NextChapter

Best cities for junior jobs in Massachusetts

Springfield leads Massachusetts for junior jobs: 38% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 19% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Springfield, MA: 38%
  • #2 Andover, MA: 33%
  • #3 Quincy, MA: 29%
  • 20 cities ranked in Massachusetts
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 19% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Springfield MA38%
  2. 2Andover MA33%
  3. 3Quincy MA29%
  4. 4Westborough MA28%
  5. 5Woburn MA27%
  6. 6Worcester MA26%
  7. 7Norwood MA24%
  8. 8Newton MA23%
  9. 9Marlborough MA22%
  10. 10Framingham MA22%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Springfield (38%) is well clear of Framingham at #10 (22%).
  • Marlborough is the largest market in the top ten, with 258 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

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

    Springfield MA

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    40
    All openings
    105
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: MassMutual

    Based on 105 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  2. 2

    Andover MA

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    52
    All openings
    160
    Openings with pay posted
    19%

    Hiring most here: RTX, Vicor, Mercury Systems

    Based on 160 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Andover

  3. 3

    Quincy MA

    29%

    Entry-level openings
    49
    All openings
    169
    Openings with pay posted
    54%

    Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, Anduril, J.Jill

    Based on 169 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Quincy

  4. 4

    Westborough MA

    28%

    Entry-level openings
    33
    All openings
    116
    Openings with pay posted
    4%

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Olympus America, Astellas (ADP)

    Based on 116 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Westborough

  5. 5

    Woburn MA

    27%

    Entry-level openings
    48
    All openings
    180
    Openings with pay posted
    30%

    Hiring most here: RTX, Spear Bio, VEIR

    Based on 180 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Woburn

  6. 6

    Worcester MA

    26%

    Entry-level openings
    45
    All openings
    171
    Openings with pay posted
    18%

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

    Based on 171 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Worcester

  7. 7

    Norwood MA

    24%

    Entry-level openings
    28
    All openings
    117
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: Moderna, Home Market Foods, Illinois Tool Works

    Based on 117 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Norwood

  8. 8

    Newton MA

    23%

    Entry-level openings
    26
    All openings
    111
    Openings with pay posted
    17%

    Hiring most here: Panera Brands, Siemens Healthineers, The RMR Group

    Based on 111 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Newton

  9. 9

    Marlborough MA

    22%

    Entry-level openings
    58
    All openings
    258
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: RTX, Danaher, Hologic

    Based on 258 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Marlborough

  10. 10

    Framingham MA

    22%

    Entry-level openings
    47
    All openings
    213
    Openings with pay posted
    12%

    Hiring most here: Staples, Bose, TJX Companies

    Based on 213 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Framingham

  11. 11

    Lexington MA

    21%

    Entry-level openings
    53
    All openings
    253
    Openings with pay posted
    29%

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

    Based on 253 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lexington

  12. 12

    Somerville MA

    21%

    Entry-level openings
    73
    All openings
    354
    Openings with pay posted
    66%

    Hiring most here: Formlabs, Tulip Interfaces, Generate Biomedicines

    Based on 354 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Somerville

  13. 13

    Burlington MA

    20%

    Entry-level openings
    45
    All openings
    227
    Openings with pay posted
    29%

    Hiring most here: Veracode, Vericel, Tufts Medicine Care AT Home

    Based on 227 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Burlington

  14. 14

    Waltham MA

    20%

    Entry-level openings
    124
    All openings
    634
    Openings with pay posted
    34%

    Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry

    Based on 634 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Waltham

  15. 15

    Lowell MA

    18%

    Entry-level openings
    26
    All openings
    145
    Openings with pay posted
    19%

    Hiring most here: Macom, UKG

    Based on 145 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lowell

  16. 16

    Boston MA

    18%

    Entry-level openings
    943
    All openings
    5,338
    Openings with pay posted
    30%

    Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Confidential, Takeda Development Center Americas

    Based on 5,338 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Boston

  17. 17

    Wilmington MA

    18%

    Entry-level openings
    29
    All openings
    165
    Openings with pay posted
    30%

    Hiring most here: Onto Innovation, L3HARRIS Technologies, Symbotic

    Based on 165 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Wilmington

  18. 18

    Bedford MA

    17%

    Entry-level openings
    35
    All openings
    201
    Openings with pay posted
    21%

    Hiring most here: The MITRE, Stoke Therapeutics, Entegris

    Based on 201 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Bedford

  19. 19

    Watertown MA

    16%

    Entry-level openings
    23
    All openings
    146
    Openings with pay posted
    48%

    Hiring most here: Tutor Intelligence, Kymera Therapeutics, Treeline Biosciences

    Based on 146 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Watertown

  20. 20

    Cambridge MA

    13%

    Entry-level openings
    151
    All openings
    1,204
    Openings with pay posted
    27%

    Hiring most here: Harvard University, Biogen, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

    Based on 1,204 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cambridge

Full ranking

All 20 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Springfield MA38%105
2Andover MA33%160
3Quincy MA29%169
4Westborough MA28%116
5Woburn MA27%180
6Worcester MA26%171
7Norwood MA24%117
8Newton MA23%111
9Marlborough MA22%258
10Framingham MA22%213
11Lexington MA21%253
12Somerville MA21%354
13Burlington MA20%227
14Waltham MA20%634
15Lowell MA18%145
16Boston MA18%5,338
17Wilmington MA18%165
18Bedford MA17%201
19Watertown MA16%146
20Cambridge MA13%1,204

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 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 junior jobs in massachusetts?
Springfield leads Massachusetts for junior jobs: 38% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 19% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
20 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 20 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 junior jobs in Massachusetts,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-junior-jobs-in-massachusetts

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

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

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