NextChapter

Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Southeast

Atlanta has the most software and engineering openings in the Southeast: 973 openings, in a market where engineering is 22% 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 Atlanta, GA: 973 openings
  • #2 Huntsville, AL: 701 openings
  • #3 Charlotte, NC: 654 openings
  • 65 cities ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 22% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Atlanta GA973 openings
  2. 2Huntsville AL701 openings
  3. 3Charlotte NC654 openings
  4. 4Arlington VA456 openings
  5. 5Herndon VA441 openings
  6. 6Louisville KY395 openings
  7. 7Nashville TN363 openings
  8. 8Orlando FL362 openings
  9. 9Raleigh NC341 openings
  10. 10Chantilly VA304 openings

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Atlanta (973 openings) is well clear of Chantilly at #10 (304 openings).
  • Atlanta is the largest market in the top ten, with 973 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

    Atlanta GA

    973 openings

    Share of all openings
    17%
    Median engineering pay
    $150k
    All openings
    5,877

    Hiring most here: Emory University, Oxford College of Emory University, Capgemini Invent

    Based on 973 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Atlanta

  2. 2

    Huntsville AL

    701 openings

    Share of all openings
    59%
    Median engineering pay
    $147k
    All openings
    1,196

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

    Based on 701 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Huntsville

  3. 3

    Charlotte NC

    654 openings

    Share of all openings
    19%
    Median engineering pay
    $136k
    All openings
    3,402

    Hiring most here: Truist Financial, Scout Motors, SMBC Americas

    Based on 654 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Charlotte

  4. 4

    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

  5. 5

    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

  6. 6

    Louisville KY

    395 openings

    Share of all openings
    17%
    Median engineering pay
    $127k
    All openings
    2,319

    Hiring most here: Deloitte, BrightSpring Health Services, Norton Healthcare

    Based on 395 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Louisville

  7. 7

    Nashville TN

    363 openings

    Share of all openings
    21%
    Median engineering pay
    $156k
    All openings
    1,737

    Hiring most here: Oracle, Amazon, Vanderbilt University

    Based on 363 engineering openings.

  8. 8

    Orlando FL

    362 openings

    Share of all openings
    27%
    Median engineering pay
    $111k
    All openings
    1,343

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

    Based on 362 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Orlando

  9. 9

    Raleigh NC

    341 openings

    Share of all openings
    23%
    Median engineering pay
    $150k
    All openings
    1,515

    Hiring most here: First Citizens Bank, Dewberry, MaintainX

    Based on 341 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Raleigh

  10. 10

    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

  11. 11

    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

  12. 12

    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

  13. 13

    Tampa FL

    275 openings

    Share of all openings
    15%
    Median engineering pay
    $130k
    All openings
    1,845

    Hiring most here: DTCC, Citigroup, University of South Florida

    Based on 275 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tampa

  14. 14

    Miami FL

    247 openings

    Share of all openings
    10%
    Median engineering pay
    $136k
    All openings
    2,485

    Hiring most here: University Of Miami, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Princess Cruises / Holland America Line

    Based on 247 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Miami

  15. 15

    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

  16. 16

    Jacksonville FL

    174 openings

    Share of all openings
    15%
    Median engineering pay
    $112k
    All openings
    1,131

    Hiring most here: Confidential, Intercontinental Exchange, UF Health

    Based on 174 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Jacksonville

  17. 17

    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

  18. 18

    Melbourne FL

    151 openings

    Share of all openings
    48%
    Median engineering pay
    Not enough pay data
    All openings
    317

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

    Based on 151 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Melbourne

  19. 19

    Durham NC

    139 openings

    Share of all openings
    17%
    Median engineering pay
    $163k
    All openings
    804

    Hiring most here: Duke University, Duke Health, GSK

    Based on 139 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Durham

  20. 20

    Memphis TN

    133 openings

    Share of all openings
    19%
    Median engineering pay
    Not enough pay data
    All openings
    708

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

    Based on 133 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Memphis

  21. 21

    Alpharetta GA

    120 openings

    Share of all openings
    20%
    Median engineering pay
    $129k
    All openings
    614

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

    Based on 120 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Alpharetta

  22. 22

    Cape Canaveral FL

    119 openings

    Share of all openings
    68%
    Median engineering pay
    $136k
    All openings
    176

    Hiring most here: SpaceX, Relativity Space, Sidus Space

    Based on 119 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cape Canaveral

  23. 23

    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

  24. 24

    Oak Ridge TN

    117 openings

    Share of all openings
    57%
    Median engineering pay
    Not enough pay data
    All openings
    205

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

    Based on 117 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Oak Ridge

  25. 25

    Tallahassee FL

    113 openings

    Share of all openings
    13%
    Median engineering pay
    $142k
    All openings
    840

    Hiring most here: State of Florida, L3HARRIS Technologies, NextEra Energy

    Based on 113 engineering openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tallahassee

Full ranking

All 65 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Atlanta GA973 openings973
2Huntsville AL701 openings701
3Charlotte NC654 openings654
4Arlington VA456 openings456
5Herndon VA441 openings441
6Louisville KY395 openings395
7Nashville TN363 openings363
8Orlando FL362 openings362
9Raleigh NC341 openings341
10Chantilly VA304 openings304
11McLean VA288 openings288
12Reston VA281 openings281
13Tampa FL275 openings275
14Miami FL247 openings247
15Richmond VA212 openings212
16Jacksonville FL174 openings174
17Sterling VA155 openings155
18Melbourne FL151 openings151
19Durham NC139 openings139
20Memphis TN133 openings133
21Alpharetta GA120 openings120
22Cape Canaveral FL119 openings119
23Springfield VA118 openings118
24Oak Ridge TN117 openings117
25Tallahassee FL113 openings113
26Ashburn VA111 openings111
27Manassas VA110 openings110
28Alexandria VA109 openings109
29Fairfax VA95 openings95
30Greensboro NC89 openings89
31Greenville SC88 openings88
32Marietta GA87 openings87
33Birmingham AL85 openings85
34Knoxville TN84 openings84
35Kennesaw GA82 openings82
36Tysons VA78 openings78
37Fort Lauderdale FL75 openings75
38Cary NC72 openings72
39Dulles VA72 openings72
40Fort Belvoir VA70 openings70
41Norfolk VA67 openings67
42Columbia SC60 openings60
43Virginia Beach VA58 openings58
44Charlottesville VA55 openings55
45Lynchburg VA54 openings54
46Vienna VA52 openings52
47Chattanooga TN50 openings50
48Dahlgren VA50 openings50
49Hampton VA49 openings49
50Charleston SC48 openings48
51Morrisville NC48 openings48
52Montgomery AL46 openings46
53Sarasota FL43 openings43
54Wilmington NC43 openings43
55Palm Beach Gardens FL39 openings39
56Duluth GA36 openings36
57Lexington KY36 openings36
58Newport News VA36 openings36
59Rock Hill SC36 openings36
60Aiken SC35 openings35
61Boca Raton FL34 openings34
62Norcross GA34 openings34
63Clearwater FL33 openings33
64Coral Gables FL33 openings33
65Research Triangle Park NC31 openings31

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 southeast?
Atlanta has the most software and engineering openings in the Southeast: 973 openings, in a market where engineering is 22% of openings across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
65 cities have at least 30 engineering openings, so the list has 65 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 Southeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-southeast

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

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

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