Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Great Lakes
Key facts
- #1 Chicago, IL: 1,093 openings
- #2 Indianapolis, IN: 317 openings
- #3 Columbus, OH: 298 openings
- 44 cities ranked in the Great Lakes
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 21% across all cities in our data.
- 1Chicago IL1,093 openings
- 2Indianapolis IN317 openings
- 3Columbus OH298 openings
- 4Cincinnati OH247 openings
- 5Minneapolis MN232 openings
- 6Milwaukee WI158 openings
- 7Cleveland OH154 openings
- 8Ann Arbor MI121 openings
- 9Detroit MI119 openings
- 10Fort Wayne IN112 openings
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Chicago (1,093 openings) is well clear of Fort Wayne at #10 (112 openings).
- Fort Wayne reaches #10 on a sample of 112 engineering 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 1,093 engineering openings behind its figure.
- Cities with fewer than 30 engineering openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
The top 25
- 1
Chicago IL
1,093 openings
- Share of all openings
- 14%
- Median engineering pay
- $145k
- All openings
- 7,617
Hiring most here: Publicis Groupe, Northern Trust, Confidential
Based on 1,093 engineering openings.
- 2
Indianapolis IN
317 openings
- Share of all openings
- 22%
- Median engineering pay
- $118k
- All openings
- 1,418
Hiring most here: Eli Lilly and Company, State of Indiana, Masco
Based on 317 engineering openings.
- 3
Columbus OH
298 openings
- Share of all openings
- 15%
- Median engineering pay
- $115k
- All openings
- 1,942
Hiring most here: Nationwide Children's Hospital, State of Ohio, Nationwide
Based on 298 engineering openings.
- 4
Cincinnati OH
247 openings
- Share of all openings
- 18%
- Median engineering pay
- $111k
- All openings
- 1,385
Hiring most here: Medpace Holdings, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, Procter & Gamble
Based on 247 engineering openings.
- 5
Minneapolis MN
232 openings
- Share of all openings
- 18%
- Median engineering pay
- $130k
- All openings
- 1,285
Hiring most here: Mortenson, Target ALS Foundation, Ameriprise Certificate
Based on 232 engineering openings.
- 6
Milwaukee WI
158 openings
- Share of all openings
- 19%
- Median engineering pay
- $115k
- All openings
- 825
Hiring most here: Michels, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls International
Based on 158 engineering openings.
- 7
Cleveland OH
154 openings
- Share of all openings
- 17%
- Median engineering pay
- $105k
- All openings
- 897
Hiring most here: Flexjet, KeyBank, Sherwin Williams
Based on 154 engineering openings.
- 8
Ann Arbor MI
121 openings
- Share of all openings
- 35%
- Median engineering pay
- $147k
- All openings
- 350
Hiring most here: May Mobility, Torc Robotics, Thomson Reuters
Based on 121 engineering openings.
- 9
Detroit MI
119 openings
- Share of all openings
- 16%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 740
Hiring most here: Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System, Accident Fund
Based on 119 engineering openings.
- 10
Fort Wayne IN
112 openings
- Share of all openings
- 41%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 274
Hiring most here: BAE Systems, RTX, L3HARRIS Technologies
Based on 112 engineering openings.
- 11
Dayton OH
109 openings
- Share of all openings
- 26%
- Median engineering pay
- $124k
- All openings
- 427
Hiring most here: University of Dayton, Modern Technology Solutions, Odyssey Systems Consulting
Based on 109 engineering openings.
- 12
Grand Rapids MI
94 openings
- Share of all openings
- 22%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 421
Hiring most here: Corewell Health, Acrisure, BDO USA
Based on 94 engineering openings.
- 13
Madison WI
86 openings
- Share of all openings
- 17%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 515
Hiring most here: Universities of Wisconsin [UW_Madison], Creative Financial Staffing, Catalent Pharma Solutions
Based on 86 engineering openings.
- 14
Eden Prairie MN
68 openings
- Share of all openings
- 21%
- Median engineering pay
- $128k
- All openings
- 318
Hiring most here: Unitedhealth Group, LHC Group, Illinois Tool Works
Based on 68 engineering openings.
- 15
Auburn Hills MI
67 openings
- Share of all openings
- 45%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 149
Hiring most here: Alten Technology USA, Stellantis, Nexteer
Based on 67 engineering openings.
- 16
Akron OH
59 openings
- Share of all openings
- 19%
- Median engineering pay
- $90k
- All openings
- 306
Hiring most here: FirstEnergy Akron, Babcock International Group PLC/ADR, Akron Childrens Hospital
Based on 59 engineering openings.
- 17
Southfield MI
59 openings
- Share of all openings
- 26%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 230
Hiring most here: Lucid Motors, Sun Communities, Lear
Based on 59 engineering openings.
