NextChapter

Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Midwest

Lenexa leads the Midwest: 6.9% of its professional openings say no experience is needed, against 0.9% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Lenexa, KS: 6.9%
  • #2 Northbrook, IL: 3.5%
  • #3 Sioux Falls, SD: 2.6%
  • 67 cities ranked in the Midwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 0.9% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Lenexa KS6.9%
  2. 2Northbrook IL3.5%
  3. 3Sioux Falls SD2.6%
  4. 4Oak Brook IL2.2%
  5. 5Kansas City KS2.1%
  6. 6Bloomington MN2.1%
  7. 7Rosemont IL2.0%
  8. 8Schaumburg IL1.9%
  9. 9Lisle IL1.7%
  10. 10Mundelein IL1.6%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Lenexa (6.9%) is well clear of Mundelein at #10 (1.6%).
  • Mundelein is the largest market in the top ten, with 247 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

Some employers say plainly that no experience is needed, or that they will train people. The share of such openings shows where it is easiest to get started without a track record.

How to use it

If you are starting out or changing fields, apply to postings that say it. The city lists show where they are most common.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Lenexa KS

    6.9%

    No-experience openings
    15
    All openings
    216
    All openings
    216

    Hiring most here: Kiewit Infrastructure South, Kiewit, Kiewit Corporation (Peter Kiewit Sons')

    Based on 216 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lenexa

  2. 2

    Northbrook IL

    3.5%

    No-experience openings
    6
    All openings
    171
    All openings
    171

    Hiring most here: UL Solutions, Astellas (ADP), Medline Industries

    Based on 171 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Northbrook

  3. 3

    Sioux Falls SD

    2.6%

    No-experience openings
    5
    All openings
    196
    All openings
    196

    Hiring most here: Sioux Center Health, Marshfield Clinic, Trinzic

    Based on 196 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sioux Falls

  4. 4

    Oak Brook IL

    2.2%

    No-experience openings
    3
    All openings
    134
    All openings
    134

    Hiring most here: Hub Group, Sotera Health

    Based on 134 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Oak Brook

  5. 5

    Kansas City KS

    2.1%

    No-experience openings
    3
    All openings
    144
    All openings
    144

    Hiring most here: Dairy Farmers of America, Amazon, Kansas City Kansas Community College

    Based on 144 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Kansas City

  6. 6

    Bloomington MN

    2.1%

    No-experience openings
    4
    All openings
    194
    All openings
    194

    Hiring most here: HealthPartners, General Dynamics Mission Systems, Geronimo Power

    Based on 194 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Bloomington

  7. 7

    Rosemont IL

    2.0%

    No-experience openings
    2
    All openings
    101
    All openings
    101

    Hiring most here: Reyes Holdings, US Foods, Regal Rexnord

    Based on 101 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Rosemont

  8. 8

    Schaumburg IL

    1.9%

    No-experience openings
    4
    All openings
    216
    All openings
    216

    Hiring most here: Motorola Solutions, Fictiv, Zurich

    Based on 216 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Schaumburg

  9. 9

    Lisle IL

    1.7%

    No-experience openings
    2
    All openings
    115
    All openings
    115

    Hiring most here: International Institute For Sustainable Development, Navistar, Brindley Engineering

    Based on 115 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lisle

  10. 10

    Mundelein IL

    1.6%

    No-experience openings
    4
    All openings
    247
    All openings
    247

    Hiring most here: Coda Search│Staffing

    Based on 247 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Mundelein

  11. 11

    Omaha NE

    1.5%

    No-experience openings
    8
    All openings
    535
    All openings
    535

    Hiring most here: Conagra Brands, Valmont, Zachry

    Based on 535 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Omaha

  12. 12

    Indianapolis IN

    1.4%

    No-experience openings
    19
    All openings
    1,386
    All openings
    1,386

    Hiring most here: Eli Lilly and Company, State of Indiana, Masco

    Based on 1,386 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Indianapolis

  13. 13

    Overland Park KS

    1.4%

    No-experience openings
    6
    All openings
    441
    All openings
    441

    Hiring most here: Black & Veatch, Steadily, QTS Data Centers

    Based on 441 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Overland Park

  14. 14

    Milwaukee WI

    1.3%

    No-experience openings
    11
    All openings
    821
    All openings
    821

    Hiring most here: Michels, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls International

    Based on 821 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Milwaukee

  15. 15

    Akron OH

    1.3%

    No-experience openings
    4
    All openings
    309
    All openings
    309

    Hiring most here: FirstEnergy Akron, Babcock International Group PLC/ADR, Akron Childrens Hospital

    Based on 309 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Akron

  16. 16

    Cedar Rapids IA

    1.1%

    No-experience openings
    4
    All openings
    348
    All openings
    348

    Hiring most here: RTX, Transamerica, BAE Systems

    Based on 348 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cedar Rapids

  17. 17

    Detroit MI

    1.1%

    No-experience openings
    8
    All openings
    728
    All openings
    728

    Hiring most here: Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System, Accident Fund

