Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Northeast
Key facts
- #1 New York, NY: 2,961 openings
- #2 Boston, MA: 910 openings
- #3 Pittsburgh, PA: 327 openings
- 52 cities ranked in the Northeast
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 18% across all cities in our data.
- 1New York NY2,961 openings
- 2Boston MA910 openings
- 3Pittsburgh PA327 openings
- 4Philadelphia PA231 openings
- 5Waltham MA184 openings
- 6Rochester NY168 openings
- 7Jersey City NJ159 openings
- 8Cambridge MA135 openings
- 9King of Prussia PA134 openings
- 10Buffalo NY121 openings
What stands out
- The lead is wide: New York (2,961 openings) is well clear of Buffalo at #10 (121 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
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.
- 2
Boston MA
910 openings
- Share of all openings
- 17%
- Median engineering pay
- $182k
- All openings
- 5,338
Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Confidential, Takeda Development Center Americas
Based on 910 engineering openings.
- 3
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.
- 4
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.
- 5
Waltham MA
184 openings
- Share of all openings
- 29%
- Median engineering pay
- $194k
- All openings
- 634
Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry
Based on 184 engineering openings.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
Cambridge MA
135 openings
- Share of all openings
- 11%
- Median engineering pay
- $164k
- All openings
- 1,204
Hiring most here: Harvard University, Biogen, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Based on 135 engineering openings.
- 9
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.
- 10
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.
- 11
Lexington MA
114 openings
- Share of all openings
- 45%
- Median engineering pay
- $149k
- All openings
- 253
Hiring most here: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Lincoln Lab), Takeda Development Center Americas, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International
Based on 114 engineering openings.
- 12
Marlborough MA
95 openings
- Share of all openings
- 37%
- Median engineering pay
- $126k
- All openings
- 258
Hiring most here: RTX, Danaher, Hologic
Based on 95 engineering openings.
- 13
Newark NJ
94 openings
- Share of all openings
- 21%
- Median engineering pay
- $157k
- All openings
- 455
Hiring most here: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Amazon, Audible
Based on 94 engineering openings.
- 14
Syracuse NY
89 openings
- Share of all openings
- 21%
- Median engineering pay
- $131k
- All openings
- 419
Hiring most here: Upstate Medical University, Hidden Level, HII Mission Technologies
Based on 89 engineering openings.
- 15
Wilmington MA
88 openings
- Share of all openings
- 53%
- Median engineering pay
- $144k
- All openings
- 165
Hiring most here: Onto Innovation, L3HARRIS Technologies, Symbotic
Based on 88 engineering openings.
- 16
Bedford MA
85 openings
- Share of all openings
- 42%
- Median engineering pay
- $123k
- All openings
- 201
Hiring most here: The MITRE, Stoke Therapeutics, Entegris
Based on 85 engineering openings.
- 17
Somerville MA
83 openings
- Share of all openings
- 23%
- Median engineering pay
- $168k
- All openings
- 354
Hiring most here: Formlabs, Tulip Interfaces, Generate Biomedicines
Based on 83 engineering openings.
- 18
Andover MA
79 openings
- Share of all openings
- 49%
- Median engineering pay
- $107k
- All openings
- 160
Hiring most here: RTX, Vicor, Mercury Systems
Based on 79 engineering openings.
- 20
Albany NY
68 openings
- Share of all openings
- 17%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 397
Hiring most here: KPMG, New York State, Broadview Credit Union
Based on 68 engineering openings.
- 21
Hartford CT
68 openings
- Share of all openings
- 19%
- Median engineering pay
- $118k
- All openings
- 366
Hiring most here: CVS HEALTH, Hartford HealthCare, Eversource Energy
Based on 68 engineering openings.
- 22
Reading PA
64 openings
- Share of all openings
- 30%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 215
Hiring most here: Penske Truck Leasing, Penske Truck Leasing / Penske Logistics, Worley Group
Based on 64 engineering openings.
- 23
Brooklyn NY
63 openings
- Share of all openings
- 9%
- Median engineering pay
- $150k
- All openings
- 693
Hiring most here: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Williams-Sonoma, Etsy
Based on 63 engineering openings.
