NextChapter

Best cities for entry-level and junior jobs

Lansing leads the United States for junior jobs: 45% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 27% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Lansing, MI: 45%
  • #2 Virginia Beach, VA: 44%
  • #3 Lincoln, NE: 43%
  • 100 cities ranked in the United States
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 27% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Lansing MI45%
  2. 2Virginia Beach VA44%
  3. 3Lincoln NE43%
  4. 4Annapolis MD42%
  5. 5Wilmington NC41%
  6. 6Tallahassee FL41%
  7. 7Springfield MO40%
  8. 8Charlottesville VA40%
  9. 9Little Rock AR39%
  10. 10Sioux Falls SD39%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Lansing leads on 45%, and #10 Sioux Falls is at 39%.
  • Tallahassee is the largest market in the top ten, with 840 openings behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 200 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Entry-level hiring is concentrated in some metro areas and thin in others. The share of openings pitched at entry or early-career level shows where a first or second job is easiest to find.

How to use it

If you are early in your career, start your search in the places near the top and read their employer lists. Places lower down can still have entry roles, but they make up a smaller part of what is open.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Lansing MI

    45%

    Entry-level openings
    102
    All openings
    229
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: University of Michigan Health-Sparrow, Auto-Owners Insurance, Sparrow Clinton Hospital

    Based on 229 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lansing

  2. 2

    Virginia Beach VA

    44%

    Entry-level openings
    122
    All openings
    275
    Openings with pay posted
    21%

    Hiring most here: HII Mission Technologies, Amazon, Commander, Navy Installations Command

    Based on 275 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Virginia Beach

  3. 3

    Lincoln NE

    43%

    Entry-level openings
    91
    All openings
    210
    Openings with pay posted
    15%

    Hiring most here: Nelnet Servicing, General Dynamics OTS, Hudl

    Based on 210 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lincoln

  4. 4

    Annapolis MD

    42%

    Entry-level openings
    164
    All openings
    391
    Openings with pay posted
    26%

    Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, Luminis Health, TEKsystems

    Based on 391 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Annapolis

  5. 5

    Wilmington NC

    41%

    Entry-level openings
    84
    All openings
    204
    Openings with pay posted
    12%

    Hiring most here: Corning, Novant Health, Acadia Healthcare Company

    Based on 204 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Wilmington

  6. 6

    Tallahassee FL

    41%

    Entry-level openings
    343
    All openings
    840
    Openings with pay posted
    12%

    Hiring most here: State of Florida, L3HARRIS Technologies, NextEra Energy

    Based on 840 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tallahassee

  7. 7

    Springfield MO

    40%

    Entry-level openings
    82
    All openings
    205
    Openings with pay posted
    3%

    Hiring most here: O'Reilly Auto Parts, Coxhealth, Jack Henry & Associates

    Based on 205 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  8. 8

    Charlottesville VA

    40%

    Entry-level openings
    205
    All openings
    517
    Openings with pay posted
    6%

    Hiring most here: UVA Health, University of Virginia, University of Virginia-Main Campus

    Based on 517 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Charlottesville

  9. 9

    Little Rock AR

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    111
    All openings
    283
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: Arkansas Children's, State of Arkansas, Bank OZK

    Based on 283 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Little Rock

  10. 10

    Sioux Falls SD

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    83
    All openings
    212
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: Sioux Center Health, Marshfield Clinic, Trinzic

    Based on 212 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sioux Falls

  11. 11

    Baton Rouge LA

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    114
    All openings
    292
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

    Hiring most here: Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, ST Catherines Village, Worley Group

    Based on 292 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Baton Rouge

  12. 12

    Albuquerque NM

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    142
    All openings
    364
    Openings with pay posted
    6%

    Hiring most here: University of New Mexico-Main Campus, Rocket Lab, Kairos Power

    Based on 364 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Albuquerque

  13. 13

    Akron OH

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    126
    All openings
    323
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: FirstEnergy Akron, Babcock International Group PLC/ADR, Firstenergy

    Based on 323 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Akron

  14. 14

    Norfolk VA

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    133
    All openings
    342
    Openings with pay posted
    21%

    Hiring most here: Commonwealth of Virginia, Seacorp, United States Fleet Forces Command

    Based on 342 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Norfolk

  15. 15

    Cincinnati OH

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    551
    All openings
    1,451
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: Medpace Holdings, Procter & Gamble, Western & Southern Financial Group

    Based on 1,451 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cincinnati

  16. 16

    Fresno CA

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    81
    All openings
    214
    Openings with pay posted
    16%

    Hiring most here: Pacific Gas & Electric, University Of California San Francisco Foundation, Creative Financial Staffing

    Based on 214 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fresno

  17. 17

    Knoxville TN

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    176
    All openings
    466
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

    Hiring most here: University of Tennessee System, University of Tennessee, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

