{"h1":"Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Southwest","faq":[{"a":"Addison leads the Southwest: 16% of its entry-level openings ask for AI skills, against 5% across all cities in our data.","q":"Which city ranks first: best cities for entry-level jobs that want ai skills in the southwest?"},{"a":"39 cities have at least 40 entry-level openings, so the list has 39 entries.","q":"How many cities are ranked?"},{"a":"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.","q":"How is the ranking calculated?"},{"a":"Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.","q":"How often is it updated?"}],"lead":"Addison leads the Southwest: 16% of its entry-level openings ask for AI skills, against 5% across all cities in our data.","minN":40,"rows":[{"n":57,"bar":1,"key":"TX|addison","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/addison","name":"Addison","rank":1,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"9"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"57"},{"label":"All openings","value":"197"}],"value":0.1578947368421053,"change":null,"employers":["National Life Group","National Life Insurance Company","Bank of America"],"valueLabel":"16%"},{"n":1552,"bar":0.8732817869415809,"key":"TX|austin","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/austin","name":"Austin","rank":2,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"214"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"1,552"},{"label":"All openings","value":"5,817"}],"value":0.1378865979381443,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","Advanced Micro Devices","Cloudflare"],"valueLabel":"14%"},{"n":72,"bar":0.7037037037037037,"key":"TX|arlington","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/arlington","name":"Arlington","rank":3,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"8"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"72"},{"label":"All openings","value":"192"}],"value":0.1111111111111111,"change":null,"employers":["GM Financial","Lockheed Martin","Regal Rexnord"],"valueLabel":"11%"},{"n":232,"bar":0.5459770114942529,"key":"TX|irving","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/irving","name":"Irving","rank":4,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"20"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"232"},{"label":"All openings","value":"873"}],"value":0.08620689655172414,"change":null,"employers":["CHRISTUS Health","7-Eleven","Mckesson"],"valueLabel":"9%"},{"n":72,"bar":0.5277777777777778,"key":"TX|spring","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/spring","name":"Spring","rank":5,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"6"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"72"},{"label":"All openings","value":"337"}],"value":0.08333333333333333,"change":null,"employers":["Hewlett Packard Enterprise","HP","Juniper Networks"],"valueLabel":"8%"},{"n":182,"bar":0.521978021978022,"key":"OK|oklahoma city","sub":"OK","href":"/places/oklahoma/city/oklahoma-city","name":"Oklahoma City","rank":6,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"15"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"182"},{"label":"All openings","value":"557"}],"value":0.08241758241758242,"change":null,"employers":["Love's Travel Stops","CACI International","Northrop Grumman"],"valueLabel":"8%"},{"n":227,"bar":0.5022026431718062,"key":"AZ|tempe","sub":"AZ","href":"/places/arizona/city/tempe","name":"Tempe","rank":7,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"18"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"227"},{"label":"All openings","value":"647"}],"value":0.07929515418502203,"change":null,"employers":["Carvana","Amazon","Viasat"],"valueLabel":"8%"},{"n":242,"bar":0.4710743801652893,"key":"AZ|scottsdale","sub":"AZ","href":"/places/arizona/city/scottsdale","name":"Scottsdale","rank":8,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"18"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"242"},{"label":"All openings","value":"737"}],"value":0.0743801652892562,"change":null,"employers":["General Dynamics Mission Systems","Axon Enterprise","AMI Semiconductor"],"valueLabel":"7%"},{"n":59,"bar":0.4293785310734464,"key":"TX|coppell","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/coppell","name":"Coppell","rank":9,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"4"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"59"},{"label":"All openings","value":"150"}],"value":0.06779661016949153,"change":null,"employers":["Blue Yonder","At Home","Charter Communications"],"valueLabel":"7%"},{"n":46,"bar":0.4130434782608696,"key":"TX|the woodlands","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/the-woodlands","name":"The Woodlands","rank":10,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"3"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"46"},{"label":"All openings","value":"167"}],"value":0.06521739130434782,"change":null,"employers":["Entergy","Crane","Waste Connections"],"valueLabel":"7%"},{"n":402,"bar":0.3781094527363184,"key":"TX|fort worth","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/fort-worth","name":"Fort Worth","rank":11,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"24"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"402"},{"label":"All openings","value":"1,261"}],"value":0.05970149253731343,"change":null,"employers":["Lockheed Martin","Sikorsky Aircraft","MP Materials"],"valueLabel":"6%"},{"n":1182,"bar":0.3750705019740553,"key":"TX|dallas","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/dallas","name":"Dallas","rank":12,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"70"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"1,182"},{"label":"All openings","value":"4,407"}],"value":0.05922165820642978,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","Shield AI","Texas Instruments"],"valueLabel":"6%"},{"n":308,"bar":0.3701298701298701,"key":"NV|las vegas","sub":"NV","href":"/places/nevada/city/las-vegas","name":"Las