NextChapter

Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Southeast

Tysons leads the Southeast for AI skills: 20% of its professional openings ask for them, against 7% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Tysons, VA: 20%
  • #2 McLean, VA: 17%
  • #3 Reston, VA: 16%
  • 85 cities ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 7% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Tysons VA20%
  2. 2McLean VA17%
  3. 3Reston VA16%
  4. 4Research Triangle Park NC16%
  5. 5Arlington VA14%
  6. 6Lake Mary FL13%
  7. 7Herndon VA13%
  8. 8Oak Ridge TN13%
  9. 9Atlanta GA13%
  10. 10Cary NC12%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Tysons (20%) is well clear of Cary at #10 (12%).
  • Research Triangle Park reaches #4 on a sample of 102 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Atlanta is the largest market in the top ten, with 5,502 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

    Tysons VA

    20%

    AI-skill openings
    38
    All openings
    189
    Median posted pay
    $126k

    Hiring most here: M.C. Dean, Alarm.com Holdings, LMI

    Based on 189 openings.

  2. 2

    McLean VA

    17%

    AI-skill openings
    203
    All openings
    1,167
    Median posted pay
    $150k

    Hiring most here: Capital One, The MITRE, Steampunk

    Based on 1,167 openings.

  3. 3

    Reston VA

    16%

    AI-skill openings
    128
    All openings
    782
    Median posted pay
    $160k

    Hiring most here: ICF International, CACI International, Anduril Industries

    Based on 782 openings.

  4. 4

    Research Triangle Park NC

    16%

    AI-skill openings
    16
    All openings
    102
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: Cisco Systems, Vulcan Elements, Biogen

    Based on 102 openings.

  5. 5

    Arlington VA

    14%

    AI-skill openings
    279
    All openings
    1,978
    Median posted pay
    $145k

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Bloomberg Industry Group

    Based on 1,978 openings.

  6. 6

    Lake Mary FL

    13%

    AI-skill openings
    17
    All openings
    126
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: BNY, The Institute of Internal Auditors

    Based on 126 openings.

  7. 7

    Herndon VA

    13%

    AI-skill openings
    109
    All openings
    820
    Median posted pay
    $161k

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Peraton

    Based on 820 openings.

  8. 8

    Oak Ridge TN

    13%

    AI-skill openings
    25
    All openings
    196
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

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

    Based on 196 openings.

  9. 9

    Atlanta GA

    13%

    AI-skill openings
    701
    All openings
    5,502
    Median posted pay
    $133k

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

    Based on 5,502 openings.

  10. 10

    Cary NC

    12%

    AI-skill openings
    28
    All openings
    229
    Median posted pay
    $224k

    Hiring most here: Epic Games, Wake County Public School System, Garmin

    Based on 229 openings.

  11. 11

    Alpharetta GA

    12%

    AI-skill openings
    66
    All openings
    566
    Median posted pay
    $125k

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

    Based on 566 openings.

  12. 12

    Vienna VA

    11%

    AI-skill openings
    18
    All openings
    162
    Median posted pay
    $133k

    Hiring most here: Esri, Navy Federal Credit Union, Antithesis

    Based on 162 openings.

  13. 13

    Boca Raton FL

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    34
    All openings
    340
    Median posted pay
    $95k

    Hiring most here: Compass, Baptist Health South Florida, SBA Communications

    Based on 340 openings.

  14. 14

    Durham NC

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    77
    All openings
    775
    Median posted pay
    $120k

    Hiring most here: Duke University, Duke Health Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, GSK

    Based on 775 openings.

  15. 15

    Franklin TN

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    13
    All openings
    132
    Median posted pay
    $113k

    Hiring most here: Enablecomp, Community Health Systems, Mars

    Based on 132 openings.

  16. 16

    Chantilly VA

    9%

    AI-skill openings
    52
    All openings
    554
    Median posted pay
    $194k

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Trinzic, Peraton

    Based on 554 openings.

  17. 17

    Charlotte NC

    9%

    AI-skill openings
    294
    All openings
    3,201
    Median posted pay
    $121k

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

    Based on 3,201 openings.

  18. 18

    Nashville TN

    8%

    AI-skill openings
    139
    All openings
    1,654
    Median posted pay
    $132k

    Hiring most here: Oracle, Amazon, Vanderbilt University

    Based on 1,654 openings.

