Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Midwest
Key facts
- #1 Chicago, IL: 1,093 openings
- #2 Indianapolis, IN: 317 openings
- #3 Columbus, OH: 298 openings
- 55 cities ranked in the Midwest
- 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
- 6Cedar Rapids IA169 openings
- 7Milwaukee WI158 openings
- 8Cleveland OH154 openings
- 9Overland Park KS135 openings
- 10Kansas City MO126 openings
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Chicago (1,093 openings) is well clear of Kansas City at #10 (126 openings).
- 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
Cedar Rapids IA
169 openings
- Share of all openings
- 48%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 350
Hiring most here: RTX, Transamerica, BAE Systems
Based on 169 engineering openings.
- 7
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.
- 8
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.
- 9
Overland Park KS
135 openings
- Share of all openings
- 30%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 445
Hiring most here: Black & Veatch, Steadily, QTS Data Centers
Based on 135 engineering openings.
- 10
Kansas City MO
126 openings
- Share of all openings
- 14%
- Median engineering pay
- $140k
- All openings
- 892
Hiring most here: JE Dunn Construction, Catalent Pharma Solutions, Commerce Bank
Based on 126 engineering openings.
- 11
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.
- 12
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.
- 13
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.
- 14
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.
- 15
Omaha NE
109 openings
- Share of all openings
- 20%
- Median engineering pay
- $104k
- All openings
- 549
Hiring most here: Conagra Brands, Valmont, Zachry
Based on 109 engineering openings.
- 16
St. Louis MO
101 openings
- Share of all openings
- 19%
- Median engineering pay
- $96k
- All openings
- 529
Hiring most here: Stifel Charitable, BJC HealthCare, Kforce
Based on 101 engineering openings.
- 17
Lenexa KS
99 openings
- Share of all openings
- 47%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 211
Hiring most here: Kiewit Infrastructure South, Kiewit, Kiewit Corporation (Peter Kiewit Sons')
Based on 99 engineering openings.
- 18
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.
- 19
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.
- 20
Des Moines IA
72 openings
- Share of all openings
- 20%
- Median engineering pay
- $130k
- All openings
- 365
Hiring most here: Principal Financial Group, OpenLoop, Olsson
Based on 72 engineering openings.
- 21
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.
- 22
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.
- 23
Wichita KS
67 openings
- Share of all openings
- 29%
- Median engineering pay
- $130k
- All openings
- 235
Hiring most here: Spirit AeroSystems, Sedgwick County, Shield AI
Based on 67 engineering openings.
- 24
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.
- 25
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.
Full ranking
All 55 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 | Cedar Rapids IA | 169 openings | 169 |
| 7 | Milwaukee WI | 158 openings | 158 |
| 8 | Cleveland OH | 154 openings | 154 |
| 9 | Overland Park KS | 135 openings | 135 |
| 10 | Kansas City MO | 126 openings | 126 |
| 11 | Ann Arbor MI | 121 openings | 121 |
| 12 | Detroit MI | 119 openings | 119 |
| 13 | Fort Wayne IN | 112 openings | 112 |
| 14 | Dayton OH | 109 openings | 109 |
| 15 | Omaha NE | 109 openings | 109 |
| 16 | St. Louis MO | 101 openings | 101 |
| 17 | Lenexa KS | 99 openings | 99 |
| 18 | Grand Rapids MI | 94 openings | 94 |
| 19 | Madison WI | 86 openings | 86 |
| 20 | Des Moines IA | 72 openings | 72 |
| 21 | Eden Prairie MN | 68 openings | 68 |
| 22 | Auburn Hills MI | 67 openings | 67 |
| 23 | Wichita KS | 67 openings | 67 |
| 24 | Akron OH | 59 openings | 59 |
| 25 | Southfield MI | 59 openings | 59 |
| 26 | Lansing MI | 57 openings | 57 |
| 27 | New Albany OH | 57 openings | 57 |
| 28 | Bloomington MN | 55 openings | 55 |
| 29 | Novi MI | 54 openings | 54 |
| 30 | Oakbrook Terrace IL | 51 openings | 51 |
| 31 | Troy MI | 50 openings | 50 |
| 32 | Waukesha WI | 49 openings | 49 |
| 33 | Lincoln NE | 47 openings | 47 |
| 34 | Mundelein IL | 44 openings | 44 |
| 35 | Rolling Meadows IL | 44 openings | 44 |
| 36 | Beavercreek OH | 42 openings | 42 |
| 37 | Rochester MN | 42 openings | 42 |
| 38 | Rockford IL | 42 openings | 42 |
| 39 | Wright-Patterson AFB OH | 42 openings | 42 |
| 40 | Mason OH | 39 openings | 39 |
| 41 | Springfield IL | 38 openings | 38 |
| 42 | St. Paul MN | 37 openings | 37 |
| 43 | Naperville IL | 36 openings | 36 |
| 44 | Normal IL | 36 openings | 36 |
| 45 | Maple Grove MN | 34 openings | 34 |
| 46 | Springfield MO | 34 openings | 34 |
| 47 | Appleton WI | 33 openings | 33 |
| 48 | La Crosse WI | 32 openings | 32 |
| 49 | Lafayette IN | 32 openings | 32 |
| 50 | Crane IN | 31 openings | 31 |
| 51 | Dublin OH | 31 openings | 31 |
| 52 | Lisle IL | 31 openings | 31 |
| 53 | Sioux Falls SD | 31 openings | 31 |
| 54 | Plymouth MI | 30 openings | 30 |
| 55 | 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 midwest?
- Chicago has the most software and engineering openings in the Midwest: 1,093 openings, in a market where engineering is 21% of openings across all cities in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 55 cities have at least 30 engineering openings, so the list has 55 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.
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- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-midwest
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-midwest">Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Midwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
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