Vegas","rank":13,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"18"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"308"},{"label":"All openings","value":"915"}],"value":0.05844155844155844,"change":null,"employers":["Caesars Entertainment","Allegiant Travel Company","Jt4"],"valueLabel":"6%"},{"n":312,"bar":0.2638888888888889,"key":"TX|plano","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/plano","name":"Plano","rank":14,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"13"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"312"},{"label":"All openings","value":"1,030"}],"value":0.04166666666666666,"change":null,"employers":["NTT Data","Pepsico","JPMorgan Chase"],"valueLabel":"4%"},{"n":49,"bar":0.2585034013605442,"key":"TX|carrollton","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/carrollton","name":"Carrollton","rank":15,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"2"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"49"},{"label":"All openings","value":"129"}],"value":0.04081632653061224,"change":null,"employers":["MB2 Dental","Trane U.s.","PennyMac Financial Services"],"valueLabel":"4%"},{"n":50,"bar":0.2533333333333334,"key":"TX|lewisville","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/lewisville","name":"Lewisville","rank":16,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"2"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"50"},{"label":"All openings","value":"128"}],"value":0.04,"change":null,"employers":["Moonshot","Paccar","Quest Diagnostics"],"valueLabel":"4%"},{"n":1251,"bar":0.2480682120969891,"key":"TX|houston","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/houston","name":"Houston","rank":17,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"49"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"1,251"},{"label":"All openings","value":"4,295"}],"value":0.03916866506794564,"change":null,"employers":["Axiom Space","Trinzic","Fervo Energy"],"valueLabel":"4%"},{"n":58,"bar":0.2183908045977012,"key":"TX|midland","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/midland","name":"Midland","rank":18,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"2"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"58"},{"label":"All openings","value":"154"}],"value":0.03448275862068965,"change":null,"employers":["Patterson UTI Energy","SM Energy","AST SpaceMobile"],"valueLabel":"3%"},{"n":95,"bar":0.2,"key":"TX|richardson","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/richardson","name":"Richardson","rank":19,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"3"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"95"},{"label":"All openings","value":"398"}],"value":0.03157894736842105,"change":null,"employers":["Celestica","Qorvo","OSI Systems"],"valueLabel":"3%"},{"n":142,"bar":0.1784037558685446,"key":"NM|albuquerque","sub":"NM","href":"/places/new-mexico/city/albuquerque","name":"Albuquerque","rank":20,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"4"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"142"},{"label":"All openings","value":"352"}],"value":0.02816901408450704,"change":null,"employers":["University of New Mexico-Main Campus","Rocket Lab","Kairos Power"],"valueLabel":"3%"},{"n":153,"bar":0.1655773420479303,"key":"AZ|chandler","sub":"AZ","href":"/places/arizona/city/chandler","name":"Chandler","rank":21,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"4"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"153"},{"label":"All openings","value":"457"}],"value":0.0261437908496732,"change":null,"employers":["Northrop Grumman","Ralliant","Bechtel Energy"],"valueLabel":"3%"},{"n":841,"bar":0.1581450653983353,"key":"AZ|phoenix","sub":"AZ","href":"/places/arizona/city/phoenix","name":"Phoenix","rank":22,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"21"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"841"},{"label":"All openings","value":"2,729"}],"value":0.02497027348394768,"change":null,"employers":["Honeywell Aerospace","State of Arizona","American Society for Microbiology"],"valueLabel":"2%"},{"n":45,"bar":0.1407407407407407,"key":"TX|tyler","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/tyler","name":"Tyler","rank":23,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"1"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"45"},{"label":"All openings","value":"126"}],"value":0.02222222222222222,"change":null,"employers":["CHRISTUS Health","Trane U.s.","Delek US"],"valueLabel":"2%"},{"n":467,"bar":0.1356174161313348,"key":"TX|san antonio","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/san-antonio","name":"San Antonio","rank":24,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"10"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"467"},{"label":"All openings","value":"1,273"}],"value":0.02141327623126338,"change":null,"employers":["H-E-B","University Health San Antonio","UT Health San Antonio"],"valueLabel":"2%"},{"n":49,"bar":0.1292517006802721,"key":"TX|corpus christi","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/corpus-christi","name":"Corpus Christi","rank":25,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"1"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"49"},{"label":"All openings","value":"118"}],"value":0.02040816326530612,"change":null,"employers":["American Electric Power","CHRISTUS Health","Veterans Health Administration"],"valueLabel":"2%"},{"n":156,"bar":0.1217948717948718,"key":"OK|tulsa","sub":"OK","href":"/places/oklahoma/city/tulsa","name":"Tulsa","rank":26,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"3"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"156"},{"label":"All openings","value":"466"}],"value":0.01923076923076923,"change":null,"employers":["BOK Financial","Aaon","Helmerich & Payne"],"valueLabel":"2%"},{"n":192,"bar":0.09895833333333334,"key":"AZ|tucson","sub":"AZ","href":"/places/arizona/city/tucson","name":"Tucson","rank":27,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"3"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"192"},{"label":"All