- 24
Quincy MA
62 openings
- Share of all openings
- 37%
- Median engineering pay
- $172k
- All openings
- 169
Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, Anduril, J.Jill
Based on 62 engineering openings.
- 25
Princeton NJ
61 openings
- Share of all openings
- 14%
- Median engineering pay
- $191k
- All openings
- 439
Hiring most here: Genmab A/S, Otsuka, ZS Associates
Based on 61 engineering openings.
Full ranking
All 52 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York NY | 2,961 openings | 2,961 |
| 2 | Boston MA | 910 openings | 910 |
| 3 | Pittsburgh PA | 327 openings | 327 |
| 4 | Philadelphia PA | 231 openings | 231 |
| 5 | Waltham MA | 184 openings | 184 |
| 6 | Rochester NY | 168 openings | 168 |
| 7 | Jersey City NJ | 159 openings | 159 |
| 8 | Cambridge MA | 135 openings | 135 |
| 9 | King of Prussia PA | 134 openings | 134 |
| 10 | Buffalo NY | 121 openings | 121 |
| 11 | Lexington MA | 114 openings | 114 |
| 12 | Marlborough MA | 95 openings | 95 |
| 13 | Newark NJ | 94 openings | 94 |
| 14 | Syracuse NY | 89 openings | 89 |
| 15 | Wilmington MA | 88 openings | 88 |
| 16 | Bedford MA | 85 openings | 85 |
| 17 | Somerville MA | 83 openings | 83 |
| 18 | Andover MA | 79 openings | 79 |
| 19 | Woburn MA | 73 openings | 73 |
| 20 | Albany NY | 68 openings | 68 |
| 21 | Hartford CT | 68 openings | 68 |
| 22 | Reading PA | 64 openings | 64 |
| 23 | Brooklyn NY | 63 openings | 63 |
| 24 | Quincy MA | 62 openings | 62 |
| 25 | Princeton NJ | 61 openings | 61 |
| 26 | Lowell MA | 59 openings | 59 |
| 27 | Camden NJ | 58 openings | 58 |
| 28 | Burlington MA | 57 openings | 57 |
| 29 | White Plains NY | 52 openings | 52 |
| 30 | Westborough MA | 50 openings | 50 |
| 31 | Allentown PA | 49 openings | 49 |
| 32 | Framingham MA | 49 openings | 49 |
| 33 | Danbury CT | 46 openings | 46 |
| 34 | Middletown RI | 45 openings | 45 |
| 35 | Parsippany NJ | 45 openings | 45 |
| 36 | Harrisburg PA | 43 openings | 43 |
| 37 | Mount Laurel NJ | 42 openings | 42 |
| 38 | Acton MA | 41 openings | 41 |
| 39 | Cranberry PA | 37 openings | 37 |
| 40 | Norwood MA | 37 openings | 37 |
| 41 | Owego NY | 37 openings | 37 |
| 42 | Chelmsford MA | 36 openings | 36 |
| 43 | Watertown MA | 36 openings | 36 |
| 44 | Horsham PA | 35 openings | 35 |
| 45 | Melville NY | 35 openings | 35 |
| 46 | Piscataway NJ | 35 openings | 35 |
| 47 | Canonsburg PA | 34 openings | 34 |
| 48 | Clifton NJ | 33 openings | 33 |
| 49 | Manchester NH | 31 openings | 31 |
| 50 | Stamford CT | 31 openings | 31 |
| 51 | Berkeley Heights NJ | 30 openings | 30 |
| 52 | Florham Park NJ | 30 openings | 30 |
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 northeast?
- New York has the most software and engineering openings in the Northeast: 2,961 openings, in a market where engineering is 18% of openings across all cities in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 52 cities have at least 30 engineering openings, so the list has 52 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
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Northeast
- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Northeast
- Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Northeast
- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Northeast
- Cities with the most hybrid jobs in the Northeast
- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Northeast
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Northeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-northeast
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-northeast">Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Northeast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
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