NextChapter

Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Mid-Atlantic

New York has the most software and engineering openings in the Mid-Atlantic: 2,961 openings, in a market where engineering is 20% of openings across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 New York, NY: 2,961 openings
  • #2 Washington, DC: 855 openings
  • #3 Arlington, VA: 456 openings
  • 68 cities ranked in the Mid-Atlantic
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 20% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1New York NY2,961 openings
  2. 2Washington DC855 openings
  3. 3Arlington VA456 openings
  4. 4Herndon VA441 openings
  5. 5Pittsburgh PA327 openings
  6. 6Chantilly VA304 openings
  7. 7McLean VA288 openings
  8. 8Reston VA281 openings
  9. 9Baltimore MD242 openings
  10. 10Philadelphia PA231 openings

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: New York (2,961 openings) is well clear of Philadelphia at #10 (231 openings).
  • New York is the largest market in the top ten, with 2,961 engineering openings behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 30 engineering openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Engineering hiring clusters in a handful of metros. Counting engineering openings shows where the demand for software and engineering skills is deepest.

How to use it

Use it to decide where to network and which employers to follow. A big market also means more competition, so compare it with the pay and entry-level lists.

The top 25

  1. 1

    New York NY

    2,961 openings

    Share of all openings
    13%
    Median engineering pay
    $200k
    All openings
    22,145

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Publicis Groupe, Morgan Stanley

    Based on 2,961 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in New York

  2. 2

    Washington DC

    855 openings

    Share of all openings
    18%
    Median engineering pay
    $172k
    All openings
    4,748

    Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, Confidential, Shield AI

    Based on 855 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Washington

  3. 3

    Arlington VA

    456 openings

    Share of all openings
    22%
    Median engineering pay
    $169k
    All openings
    2,079

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Bloomberg Industry Group

    Based on 456 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Arlington

  4. 4

    Herndon VA

    441 openings

    Share of all openings
    52%
    Median engineering pay
    $154k
    All openings
    849

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Peraton

    Based on 441 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Herndon

  5. 5

    Pittsburgh PA

    327 openings

    Share of all openings
    21%
    Median engineering pay
    $148k
    All openings
    1,592

    Hiring most here: PNC Financial Services Group, Highmark Health, UPMC

    Based on 327 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Pittsburgh

  6. 6

    Chantilly VA

    304 openings

    Share of all openings
    55%
    Median engineering pay
    $200k
    All openings
    553

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Trinzic, Peraton

    Based on 304 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chantilly

  7. 7

    McLean VA

    288 openings

    Share of all openings
    24%
    Median engineering pay
    $155k
    All openings
    1,182

    Hiring most here: Capital One, The MITRE, Steampunk

    Based on 288 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in McLean

  8. 8

    Reston VA

    281 openings

    Share of all openings
    34%
    Median engineering pay
    $172k
    All openings
    828

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

    Based on 281 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Reston

  9. 9

    Baltimore MD

    242 openings

    Share of all openings
    21%
    Median engineering pay
    $140k
    All openings
    1,158

    Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Johns Hopkins University

    Based on 242 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Baltimore

  10. 10

    Philadelphia PA

    231 openings

    Share of all openings
    12%
    Median engineering pay
    $138k
    All openings
    1,960

    Hiring most here: Confidential, GSK, Comcast

    Based on 231 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Philadelphia

  11. 11

    Richmond VA

    212 openings

    Share of all openings
    18%
    Median engineering pay
    $135k
    All openings
    1,209

    Hiring most here: Mckesson, Capital One, Genworth Financial

    Based on 212 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Richmond

  12. 12

    Rochester NY

    168 openings

    Share of all openings
    31%
    Median engineering pay
    $103k
    All openings
    537

    Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, Harris Health Strategic Fund, Rochester Institute of Technology

    Based on 168 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Rochester

  13. 13

    Jersey City NJ

    159 openings

    Share of all openings
    23%
    Median engineering pay
    $178k
    All openings
    679

    Hiring most here: DTCC, JPMorgan Chase, Verisk Analytics

    Based on 159 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Jersey City

  14. 14

    Sterling VA

    155 openings

    Share of all openings
    50%
    Median engineering pay
    $175k
    All openings
    312

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

    Based on 155 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sterling

  15. 15

    Annapolis Junction MD

    147 openings

    Share of all openings
    67%
    Median engineering pay
    $162k
    All openings
    220

    Hiring most here: Peraton, General Dynamics Mission Systems, CACI International

    Based on 147 engineering openings.