  19. 19

    Norcross GA

    8%

    AI-skill openings
    11
    All openings
    138
    Median posted pay
    $73k

    Hiring most here: ACI Worldwide, Pruitthealth Home Health, Slip Robotics

    Based on 138 openings.

  20. 20

    Miami FL

    8%

    AI-skill openings
    184
    All openings
    2,311
    Median posted pay
    $133k

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

    Based on 2,311 openings.

  21. 21

    Mc Lean VA

    8%

    AI-skill openings
    18
    All openings
    234
    Median posted pay
    $163k

    Hiring most here: Capital One, Booz Allen Hamilton, Sunrise Senior Living

    Based on 234 openings.

  22. 22

    Raleigh NC

    8%

    AI-skill openings
    107
    All openings
    1,421
    Median posted pay
    $115k

    Hiring most here: First Citizens Bank, Dewberry, MaintainX

    Based on 1,421 openings.

  23. 23

    Springfield VA

    7%

    AI-skill openings
    20
    All openings
    269
    Median posted pay
    $132k

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Caci Technologies, HII Mission Technologies

    Based on 269 openings.

  24. 24

    Ashburn VA

    7%

    AI-skill openings
    19
    All openings
    257
    Median posted pay
    $144k

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Caci Technologies, L3HARRIS Technologies

    Based on 257 openings.

  25. 25

    Lexington KY

    7%

    AI-skill openings
    16
    All openings
    221
    Median posted pay
    $101k

    Hiring most here: Xometry, Lockheed Martin, Veterans Health Administration

    Based on 221 openings.

Full ranking

All 85 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Tysons VA20%189
2McLean VA17%1,167
3Reston VA16%782
4Research Triangle Park NC16%102
5Arlington VA14%1,978
6Lake Mary FL13%126
7Herndon VA13%820
8Oak Ridge TN13%196
9Atlanta GA13%5,502
10Cary NC12%229
11Alpharetta GA12%566
12Vienna VA11%162
13Boca Raton FL10%340
14Durham NC10%775
15Franklin TN10%132
16Chantilly VA9%554
17Charlotte NC9%3,201
18Nashville TN8%1,654
19Norcross GA8%138
20Miami FL8%2,311
21Mc Lean VA8%234
22Raleigh NC8%1,421
23Springfield VA7%269
24Ashburn VA7%257
25Lexington KY7%221
26Falls Church VA7%168
27Morrisville NC7%154
28Jacksonville FL7%1,055
29Fort Belvoir VA7%192
30Palm Beach Gardens FL7%178
31Fairfax VA6%407
32Birmingham AL6%584
33Alexandria VA6%576
34Tampa FL6%1,717
35Huntsville AL6%1,146
36Sterling VA6%305
37Sarasota FL5%195
38Memphis TN5%718
39Brentwood TN5%189
40Richmond VA5%1,133
41Columbia SC4%334
42Daytona Beach FL4%102
43Norfolk VA4%327
44Charleston SC4%307
45Coral Gables FL4%252
46Greenville SC4%313
47Cape Canaveral FL3%172
48Charlottesville VA3%504
49Chattanooga TN3%208
50Fort Lauderdale FL3%565
51Orlando FL3%1,256
52Tallahassee FL3%739
53Greensboro NC3%436
54Melbourne FL3%305
55Mobile AL3%137
56Knoxville TN3%446
57Lynchburg VA3%113
58Naples FL3%195
59Virginia Beach VA2%255
60Chesapeake VA2%131
61Marietta GA2%267
62Manassas VA2%228
63Louisville KY2%2,065
64Wilmington NC2%190
65Montgomery AL2%193
66Augusta GA2%195
67Hampton VA2%112
68St. Petersburg FL2%132
69Doral FL1%138
70Asheville NC1%140
71Duluth GA1%150
72Fort Myers FL1%155
73Pensacola FL1%174
74Roanoke VA1%177
75Savannah GA1%186
76Spartanburg SC1%100
77Columbus GA1%104
78Fayetteville NC1%108
79Jackson MS1%113
80Greenville NC1%122
81Gainesville FL1%136
82Frankfort KY1%153
83Clearwater FL1%161
84Kennesaw GA1%171
85Newport News VA0%144

How this ranking works

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.

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: best cities for ai-skill jobs in the southeast?
Tysons leads the Southeast for AI skills: 20% of its professional openings ask for them, against 7% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
85 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 85 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

Cite this ranking

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

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

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

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