    Based on 466 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Knoxville

  18. 18

    Naples FL

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    77
    All openings
    205
    Openings with pay posted
    7%

    Hiring most here: Arthrex, Pyramid Global Hospitality, Community Health Systems

    Based on 205 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Naples

  19. 19

    Springfield IL

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    121
    All openings
    323
    Openings with pay posted
    32%

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

    Based on 323 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  20. 20

    Madison WI

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    193
    All openings
    526
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

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

    Based on 526 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Madison

  21. 21

    Sarasota FL

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    74
    All openings
    202
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, Springhill Memorial Hospital, CACI International

    Based on 202 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sarasota

  22. 22

    Manassas VA

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    86
    All openings
    236
    Openings with pay posted
    25%

    Hiring most here: General Dynamics Mission Systems, Electra.Aero, Holder Construction

    Based on 236 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Manassas

  23. 23

    King of Prussia PA

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    125
    All openings
    347
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

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

    Based on 347 openings.

    Jobs and employers in King of Prussia

  24. 24

    Schaumburg IL

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    87
    All openings
    242
    Openings with pay posted
    30%

    Hiring most here: Motorola Solutions, Fictiv, Zurich

    Based on 242 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Schaumburg

  25. 25

    Fairfax VA

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    151
    All openings
    421
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: George Mason University, Dewberry, Inova Health

    Based on 421 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fairfax

Full ranking

All 100 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Lansing MI45%229
2Virginia Beach VA44%275
3Lincoln NE43%210
4Annapolis MD42%391
5Wilmington NC41%204
6Tallahassee FL41%840
7Springfield MO40%205
8Charlottesville VA40%517
9Little Rock AR39%283
10Sioux Falls SD39%212
11Baton Rouge LA39%292
12Albuquerque NM39%364
13Akron OH39%323
14Norfolk VA39%342
15Cincinnati OH38%1,451
16Fresno CA38%214
17Knoxville TN38%466
18Naples FL38%205
19Springfield IL37%323
20Madison WI37%526
21Sarasota FL37%202
22Manassas VA36%236
23King of Prussia PA36%347
24Schaumburg IL36%242
25Fairfax VA36%421
26Augusta GA36%208
27Boca Raton FL36%369
28Troy MI35%258
29Greenville SC35%350
30Grand Rapids MI35%439
31St. Louis MO35%596
32Arlington TX35%206
33Cleveland OH35%917
34Greensboro NC35%446
35Marietta GA35%280
36Richmond VA35%1,209
37San Antonio TX35%1,352
38Mundelein IL35%255
39Redmond WA34%1,166
40Columbus OH34%2,024
41Columbia SC34%331
42Syracuse NY34%419
43Lenexa KS34%223
44Anchorage AK34%209
45United PA34%234
46Raleigh NC33%1,515
47Fort Lauderdale FL33%624
48Pittsburgh PA33%1,592
49Jacksonville FL33%1,131
50Dayton OH33%446
51Wichita KS33%237
52Frisco TX33%207
53Tempe AZ33%688
54Tampa FL33%1,845
55Annapolis Junction MD33%220
56Birmingham AL33%617
57Chandler AZ32%473
58Sacramento CA32%1,431
59Alexandria VA32%618
60Boise ID32%391
61Kansas City MO32%916
62St. Paul MN31%232
63Las Vegas NV31%980
64Scottsdale AZ31%772
65Harrisburg PA31%300
66Oklahoma City OK31%581
67Tulsa OK31%498
68Long Beach CA31%876
69Santa Ana CA31%277
70El Paso TX31%319
71Charleston SC31%323
72Louisville KY31%2,319
73Chattanooga TN31%216
74Reno NV31%311
75Lexington KY30%230
76Charlotte NC30%3,402
77Fort Worth TX30%1,339
78Bloomington MN30%200
79Grand Prairie TX30%204
80Omaha NE30%577
81Rochester NY30%537
82Orlando FL30%1,343
83Mc Lean VA30%242
84Overland Park KS30%454
85Milwaukee WI30%909
86White Plains NY30%229
87Fort Wayne IN30%293
88New Haven CT30%304
89Detroit MI29%786
90Allentown PA29%218
91Albany NY29%397
92Honolulu HI29%401
93Buffalo NY29%461
94Phoenix AZ29%2,922
95New Orleans LA29%386
96Aurora CO29%347
97Indianapolis IN28%1,496
98Littleton CO28%295
99Plano TX28%1,109
100Salt Lake City UT28%1,102

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles tagged entry-level or early-career, read from the full posting text.

Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. Internships are left out.

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 200 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 and junior jobs?
Lansing leads the United States for junior jobs: 45% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 27% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
100 cities have at least 200 openings, so the list has 100 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its open professional roles tagged entry-level or early-career, read from the full posting text. Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. Internships are left out. 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 entry-level and junior jobs,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-junior-jobs

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-junior-jobs">Best cities for entry-level and junior jobs (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

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