NextChapter

Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Northeast

Somerville leads the Northeast: 28% of its entry-level openings ask for AI skills, against 9% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

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Key facts

  • #1 Somerville, MA: 28%
  • #2 Lexington, MA: 19%
  • #3 Greenwich, CT: 18%
  • 48 cities ranked in the Northeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 9% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Somerville MA28%
  2. 2Lexington MA19%
  3. 3Greenwich CT18%
  4. 4Boston MA18%
  5. 5Cambridge MA14%
  6. 6New York NY13%
  7. 7New York NY10%
  8. 8Jersey City NJ10%
  9. 9Princeton NJ9%
  10. 10Stamford CT9%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Somerville (28%) is well clear of Stamford at #10 (9%).
  • Greenwich reaches #3 on a sample of 45 entry-level openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • New York is the largest market in the top ten, with 4,970 entry-level openings behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 40 entry-level openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Entry-level roles used to ask for little technical background. When they ask for AI skills, the starting line has moved. This list shows where that has happened most.

How to use it

If you are applying for first roles, learn the tools named in the postings you want and show a small project that uses them.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Somerville MA

    28%

    Entry-level AI openings
    21
    Entry-level openings
    74
    All openings
    295

    Hiring most here: Formlabs, Tulip Interfaces, Generate Biomedicines

    Based on 74 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Somerville

  2. 2

    Lexington MA

    19%

    Entry-level AI openings
    11
    Entry-level openings
    58
    All openings
    255

    Hiring most here: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Lincoln Lab), Takeda Development Center Americas, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International

    Based on 58 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lexington

  3. 3

    Greenwich CT

    18%

    Entry-level AI openings
    8
    Entry-level openings
    45
    All openings
    129

    Hiring most here: iCapital, AQR Capital, Berkley W R

    Based on 45 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Greenwich

  4. 4

    Boston MA

    18%

    Entry-level AI openings
    174
    Entry-level openings
    984
    All openings
    5,143

    Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, State Street, Confidential

    Based on 984 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Boston

  5. 5

    Cambridge MA

    14%

    Entry-level AI openings
    22
    Entry-level openings
    153
    All openings
    1,141

    Hiring most here: Harvard University, Biogen, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

    Based on 153 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cambridge

  6. 6

    New York NY

    13%

    Entry-level AI openings
    632
    Entry-level openings
    4,970
    All openings
    20,589

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Publicis Groupe, Morgan Stanley

    Based on 4,970 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New York

  7. 7

    New York NY

    10%

    Entry-level AI openings
    22
    Entry-level openings
    216
    All openings
    1,084

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Publicis Groupe, Morgan Stanley

    Based on 216 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New York

  8. 8

    Jersey City NJ

    10%

    Entry-level AI openings
    13
    Entry-level openings
    133
    All openings
    618

    Hiring most here: DTCC, Verisk Analytics, JPMorgan Chase

    Based on 133 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Jersey City

  9. 9

    Princeton NJ

    9%

    Entry-level AI openings
    7
    Entry-level openings
    74
    All openings
    396

    Hiring most here: Genmab A/S, Otsuka, ZS Associates

    Based on 74 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Princeton

  10. 10

    Stamford CT

    9%

    Entry-level AI openings
    8
    Entry-level openings
    88
    All openings
    331

    Hiring most here: Philip Morris International, Gartner, Charter Communications

    Based on 88 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Stamford

  11. 11

    Newark NJ

    8%

    Entry-level AI openings
    9
    Entry-level openings
    110
    All openings
    426

    Hiring most here: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Amazon, Audible

    Based on 110 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Newark

  12. 12

    Framingham MA

    8%

    Entry-level AI openings
    4
    Entry-level openings
    50
    All openings
    208

    Hiring most here: Staples, Bose, TJX Companies

    Based on 50 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Framingham

  13. 13

    White Plains NY

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    5
    Entry-level openings
    69
    All openings
    222

    Hiring most here: New York Power Authority, FormativGroup, RWE Clean Energy

    Based on 69 openings.

    Jobs and employers in White Plains

  14. 14

    King of Prussia PA

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    9
    Entry-level openings
    126
    All openings
    334

    Hiring most here: Sikorsky Aircraft, Lockheed Martin Services, Lockheed Martin

    Based on 126 openings.

