Industry Group, AWS

    Based on 558 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Arlington

  8. 8

    Chantilly VA

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    11
    Entry-level openings
    147
    All openings
    551

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Trinzic, Peraton

    Based on 147 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chantilly

  9. 9

    Vienna VA

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    4
    Entry-level openings
    57
    All openings
    163

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

    Based on 57 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Vienna

  10. 10

    Durham NC

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    13
    Entry-level openings
    199
    All openings
    759

    Hiring most here: Duke University, Duke Health Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, GSK

    Based on 199 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Durham

  11. 11

    Atlanta GA

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    99
    Entry-level openings
    1,517
    All openings
    5,483

    Hiring most here: Emory University, Oxford College of Emory University, Capgemini Invent

    Based on 1,517 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Atlanta

  12. 12

    Sterling VA

    6%

    Entry-level AI openings
    5
    Entry-level openings
    78
    All openings
    303

    Hiring most here: CACI International, BAE Systems, Caci Technologies

    Based on 78 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sterling

  13. 13

    Chattanooga TN

    6%

    Entry-level AI openings
    4
    Entry-level openings
    66
    All openings
    203

    Hiring most here: Sargent & Lundy, Unum Group, University of Tennessee System

    Based on 66 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chattanooga

  14. 14

    Ashburn VA

    6%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    54
    All openings
    248

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Caci Technologies, L3HARRIS Technologies

    Based on 54 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Ashburn

  15. 15

    Lynchburg VA

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    55
    All openings
    113

    Hiring most here: BWX Technologies, BWXT, BWXT Ordnance Tennessee

    Based on 55 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lynchburg

  16. 16

    Sarasota FL

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    4
    Entry-level openings
    74
    All openings
    191

    Hiring most here: Springhill Memorial Hospital, Slidell Memorial Hospital, CACI International

    Based on 74 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sarasota

  17. 17

    Boca Raton FL

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    7
    Entry-level openings
    131
    All openings
    342

    Hiring most here: Compass, Baptist Health South Florida, SBA Communications

    Based on 131 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Boca Raton

  18. 18

    Cape Canaveral FL

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    4
    Entry-level openings
    78
    All openings
    174

    Hiring most here: SpaceX, Relativity Space, Sidus Space

    Based on 78 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cape Canaveral

  19. 19

    Huntsville AL

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    15
    Entry-level openings
    293
    All openings
    1,147

    Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin

    Based on 293 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Huntsville

  20. 20

    Miami FL

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    35
    Entry-level openings
    684
    All openings
    2,329

    Hiring most here: University Of Miami, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Princess Cruises / Holland America Line

    Based on 684 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Miami

  21. 21

    Jacksonville FL

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    19
    Entry-level openings
    373
    All openings
    1,061

    Hiring most here: Confidential, Intercontinental Exchange, UF Health

    Based on 373 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Jacksonville

  22. 22

    Fort Belvoir VA

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    59
    All openings
    195

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Teksynap, LMI

    Based on 59 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fort Belvoir

  23. 23

    Mobile AL

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    59
    All openings
    124

    Hiring most here: Seattle Aquarium Society-seas, Alten Technology USA, PRF Technologies

    Based on 59 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Mobile

  24. 24

    Morrisville NC

    4%

    Entry-level AI openings
    2
    Entry-level openings
    47
    All openings
    152

    Hiring most here: Teleflex, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Alcami Home

    Based on 47 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Morrisville

  25. 25

    Raleigh NC

    4%

    Entry-level AI openings
    21
    Entry-level openings
    506
    All openings
    1,399

    Hiring most here: First Citizens Bank, Dewberry, MaintainX

    Based on 506 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Raleigh

Full ranking

All 77 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Tysons VA27%49
2Alpharetta GA13%166
3McLean VA10%228
4Reston VA10%163
5Oak Ridge TN10%41
6Herndon VA10%218
7Arlington VA8%558
8Chantilly VA7%147
9Vienna VA7%57
10Durham NC7%199
11Atlanta GA7%1,517
12Sterling VA6%78
13Chattanooga TN6%66
14Ashburn VA6%54
15Lynchburg VA5%55
16Sarasota FL5%74
17Boca Raton FL5%131
18Cape Canaveral FL5%78
19Huntsville AL5%293
20Miami FL5%684
21Jacksonville FL5%373
22Fort Belvoir VA5%59
23Mobile AL5%59
24Morrisville NC4%47
25Raleigh NC4%506
26Nashville TN4%445
27Charleston SC4%99
28Charlotte NC4%1,027
29Springfield VA4%53
30Cary NC4%55
31Falls Church VA4%55
32Columbia SC4%113
33Birmingham AL3%201
34Brentwood TN3%61
35Norcross GA3%66
36Charlottesville VA3%205
37Naples FL3%77
38Memphis TN3%194
39Orlando FL3%400
40Virginia Beach VA2%122
41Norfolk VA2%133
42Doral FL2%48
43Alexandria VA2%196
44Fairfax VA2%151
45Tampa FL2%605
46Duluth GA2%58
47Knoxville TN2%176
48Chesapeake VA2%60
49Clearwater FL1%68
50Fort Lauderdale FL1%208
51Richmond VA1%418
52Lexington KY1%70
53Kennesaw GA1%72
54Mc Lean VA1%72
55Coral Gables FL1%73
56Augusta GA1%74
57Montgomery AL1%74
58Greensboro NC1%155
59Pensacola FL1%79
60Manassas VA1%86
61Greenville SC1%123
62Louisville KY1%710
63Tallahassee FL0%343
64Marietta GA0%97
65Savannah GA0%89
66Wilmington NC0%84
67Roanoke VA0%77
68Asheville NC0%61
69Fort Myers FL0%59
70St. Petersburg FL0%57
71Fayetteville NC0%52
72Gainesville FL0%50
73Melbourne FL0%49
74Palm Beach Gardens FL0%45
75Macon GA0%44
76Frankfort KY0%43
77Franklin TN0%41

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 southeast?
Tysons leads the Southeast: 27% of its entry-level openings ask for AI skills, against 4% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
77 cities have at least 40 entry-level openings, so the list has 77 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 Southeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-entry-level-ai-jobs-in-the-southeast

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

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

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