Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Mountain West
Key facts
- #1 Denver, CO: 793 openings
- #2 Colorado Springs, CO: 366 openings
- #3 Salt Lake City, UT: 289 openings
- 22 cities ranked in the Mountain West
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 33% across all cities in our data.
- 1Denver CO793 openings
- 2Colorado Springs CO366 openings
- 3Salt Lake City UT289 openings
- 4Boulder CO233 openings
- 5Littleton CO207 openings
- 6Aurora CO137 openings
- 7Westminster CO137 openings
- 8Las Vegas NV136 openings
- 9Broomfield CO131 openings
- 10Boise ID124 openings
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Denver (793 openings) is well clear of Boise at #10 (124 openings).
- Denver is the largest market in the top ten, with 793 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
Denver CO
793 openings
- Share of all openings
- 26%
- Median engineering pay
- $150k
- All openings
- 2,996
Hiring most here: True Anomaly, Blue Origin, Amazon
Based on 793 engineering openings.
- 2
Colorado Springs CO
366 openings
- Share of all openings
- 51%
- Median engineering pay
- $125k
- All openings
- 712
Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, Trinzic, Odyssey Systems Consulting
Based on 366 engineering openings.
- 3
Salt Lake City UT
289 openings
- Share of all openings
- 26%
- Median engineering pay
- $137k
- All openings
- 1,102
Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, iCapital, Harris Health Strategic Fund
Based on 289 engineering openings.
- 4
Boulder CO
233 openings
- Share of all openings
- 51%
- Median engineering pay
- $150k
- All openings
- 454
Hiring most here: BAE Systems, Scitec Innovations, Atom Computing
Based on 233 engineering openings.
- 5
Littleton CO
207 openings
- Share of all openings
- 70%
- Median engineering pay
- $159k
- All openings
- 295
Hiring most here: Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky Aircraft, Lockheed Martin Services
Based on 207 engineering openings.
- 6
Aurora CO
137 openings
- Share of all openings
- 39%
- Median engineering pay
- $142k
- All openings
- 347
Hiring most here: CACI International, Northrop Grumman, RTX
Based on 137 engineering openings.
- 7
Westminster CO
137 openings
- Share of all openings
- 52%
- Median engineering pay
- $152k
- All openings
- 264
Hiring most here: CesiumAstro, BAE Systems, Loenbro
Based on 137 engineering openings.
- 8
Las Vegas NV
136 openings
- Share of all openings
- 14%
- Median engineering pay
- $123k
- All openings
- 980
Hiring most here: Caesars Entertainment, Allegiant Travel Company, Jt4
Based on 136 engineering openings.
- 9
Broomfield CO
131 openings
- Share of all openings
- 45%
- Median engineering pay
- $167k
- All openings
- 294
Hiring most here: BAE Systems, Crocs, Katalyst Ventures
Based on 131 engineering openings.
- 10
Boise ID
124 openings
- Share of all openings
- 32%
- Median engineering pay
- $129k
- All openings
- 391
Hiring most here: Simplot Company Foundation, Micron, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
Based on 124 engineering openings.
- 11
Englewood CO
94 openings
- Share of all openings
- 35%
- Median engineering pay
- $113k
- All openings
- 266
Hiring most here: General Atomics, Sargent & Lundy, Lockheed Martin
Based on 94 engineering openings.
- 12
Louisville CO
77 openings
- Share of all openings
- 55%
- Median engineering pay
- $141k
- All openings
- 139
Hiring most here: Infleqtion, Sierra Space, Garmin
Based on 77 engineering openings.
- 13
Reno NV
70 openings
- Share of all openings
- 23%
- Median engineering pay
- $138k
- All openings
- 311
Hiring most here: IGT, Amperesand, Caesars Entertainment
Based on 70 engineering openings.
- 14
Fort Collins CO
64 openings
- Share of all openings
- 42%
- Median engineering pay
- $129k
- All openings
- 154
Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, Woodward, Advanced Energy
Based on 64 engineering openings.
- 15
Lehi UT
62 openings
- Share of all openings
- 23%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 273
Hiring most here: Podium, Pattern Group, Texas Instruments
Based on 62 engineering openings.
- 16
Longmont CO
60 openings
- Share of all openings
- 59%
- Median engineering pay
- $113k
- All openings
- 101
Hiring most here: Sens Usa, Blue Origin, Ursa Major Technologies
Based on 60 engineering openings.
- 17
Centennial CO
54 openings
- Share of all openings
- 33%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 162
Hiring most here: United Launch Alliance, Mastec, American Civil Constructors
Based on 54 engineering openings.
- 18
Sparks NV
49 openings
- Share of all openings
- 40%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 122
Hiring most here: Panasonic Energy North America, Amazon, Fleet
Based on 49 engineering openings.
- 19
Golden CO
36 openings
- Share of all openings
- 41%
- Median engineering pay
- $150k
- All openings
- 88
Hiring most here: Loft Orbital, McKinstry
Based on 36 engineering openings.
- 20
Greenwood Village CO
34 openings
- Share of all openings
- 20%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 168
Hiring most here: CoBank ACB, Black & Veatch, Charter Communications
Based on 34 engineering openings.
- 21
Lone Tree CO
34 openings
- Share of all openings
- 57%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 60
Hiring most here: Weeks Marine, Kiewit Infrastructure South, Charles Schwab
Based on 34 engineering openings.
- 22
Ogden UT
32 openings
- Share of all openings
- 38%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 85
Hiring most here: Dark Wolf Solutions, Bechtel Energy
Based on 32 engineering openings.
Full ranking
All 22 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver CO | 793 openings | 793 |
| 2 | Colorado Springs CO | 366 openings | 366 |
| 3 | Salt Lake City UT | 289 openings | 289 |
| 4 | Boulder CO | 233 openings | 233 |
| 5 | Littleton CO | 207 openings | 207 |
| 6 | Aurora CO | 137 openings | 137 |
| 7 | Westminster CO | 137 openings | 137 |
| 8 | Las Vegas NV | 136 openings | 136 |
| 9 | Broomfield CO | 131 openings | 131 |
| 10 | Boise ID | 124 openings | 124 |
| 11 | Englewood CO | 94 openings | 94 |
| 12 | Louisville CO | 77 openings | 77 |
| 13 | Reno NV | 70 openings | 70 |
| 14 | Fort Collins CO | 64 openings | 64 |
| 15 | Lehi UT | 62 openings | 62 |
| 16 | Longmont CO | 60 openings | 60 |
| 17 | Centennial CO | 54 openings | 54 |
| 18 | Sparks NV | 49 openings | 49 |
| 19 | Golden CO | 36 openings | 36 |
| 20 | Greenwood Village CO | 34 openings | 34 |
| 21 | Lone Tree CO | 34 openings | 34 |
| 22 | Ogden UT | 32 openings | 32 |
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 mountain west?
- Denver has the most software and engineering openings in the Mountain West: 793 openings, in a market where engineering is 33% of openings across all cities in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 22 cities have at least 30 engineering openings, so the list has 22 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
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- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Mountain West
- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most hybrid jobs in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Mountain West
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Mountain West,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-mountain-west
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-mountain-west">Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Mountain West (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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