    Jobs and employers in King of Prussia

  15. 15

    Camden NJ

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    42
    All openings
    162

    Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, NFI Industries, Cooper University Health Care

    Based on 42 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Camden

  16. 16

    Springfield MA

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    42
    All openings
    111

    Hiring most here: MassMutual, Kbwfinancial

    Based on 42 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  17. 17

    Worcester MA

    7%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    46
    All openings
    162

    Hiring most here: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Umass Memorial Health Care, Milford Regional Medical Center

    Based on 46 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Worcester

  18. 18

    Waltham MA

    6%

    Entry-level AI openings
    8
    Entry-level openings
    126
    All openings
    583

    Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry

    Based on 126 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Waltham

  19. 19

    Brooklyn NY

    6%

    Entry-level AI openings
    11
    Entry-level openings
    186
    All openings
    680

    Hiring most here: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Williams-Sonoma, Altana AI

    Based on 186 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Brooklyn

  20. 20

    Andover MA

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    55
    All openings
    167

    Hiring most here: RTX, TransMedics Group, Vicor

    Based on 55 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Andover

  21. 21

    Quincy MA

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    3
    Entry-level openings
    58
    All openings
    258

    Hiring most here: State Street, Anduril Industries, Anduril

    Based on 58 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Quincy

  22. 22

    Edison NJ

    5%

    Entry-level AI openings
    2
    Entry-level openings
    42
    All openings
    121

    Hiring most here: Xoriant, DHL

    Based on 42 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Edison

  23. 23

    Pittsburgh PA

    4%

    Entry-level AI openings
    19
    Entry-level openings
    533
    All openings
    1,514

    Hiring most here: PNC Financial Services Group, Highmark Health, UPMC

    Based on 533 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Pittsburgh

  24. 24

    Providence RI

    4%

    Entry-level AI openings
    2
    Entry-level openings
    57
    All openings
    202

    Hiring most here: Gilbane, Women and Infants Hospital, Brown University

    Based on 57 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Providence

  25. 25

    Syracuse NY

    3%

    Entry-level AI openings
    5
    Entry-level openings
    143
    All openings
    400

    Hiring most here: Upstate Medical University, Hidden Level, HII Mission Technologies

    Based on 143 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Syracuse

Full ranking

All 48 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Somerville MA28%74
2Lexington MA19%58
3Greenwich CT18%45
4Boston MA18%984
5Cambridge MA14%153
6New York NY13%4,970
7New York NY10%216
8Jersey City NJ10%133
9Princeton NJ9%74
10Stamford CT9%88
11Newark NJ8%110
12Framingham MA8%50
13White Plains NY7%69
14King of Prussia PA7%126
15Camden NJ7%42
16Springfield MA7%42
17Worcester MA7%46
18Waltham MA6%126
19Brooklyn NY6%186
20Andover MA5%55
21Quincy MA5%58
22Edison NJ5%42
23Pittsburgh PA4%533
24Providence RI4%57
25Syracuse NY3%143
26Albany NY3%115
27Philadelphia PA3%499
28Hartford CT3%100
29Portland ME3%69
30Morristown NJ2%42
31New Haven CT2%93
32Harrisburg PA2%95
33Conshohocken PA2%48
34Melville NY2%48
35Reading PA2%52
36Burlington MA2%54
37Woburn MA2%54
38Marlborough MA2%61
39Lancaster PA2%64
40Allentown PA2%65
41Buffalo NY1%134
42Rochester NY1%161
43Bronx NY0%71
44United PA0%70
45Parsippany NJ0%68
46York PA0%59
47Mechanicsburg PA0%49
48Manchester NH0%47

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its entry-level and early-career roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool.

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 40 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 entry-level jobs that want ai skills in the northeast?
Somerville leads the Northeast: 28% of its entry-level openings ask for AI skills, against 9% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
48 cities have at least 40 entry-level openings, so the list has 48 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its entry-level and early-career roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool. 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, “Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Northeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-entry-level-ai-jobs-in-the-northeast

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-entry-level-ai-jobs-in-the-northeast">Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Northeast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

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