NextChapter

Best cities for mid-career professionals in the Southeast

Springfield leads the Southeast for mid-career professionals: 76% of its professional openings are mid-level, senior or manager roles, against 51% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Springfield, VA: 76%
  • #2 Ashburn, VA: 68%
  • #3 Dulles, VA: 67%
  • 87 cities ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 51% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Springfield VA76%
  2. 2Ashburn VA68%
  3. 3Dulles VA67%
  4. 4Tysons VA66%
  5. 5Chantilly VA66%
  6. 6Sterling VA65%
  7. 7Oak Ridge TN65%
  8. 8Herndon VA65%
  9. 9Reston VA63%
  10. 10Fort Belvoir VA62%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Springfield leads on 76%, and #10 Fort Belvoir is at 62%.
  • Dulles reaches #3 on a sample of 127 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Herndon is the largest market in the top ten, with 849 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

Mid-career roles (mid-level, senior and manager) are spread differently from entry-level roles. This list shows where employers are hiring people with several years of experience.

How to use it

If you have five or more years behind you, start with the places at the top, then narrow by job family on the cities and employers pages.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Springfield VA

    76%

    Mid-career openings
    210
    All openings
    277
    Median posted pay
    $131k

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Caci Technologies, HII Mission Technologies

    Based on 277 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  2. 2

    Ashburn VA

    68%

    Mid-career openings
    177
    All openings
    259
    Median posted pay
    $144k

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Caci Technologies, Pkaza

    Based on 259 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Ashburn

  3. 3

    Dulles VA

    67%

    Mid-career openings
    85
    All openings
    127
    Median posted pay
    $165k

    Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, Northrop Grumman Systems, Swissport

    Based on 127 openings.

  4. 4

    Tysons VA

    66%

    Mid-career openings
    127
    All openings
    191
    Median posted pay
    $127k

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

    Based on 191 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tysons

  5. 5

    Chantilly VA

    66%

    Mid-career openings
    366
    All openings
    553
    Median posted pay
    $194k

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Trinzic, Peraton

    Based on 553 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chantilly

  6. 6

    Sterling VA

    65%

    Mid-career openings
    204
    All openings
    312
    Median posted pay
    $147k

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

    Based on 312 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sterling

  7. 7

    Oak Ridge TN

    65%

    Mid-career openings
    133
    All openings
    205
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

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

    Based on 205 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Oak Ridge

  8. 8

    Herndon VA

    65%

    Mid-career openings
    549
    All openings
    849
    Median posted pay
    $163k

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Peraton

    Based on 849 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Herndon

  9. 9

    Reston VA

    63%

    Mid-career openings
    518
    All openings
    828
    Median posted pay
    $160k

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

    Based on 828 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Reston

  10. 10

    Fort Belvoir VA

    62%

    Mid-career openings
    123
    All openings
    197
    Median posted pay
    $135k

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Peraton, Teksynap

    Based on 197 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fort Belvoir

  11. 11

    Hampton VA

    62%

    Mid-career openings
    74
    All openings
    120
    Median posted pay
    $90k

    Hiring most here: Howmet Aerospace, Veterans Health Administration, Govcio

    Based on 120 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Hampton

  12. 12

    McLean VA

    61%

    Mid-career openings
    724
    All openings
    1,182
    Median posted pay
    $160k

    Hiring most here: Capital One, The MITRE, Steampunk

    Based on 1,182 openings.

    Jobs and employers in McLean

  13. 13

    Huntsville AL

    60%

    Mid-career openings
    722
    All openings
    1,196
    Median posted pay
    $146k

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

    Based on 1,196 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Huntsville

  14. 14

    Newport News VA

    60%

    Mid-career openings
    78
    All openings
    130
    Median posted pay
    $103k

    Hiring most here: Newport News Shipbuilding, HII Mission Technologies, Liebherr

    Based on 130 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Newport News

  15. 15

    Cary NC

    58%

    Mid-career openings
    140
    All openings
    242
    Median posted pay
    $213k

    Hiring most here: Epic Games, Wake County Public School System, Garmin

    Based on 242 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cary

  16. 16

    Frankfort KY

    58%

    Mid-career openings
    108
    All openings
    187
    Median posted pay
    $130k

    Hiring most here: Oracle, Lumen, Kentucky State University

    Based on 187 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Frankfort

  17. 17

    Arlington VA

    57%

    Mid-career openings
    1,185
    All openings
    2,079
    Median posted pay
    $148k

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Bloomberg Industry Group

    Based on 2,079 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Arlington

  18. 18

    Lake Mary FL

    57%

    Mid-career openings
    83
    All openings
    146
    Median posted pay
    $134k

    Hiring most here: BNY, The Institute of Internal Auditors, The Bank of New York Mellon