    Based on 728 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Detroit

  18. 18

    Springfield MO

    1.0%

    No-experience openings
    2
    All openings
    191
    All openings
    191

    Hiring most here: O'Reilly Auto Parts, Coxhealth, Jack Henry & Associates

    Based on 191 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  19. 19

    Madison WI

    1.0%

    No-experience openings
    5
    All openings
    497
    All openings
    497

    Hiring most here: Universities of Wisconsin [UW_Madison], Creative Financial Staffing, Catalent Pharma Solutions

    Based on 497 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Madison

  20. 20

    Lincoln NE

    1.0%

    No-experience openings
    2
    All openings
    203
    All openings
    203

    Hiring most here: Nelnet Servicing, General Dynamics OTS, Hudl

    Based on 203 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lincoln

  21. 21

    Waukesha WI

    0.9%

    No-experience openings
    1
    All openings
    107
    All openings
    107

    Hiring most here: GE HealthCare Technologies, Eaton, GE HealthCare

    Based on 107 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Waukesha

  22. 22

    St. Louis MO

    0.9%

    No-experience openings
    5
    All openings
    537
    All openings
    537

    Hiring most here: Stifel Charitable, BJC HealthCare, Kforce

    Based on 537 openings.

    Jobs and employers in St. Louis

  23. 23

    Topeka KS

    0.9%

    No-experience openings
    1
    All openings
    109
    All openings
    109

    Hiring most here: Stormont Vail, Colgate Palmolive

    Based on 109 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Topeka

  24. 24

    La Crosse WI

    0.9%

    No-experience openings
    1
    All openings
    116
    All openings
    116

    Hiring most here: Trane U.s., Gundersen Health, Kwik Trip

    Based on 116 openings.

    Jobs and employers in La Crosse

  25. 25

    Evansville IN

    0.9%

    No-experience openings
    1
    All openings
    117
    All openings
    117

    Hiring most here: Deaconess Homecare, Old National Bank, Deaconess Womens Hospital Of Southern Indiana

    Based on 117 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Evansville

Full ranking

All 67 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Lenexa KS6.9%216
2Northbrook IL3.5%171
3Sioux Falls SD2.6%196
4Oak Brook IL2.2%134
5Kansas City KS2.1%144
6Bloomington MN2.1%194
7Rosemont IL2.0%101
8Schaumburg IL1.9%216
9Lisle IL1.7%115
10Mundelein IL1.6%247
11Omaha NE1.5%535
12Indianapolis IN1.4%1,386
13Overland Park KS1.4%441
14Milwaukee WI1.3%821
15Akron OH1.3%309
16Cedar Rapids IA1.1%348
17Detroit MI1.1%728
18Springfield MO1.0%191
19Madison WI1.0%497
20Lincoln NE1.0%203
21Waukesha WI0.9%107
22St. Louis MO0.9%537
23Topeka KS0.9%109
24La Crosse WI0.9%116
25Evansville IN0.9%117
26Cincinnati OH0.8%1,374
27Aurora IL0.8%126
28Cleveland OH0.8%885
29Columbia MO0.8%129
30Green Bay WI0.8%132
31Rockford IL0.7%136
32Carmel IN0.7%139
33Kansas City MO0.7%874
34Novi MI0.7%146
35Chicago IL0.7%7,350
36Mason OH0.7%147
37New Albany OH0.7%147
38Minneapolis MN0.7%1,200
39Toledo OH0.6%178
40Naperville IL0.5%186
41St. Paul MN0.5%192
42St. Louis MO0.5%395
43Grand Rapids MI0.5%417
44Columbus OH0.5%1,895
45Fort Wayne IN0.4%273
46Springfield IL0.3%287
47Eden Prairie MN0.3%321
48Ann Arbor MI0.3%349
49Dayton OH0.0%430
50Des Moines IA0.0%368
51Rolling Meadows IL0.0%281
52Troy MI0.0%242
53Southfield MI0.0%229
54Wichita KS0.0%226
55Lansing MI0.0%210
56Rochester MN0.0%180
57Fargo ND0.0%159
58Peoria IL0.0%159
59Appleton WI0.0%149
60Auburn Hills MI0.0%147
61Downers Grove IL0.0%141
62Oakbrook Terrace IL0.0%141
63Dublin OH0.0%126
64Jeffersonville IN0.0%113
65Jefferson City MO0.0%107
66Minnetonka MN0.0%105
67Evanston IL0.0%104

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles whose posting says no experience is needed, or welcomes recent graduates or people the employer will train.

Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. A city where one employer posts at least half the 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: cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the midwest?
Lenexa leads the Midwest: 6.9% of its professional openings say no experience is needed, against 0.9% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
67 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 67 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its open professional roles whose posting says no experience is needed, or welcomes recent graduates or people the employer will train. Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. A city where one employer posts at least half the 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, “Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-with-the-most-no-experience-jobs-in-the-midwest

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-with-the-most-no-experience-jobs-in-the-midwest">Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Midwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

The job market, once a week

One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.

Applying and hearing nothing back?

Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.

Already a member? Log in

Get my Market Reality Assessment

Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?

Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.

See how organizations use it