  16. 16

    King of Prussia PA

    134 openings

    Share of all openings
    39%
    Median engineering pay
    $108k
    All openings
    347

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

    Based on 134 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in King of Prussia

  17. 17

    Fort Meade MD

    131 openings

    Share of all openings
    48%
    Median engineering pay
    $159k
    All openings
    275

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

    Based on 131 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fort Meade

  18. 18

    Buffalo NY

    121 openings

    Share of all openings
    26%
    Median engineering pay
    $150k
    All openings
    461

    Hiring most here: Moog Military Aircraft, M&T Bank, Moog

    Based on 121 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Buffalo

  19. 19

    Bethesda MD

    118 openings

    Share of all openings
    25%
    Median engineering pay
    $168k
    All openings
    470

    Hiring most here: Black Canyon Consulting, ZoomInfo, Leidos

    Based on 118 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Bethesda

  20. 20

    Springfield VA

    118 openings

    Share of all openings
    43%
    Median engineering pay
    $131k
    All openings
    277

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

    Based on 118 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  21. 21

    Annapolis MD

    116 openings

    Share of all openings
    30%
    Median engineering pay
    $125k
    All openings
    391

    Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, Luminis Health, TEKsystems

    Based on 116 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Annapolis

  22. 22

    Columbia MD

    115 openings

    Share of all openings
    41%
    Median engineering pay
    $142k
    All openings
    280

    Hiring most here: HII Mission Technologies, CACI International, Grace Therapeutics

    Based on 115 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Columbia

  23. 23

    Ashburn VA

    111 openings

    Share of all openings
    43%
    Median engineering pay
    $147k
    All openings
    259

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Caci Technologies, Pkaza

    Based on 111 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Ashburn

  24. 24

    Manassas VA

    110 openings

    Share of all openings
    47%
    Median engineering pay
    $155k
    All openings
    236

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

    Based on 110 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Manassas

  25. 25

    Alexandria VA

    109 openings

    Share of all openings
    18%
    Median engineering pay
    $130k
    All openings
    618

    Hiring most here: Kearney, Patent and Trademark Office, Analytic Services (ANSER)

    Based on 109 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Alexandria

Full ranking

All 68 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1New York NY2,961 openings2,961
2Washington DC855 openings855
3Arlington VA456 openings456
4Herndon VA441 openings441
5Pittsburgh PA327 openings327
6Chantilly VA304 openings304
7McLean VA288 openings288
8Reston VA281 openings281
9Baltimore MD242 openings242
10Philadelphia PA231 openings231
11Richmond VA212 openings212
12Rochester NY168 openings168
13Jersey City NJ159 openings159
14Sterling VA155 openings155
15Annapolis Junction MD147 openings147
16King of Prussia PA134 openings134
17Fort Meade MD131 openings131
18Buffalo NY121 openings121
19Bethesda MD118 openings118
20Springfield VA118 openings118
21Annapolis MD116 openings116
22Columbia MD115 openings115
23Ashburn VA111 openings111
24Manassas VA110 openings110
25Alexandria VA109 openings109
26Fairfax VA95 openings95
27Newark NJ94 openings94
28Syracuse NY89 openings89
29Rockville MD87 openings87
30Wilmington DE86 openings86
31Tysons VA78 openings78
32Dulles VA72 openings72
33Fort Belvoir VA70 openings70
34Albany NY68 openings68
35Norfolk VA67 openings67
36Reading PA64 openings64
37Brooklyn NY63 openings63
38Princeton NJ61 openings61
39Hanover MD59 openings59
40Camden NJ58 openings58
41Virginia Beach VA58 openings58
42Charlottesville VA55 openings55
43Newark DE55 openings55
44Lynchburg VA54 openings54
45Vienna VA52 openings52
46White Plains NY52 openings52
47Aberdeen Proving Ground MD50 openings50
48Dahlgren VA50 openings50
49Allentown PA49 openings49
50Hampton VA49 openings49
51Parsippany NJ45 openings45
52Harrisburg PA43 openings43
53Frederick MD42 openings42
54Linthicum Heights MD42 openings42
55Mount Laurel NJ42 openings42
56Aberdeen MD40 openings40
57Cranberry PA37 openings37
58Owego NY37 openings37
59Newport News VA36 openings36
60Horsham PA35 openings35
61Melville NY35 openings35
62Piscataway NJ35 openings35
63Canonsburg PA34 openings34
64Clifton NJ33 openings33
65Gaithersburg MD31 openings31
66Owings Mills MD31 openings31
67Berkeley Heights NJ30 openings30
68Florham Park NJ30 openings30

How this ranking works

A city is ranked on the number of its open professional roles classed in the engineering function, which includes software, hardware and data engineering.

Median engineering pay uses only listings that post a salary, and is shown only where at least 8 do. Cities need at least the minimum number of engineering openings to be ranked.

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 30 engineering 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 software and engineering jobs in the mid-atlantic?
New York has the most software and engineering openings in the Mid-Atlantic: 2,961 openings, in a market where engineering is 20% of openings across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
68 cities have at least 30 engineering openings, so the list has 68 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city is ranked on the number of its open professional roles classed in the engineering function, which includes software, hardware and data engineering. Median engineering pay uses only listings that post a salary, and is shown only where at least 8 do. Cities need at least the minimum number of engineering openings to be ranked. 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 software and engineering jobs in the Mid-Atlantic,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-mid-atlantic

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-mid-atlantic">Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Mid-Atlantic (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

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