    Based on 146 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lake Mary

  19. 19

    Alpharetta GA

    57%

    Mid-career openings
    348
    All openings
    614
    Median posted pay
    $131k

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

    Based on 614 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Alpharetta

  20. 20

    Vienna VA

    56%

    Mid-career openings
    95
    All openings
    171
    Median posted pay
    $133k

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

    Based on 171 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Vienna

  21. 21

    Orlando FL

    55%

    Mid-career openings
    745
    All openings
    1,343
    Median posted pay
    $105k

    Hiring most here: Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Services, Creative Financial Staffing

    Based on 1,343 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Orlando

  22. 22

    Manassas VA

    53%

    Mid-career openings
    126
    All openings
    236
    Median posted pay
    $139k

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

    Based on 236 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Manassas

  23. 23

    Memphis TN

    53%

    Mid-career openings
    377
    All openings
    708
    Median posted pay
    $100k

    Hiring most here: ALSAC / St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, SpaceX, University of Memphis

    Based on 708 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Memphis

  24. 24

    Melbourne FL

    53%

    Mid-career openings
    168
    All openings
    317
    Median posted pay
    $113k

    Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, L3HARRIS Technologies, Harris Health Strategic Fund

    Based on 317 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Melbourne

  25. 25

    Montgomery AL

    53%

    Mid-career openings
    102
    All openings
    193
    Median posted pay
    $98k

    Hiring most here: CONDUENT, Faith Technologies, Hyundai Motor America

    Based on 193 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Montgomery

Full ranking

All 87 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Springfield VA76%277
2Ashburn VA68%259
3Dulles VA67%127
4Tysons VA66%191
5Chantilly VA66%553
6Sterling VA65%312
7Oak Ridge TN65%205
8Herndon VA65%849
9Reston VA63%828
10Fort Belvoir VA62%197
11Hampton VA62%120
12McLean VA61%1,182
13Huntsville AL60%1,196
14Newport News VA60%130
15Cary NC58%242
16Frankfort KY58%187
17Arlington VA57%2,079
18Lake Mary FL57%146
19Alpharetta GA57%614
20Vienna VA56%171
21Orlando FL55%1,343
22Manassas VA53%236
23Memphis TN53%708
24Melbourne FL53%317
25Montgomery AL53%193
26Norfolk VA53%342
27Sarasota FL52%202
28Greensboro NC52%446
29Charlotte NC52%3,402
30Doral FL52%145
31Cape Canaveral FL52%176
32Louisville KY52%2,319
33Charleston SC51%323
34Greenville SC51%350
35Columbia SC51%331
36Atlanta GA51%5,877
37Palm Beach Gardens FL51%171
38Alexandria VA51%618
39Birmingham AL51%617
40Duluth GA50%166
41Morrisville NC50%164
42Nashville TN49%1,737
43Fort Lauderdale FL49%624
44Marietta GA49%280
45Franklin TN49%139
46Raleigh NC49%1,515
47Mc Lean VA49%242
48Jackson MS49%117
49Richmond VA49%1,209
50Tampa FL48%1,845
51Columbus GA48%114
52Boca Raton FL48%369
53Mobile AL48%131
54Lexington KY48%230
55Chattanooga TN48%216
56Augusta GA48%208
57Miami FL47%2,485
58Durham NC47%804
59Coral Gables FL47%264
60Greenville NC47%122
61Naples FL46%205
62Fairfax VA46%421
63Virginia Beach VA46%275
64Clearwater FL45%167
65Asheville NC45%139
66Fort Myers FL44%158
67Chesapeake VA44%140
68Brentwood TN43%194
69Falls Church VA43%172
70Wilmington NC43%204
71Pensacola FL42%193
72St. Petersburg FL42%144
73Knoxville TN42%466
74Jacksonville FL42%1,131
75Winston Salem NC41%104
76Rock Hill SC41%100
77Fayetteville NC40%121
78Savannah GA40%193
79Daytona Beach FL40%108
80Norcross GA39%150
81Lynchburg VA39%117
82Kennesaw GA39%175
83Tallahassee FL38%840
84Roanoke VA38%184
85Charlottesville VA38%517
86Gainesville FL37%149
87Macon GA30%105

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles at mid-level, senior individual-contributor or manager level, 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 mid-career professionals in the southeast?
Springfield leads the Southeast for mid-career professionals: 76% of its professional openings are mid-level, senior or manager roles, against 51% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
87 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 87 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its open professional roles at mid-level, senior individual-contributor or manager level, 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 mid-career professionals in the Southeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-mid-career-jobs-in-the-southeast

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-mid-career-jobs-in-the-southeast">Best cities for mid-career professionals in the Southeast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

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