- 18
Lansing MI
57 openings
- Share of all openings
- 27%
- Median engineering pay
- $83k
- All openings
- 211
Hiring most here: University of Michigan Health-Sparrow, Auto-Owners Insurance, Sparrow Clinton Hospital
Based on 57 engineering openings.
- 19
New Albany OH
57 openings
- Share of all openings
- 38%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 149
Hiring most here: Bechtel Energy, American Electric Power, Amazon
Based on 57 engineering openings.
- 20
Bloomington MN
55 openings
- Share of all openings
- 27%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 202
Hiring most here: HealthPartners, General Dynamics Mission Systems, Geronimo Power
Based on 55 engineering openings.
- 21
Novi MI
54 openings
- Share of all openings
- 37%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 146
Hiring most here: Scout Motors, Gentherm, Daifuku Co., Ltd./ADR
Based on 54 engineering openings.
- 22
Oakbrook Terrace IL
51 openings
- Share of all openings
- 36%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 141
Hiring most here: Baltimore Gas and Electric, Pepco Holdings, Exelon
Based on 51 engineering openings.
- 23
Troy MI
50 openings
- Share of all openings
- 20%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 248
Hiring most here: Aptiv, Publicis Groupe, Flagstar Bank, National Association
Based on 50 engineering openings.
- 24
Waukesha WI
49 openings
- Share of all openings
- 45%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 108
Hiring most here: GE HealthCare Technologies, Eaton, GE HealthCare
Based on 49 engineering openings.
- 25
Mundelein IL
44 openings
- Share of all openings
- 18%
- Median engineering pay
- $151k
- All openings
- 247
Hiring most here: Coda Search│Staffing
Based on 44 engineering openings.
Full ranking
All 44 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago IL | 1,093 openings | 1,093 |
| 2 | Indianapolis IN | 317 openings | 317 |
| 3 | Columbus OH | 298 openings | 298 |
| 4 | Cincinnati OH | 247 openings | 247 |
| 5 | Minneapolis MN | 232 openings | 232 |
| 6 | Milwaukee WI | 158 openings | 158 |
| 7 | Cleveland OH | 154 openings | 154 |
| 8 | Ann Arbor MI | 121 openings | 121 |
| 9 | Detroit MI | 119 openings | 119 |
| 10 | Fort Wayne IN | 112 openings | 112 |
| 11 | Dayton OH | 109 openings | 109 |
| 12 | Grand Rapids MI | 94 openings | 94 |
| 13 | Madison WI | 86 openings | 86 |
| 14 | Eden Prairie MN | 68 openings | 68 |
| 15 | Auburn Hills MI | 67 openings | 67 |
| 16 | Akron OH | 59 openings | 59 |
| 17 | Southfield MI | 59 openings | 59 |
| 18 | Lansing MI | 57 openings | 57 |
| 19 | New Albany OH | 57 openings | 57 |
| 20 | Bloomington MN | 55 openings | 55 |
| 21 | Novi MI | 54 openings | 54 |
| 22 | Oakbrook Terrace IL | 51 openings | 51 |
| 23 | Troy MI | 50 openings | 50 |
| 24 | Waukesha WI | 49 openings | 49 |
| 25 | Mundelein IL | 44 openings | 44 |
| 26 | Rolling Meadows IL | 44 openings | 44 |
| 27 | Beavercreek OH | 42 openings | 42 |
| 28 | Rochester MN | 42 openings | 42 |
| 29 | Rockford IL | 42 openings | 42 |
| 30 | Wright-Patterson AFB OH | 42 openings | 42 |
| 31 | Mason OH | 39 openings | 39 |
| 32 | Springfield IL | 38 openings | 38 |
| 33 | St. Paul MN | 37 openings | 37 |
| 34 | Naperville IL | 36 openings | 36 |
| 35 | Normal IL | 36 openings | 36 |
| 36 | Maple Grove MN | 34 openings | 34 |
| 37 | Appleton WI | 33 openings | 33 |
| 38 | La Crosse WI | 32 openings | 32 |
| 39 | Lafayette IN | 32 openings | 32 |
| 40 | Crane IN | 31 openings | 31 |
| 41 | Dublin OH | 31 openings | 31 |
| 42 | Lisle IL | 31 openings | 31 |
| 43 | Plymouth MI | 30 openings | 30 |
| 44 | Plymouth MN | 30 openings | 30 |
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 great lakes?
- Chicago has the most software and engineering openings in the Great Lakes: 1,093 openings, in a market where engineering is 21% of openings across all cities in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 44 cities have at least 30 engineering openings, so the list has 44 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
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- Fastest-growing job markets in the Great Lakes
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- Best cities for director and executive jobs in the Great Lakes
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- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Great Lakes,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-great-lakes
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-great-lakes">Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Great Lakes (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
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