openings","value":"675"}],"value":0.015625,"change":null,"employers":["RTX","University of Arizona","Rocket Lab"],"valueLabel":"2%"},{"n":68,"bar":0.09313725490196079,"key":"TX|frisco","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/frisco","name":"Frisco","rank":28,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"1"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"68"},{"label":"All openings","value":"186"}],"value":0.01470588235294118,"change":null,"employers":["Baker Tilly","The Haskell Company","Intuit"],"valueLabel":"1%"},{"n":95,"bar":0.06666666666666667,"key":"NV|reno","sub":"NV","href":"/places/nevada/city/reno","name":"Reno","rank":29,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"1"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"95"},{"label":"All openings","value":"292"}],"value":0.01052631578947368,"change":null,"employers":["IGT","Amperesand","Caesars Entertainment"],"valueLabel":"1%"},{"n":99,"bar":0.06397306397306399,"key":"TX|el paso","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/el-paso","name":"El Paso","rank":30,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"1"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"99"},{"label":"All openings","value":"298"}],"value":0.0101010101010101,"change":null,"employers":["Confidential","Tenet Healthcare","Faith Technologies"],"valueLabel":"1%"},{"n":61,"bar":0,"key":"TX|grand prairie","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/grand-prairie","name":"Grand Prairie","rank":31,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"0"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"61"},{"label":"All openings","value":"198"}],"value":0,"change":null,"employers":["Lockheed Martin","Sikorsky Aircraft","Lockheed Martin Services"],"valueLabel":"0%"},{"n":56,"bar":0,"key":"TX|lubbock","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/lubbock","name":"Lubbock","rank":32,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"0"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"56"},{"label":"All openings","value":"129"}],"value":0,"change":null,"employers":["Prosperity Bancshares","Johnson Controls International","Terracon Consultants"],"valueLabel":"0%"},{"n":54,"bar":0,"key":"AZ|mesa","sub":"AZ","href":"/places/arizona/city/mesa","name":"Mesa","rank":33,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"0"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"54"},{"label":"All openings","value":"194"}],"value":0,"change":null,"employers":["Emcor","Legends / ASM Global","Amazon"],"valueLabel":"0%"},{"n":53,"bar":0,"key":"TX|waco","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/waco","name":"Waco","rank":34,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"0"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"53"},{"label":"All openings","value":"157"}],"value":0,"change":null,"employers":["Baylor University","L3HARRIS Technologies","Harris Health Strategic Fund"],"valueLabel":"0%"},{"n":50,"bar":0,"key":"TX|denton","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/denton","name":"Denton","rank":35,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"0"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"50"},{"label":"All openings","value":"173"}],"value":0,"change":null,"employers":["University of North Texas System","Texas Woman's University","Paccar"],"valueLabel":"0%"},{"n":49,"bar":0,"key":"TX|amarillo","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/amarillo","name":"Amarillo","rank":36,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"0"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"49"},{"label":"All openings","value":"128"}],"value":0,"change":null,"employers":["Mortenson","Veterans Health Administration","Xcel Energy"],"valueLabel":"0%"},{"n":42,"bar":0,"key":"NV|sparks","sub":"NV","href":"/places/nevada/city/sparks","name":"Sparks","rank":37,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"0"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"42"},{"label":"All openings","value":"120"}],"value":0,"change":null,"employers":["Panasonic Energy North America","Amazon","Fleet"],"valueLabel":"0%"},{"n":40,"bar":0,"key":"AZ|gilbert","sub":"AZ","href":"/places/arizona/city/gilbert","name":"Gilbert","rank":38,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"0"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"40"},{"label":"All openings","value":"121"}],"value":0,"change":null,"employers":["Northrop Grumman","Loenbro","Deloitte"],"valueLabel":"0%"},{"n":40,"bar":0,"key":"TX|sugar land","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/sugar-land","name":"Sugar Land","rank":39,"stats":[{"label":"Entry-level AI openings","value":"0"},{"label":"Entry-level openings","value":"40"},{"label":"All openings","value":"107"}],"value":0,"change":null,"employers":["SLB","IES Holdings","ABM Industries"],"valueLabel":"0%"}],"slug":"best-cities-for-entry-level-ai-jobs-in-the-southwest","unit":"openings","scope":{"id":"southwest","kind":"region","name":"Southwest"},"title":"Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Southwest","family":"Entry-level","method":["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."],"builtAt":"2026-11-03T15:06:31.259Z","edition":"2026-11","measure":"pf_entryai","sources":["NextChapter job data: open professional roles on employer career sites, verified in the last week"],"baseline":{"label":"all cities in our data","valueLabel":"5%"},"keyFacts":["#1 Addison, TX: 16%","#2 Austin, TX: 14%","#3 Arlington, TX: 11%","39 cities ranked in the Southwest","Data as of November 2026"],"placeNoun":"cities","commentary":["The lead is wide: Addison (16%) is well clear of The Woodlands at #10 (7%).","The Woodlands reaches #10 on a sample of 46 entry-level openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.","Austin is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,552 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."],"license":"Free to use and share with a link to https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-entry-level-ai-jobs-in-the-southwest"}