Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Midwest

What stands out

• The lead is wide: Minnetonka (24%) is well clear of Rochester at #10 (10%).
• Minnetonka reaches #1 on a sample of 107 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
• Chicago is the largest market in the top ten, with 7,617 openings behind its figure.
• Cities with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

The top 25

1. 1

   Minnetonka MN

   24%

   AI-skill openings

   26

   All openings

   107

   Median posted pay

   $135k

   Hiring most here: Unitedhealth Group, LHC Group, Legrand North America

   Based on 107 openings.

2. 2

   Eden Prairie MN

   21%

   AI-skill openings

   67

   All openings

   318

   Median posted pay

   $136k

   Hiring most here: Unitedhealth Group, LHC Group, Illinois Tool Works

   Based on 318 openings.

3. 3

   Ann Arbor MI

   18%

   AI-skill openings

   64

   All openings

   350

   Median posted pay

   $151k

   Hiring most here: May Mobility, Torc Robotics, Thomson Reuters

   Based on 350 openings.

4. 4

   Carmel IN

   17%

   AI-skill openings

   23

   All openings

   138

   Median posted pay

   $83k

   Hiring most here: Allegion, Belden, CNO Financial Group

   Based on 138 openings.

5. 5

   Chicago IL

   14%

   AI-skill openings

   1,052

   All openings

   7,617

   Median posted pay

   $134k

   Hiring most here: Publicis Groupe, Northern Trust, Confidential

   Based on 7,617 openings.

6. 6

   Rolling Meadows IL

   13%

   AI-skill openings

   37

   All openings

   281

   Median posted pay

   $93k

   Hiring most here: Arthur J. Gallagher, Gallagher Bassett, Gallagher

   Based on 281 openings.

7. 7

   Lisle IL

   13%

   AI-skill openings

   15

   All openings

   116

   Median posted pay

   $113k

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

   Based on 116 openings.

8. 8

   Oakbrook Terrace IL

   11%

   AI-skill openings

   15

   All openings

   141

   Median posted pay

   $94k

   Hiring most here: Baltimore Gas and Electric, Pepco Holdings, Exelon

   Based on 141 openings.

9. 9

   Detroit MI

   11%

   AI-skill openings

   78

   All openings

   740

   Median posted pay

   $125k

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

   Based on 740 openings.

10. 10

    Rochester MN

    10%

    AI-skill openings

    19

    All openings

    183

    Median posted pay

    $93k

    Hiring most here: Mayo Clinic, Gilbane, Via

    Based on 183 openings.

11. 11

    Dublin OH

    10%

    AI-skill openings

    13

    All openings

    128

    Median posted pay

    $90k

    Hiring most here: Oclc, Univar Solutions, Quantum Health

    Based on 128 openings.

12. 12

    Schaumburg IL

    9%

    AI-skill openings

    19

    All openings

    215

    Median posted pay

    $98k

    Hiring most here: Motorola Solutions, Fictiv, Zurich

    Based on 215 openings.

13. 13

    Des Moines IA

    8%

    AI-skill openings

    29

    All openings

    365

    Median posted pay

    $125k

    Hiring most here: Principal Financial Group, OpenLoop, Olsson

    Based on 365 openings.

14. 14

    Northbrook IL

    8%

    AI-skill openings

    13

    All openings

    171

    Median posted pay

    $110k

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

    Based on 171 openings.

15. 15

    Minneapolis MN

    7%

    AI-skill openings

    94

    All openings

    1,285

    Median posted pay

    $127k

    Hiring most here: Mortenson, Target ALS Foundation, Ameriprise Certificate

    Based on 1,285 openings.

16. 16

    Lenexa KS

    7%

    AI-skill openings

    15

    All openings

    211

    Median posted pay

    Not enough pay data

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

    Based on 211 openings.

17. 17

    Bloomington MN

    7%

    AI-skill openings

    14

    All openings

    202

    Median posted pay

    $113k

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

    Based on 202 openings.

18. 18

    Columbus OH

    7%

    AI-skill openings

    128

    All openings

    1,942

    Median posted pay

    $111k

    Hiring most here: Nationwide Children's Hospital, State of Ohio, Nationwide

    Based on 1,942 openings.

19. 19

    Southfield MI

    6%

    AI-skill openings

    14

    All openings

    230

    Median posted pay

    $130k

    Hiring most here: Lucid Motors, Sun Communities, Lear

    Based on 230 openings.

20. 20

    Mason OH

    6%

    AI-skill openings

    9

    All openings

    148

    Median posted pay

    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: Cintas, L3HARRIS Technologies, Procter & Gamble

    Based on 148 openings.

21. 21

    Omaha NE

    6%

    AI-skill openings

    33

    All openings

    549

    Median posted pay

    $105k

    Hiring most here: Conagra Brands, Valmont, Zachry

    Based on 549 openings.

22. 22

    Indianapolis IN

    6%

    AI-skill openings

    84

    All openings

    1,418

    Median posted pay

    $120k

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

    Based on 1,418 openings.

23. 23

    Milwaukee WI

    5%

    AI-skill openings

    45

    All openings

    825

    Median posted pay

    $114k

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

    Based on 825 openings.

24. 24

    Fargo ND

    5%

    AI-skill openings

    9

    All openings

    165

    Median posted pay

    $100k

    Hiring most here: American Civil Constructors, Mastec, Danaher

    Based on 165 openings.

25. 25

    Cleveland OH

    5%

    AI-skill openings

    48

    All openings

    897

    Median posted pay

    $95k

    Hiring most here: Flexjet, KeyBank, Sherwin Williams

    Based on 897 openings.

Full ranking

All 66 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

How this ranking works

Questions

Which city ranks first: best cities for ai-skill jobs in the midwest?

Minnetonka leads the Midwest for AI skills: 24% of its professional openings ask for them, against 7% across all cities in our data.

How many cities are ranked?

66 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 66 entries.

How is the ranking calculated?

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool, found by our AI-skill tagger on the posting text. The tagger looks for named skills (for example prompt engineering, machine learning, or a named AI tool), not the words "AI-powered" in a company blurb. 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

• Best cities for junior jobs in the Midwest
• Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Midwest
• Fastest-growing job markets in the Midwest
• Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Midwest
• Best cities for mid-career professionals in the Midwest
• Best cities for director and executive jobs in the Midwest
• Best cities for AI-skill jobs
• All rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-ai-jobs-in-the-midwest

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-ai-jobs-in-the-midwest">Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Midwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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