Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Pacific Northwest
Key facts
- #1 Seattle, WA: 1,720 openings
- #2 Redmond, WA: 679 openings
- #3 Bellevue, WA: 413 openings
- 14 cities ranked in the Pacific Northwest
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 34% across all cities in our data.
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Seattle (1,720 openings) is well clear of Richland at #10 (47 openings).
- Richland reaches #10 on a sample of 47 engineering openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- Seattle is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,720 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
Seattle WA
1,720 openings
- Share of all openings
- 32%
- Median engineering pay
- $200k
- All openings
- 5,347
Hiring most here: Amazon, Blue Origin, Shield AI
Based on 1,720 engineering openings.
- 2
Redmond WA
679 openings
- Share of all openings
- 59%
- Median engineering pay
- $209k
- All openings
- 1,150
Hiring most here: Amazon, SpaceX, Microsoft
Based on 679 engineering openings.
- 3
Bellevue WA
413 openings
- Share of all openings
- 30%
- Median engineering pay
- $211k
- All openings
- 1,395
Hiring most here: Amazon, TerraPower, Okta
Based on 413 engineering openings.
- 4
Portland OR
130 openings
- Share of all openings
- 17%
- Median engineering pay
- $138k
- All openings
- 785
Hiring most here: Oregon Health & Science University, Legacy Health, Keen Footwear
Based on 130 engineering openings.
- 5
Hillsboro OR
102 openings
- Share of all openings
- 56%
- Median engineering pay
- $177k
- All openings
- 183
Hiring most here: American Society for Microbiology, Washington County OR, Microsoft
Based on 102 engineering openings.
- 6
Kirkland WA
77 openings
- Share of all openings
- 49%
- Median engineering pay
- $171k
- All openings
- 158
Hiring most here: Echodyne, Amazon, Google
Based on 77 engineering openings.
- 7
Kent WA
75 openings
- Share of all openings
- 51%
- Median engineering pay
- $181k
- All openings
- 146
Hiring most here: Stoke Space, Cowboy Space, Amazon
Based on 75 engineering openings.
- 8
Everett WA
74 openings
- Share of all openings
- 40%
- Median engineering pay
- $199k
- All openings
- 185
Hiring most here: Helion Energy, Fortive, TerraPower
Based on 74 engineering openings.
- 9
Bothell WA
48 openings
- Share of all openings
- 37%
- Median engineering pay
- $150k
- All openings
- 129
Hiring most here: Verathon, IonQ, Koninklijke Philips
Based on 48 engineering openings.
- 10
Richland WA
47 openings
- Share of all openings
- 50%
- Median engineering pay
- $128k
- All openings
- 94
Hiring most here: Battelle Memorial Institute (PNNL), Sargent & Lundy, AKS Engineering
Based on 47 engineering openings.
- 11
Tualatin OR
39 openings
- Share of all openings
- 47%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 83
Hiring most here: LAM Research, AKS Engineering, Teradyne
Based on 39 engineering openings.
- 12
Beaverton OR
35 openings
- Share of all openings
- 32%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 111
Hiring most here: Ralliant, Apple, Software Specialists
Based on 35 engineering openings.
- 13
Vancouver WA
35 openings
- Share of all openings
- 23%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 153
Hiring most here: HP, ZoomInfo, Ecolab USA
Based on 35 engineering openings.
- 14
Salem OR
33 openings
- Share of all openings
- 28%
- Median engineering pay
- $138k
- All openings
- 118
Hiring most here: Agility Robotics, Garmin, Northwest Human Services
Based on 33 engineering openings.
Full ranking
All 14 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle WA | 1,720 openings | 1,720 |
| 2 | Redmond WA | 679 openings | 679 |
| 3 | Bellevue WA | 413 openings | 413 |
| 4 | Portland OR | 130 openings | 130 |
| 5 | Hillsboro OR | 102 openings | 102 |
| 6 | Kirkland WA | 77 openings | 77 |
| 7 | Kent WA | 75 openings | 75 |
| 8 | Everett WA | 74 openings | 74 |
| 9 | Bothell WA | 48 openings | 48 |
| 10 | Richland WA | 47 openings | 47 |
| 11 | Tualatin OR | 39 openings | 39 |
| 12 | Beaverton OR | 35 openings | 35 |
| 13 | Vancouver WA | 35 openings | 35 |
| 14 | Salem OR | 33 openings | 33 |
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 pacific northwest?
- Seattle has the most software and engineering openings in the Pacific Northwest: 1,720 openings, in a market where engineering is 34% of openings across all cities in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 14 cities have at least 30 engineering openings, so the list has 14 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
- Best cities for junior jobs in the Pacific Northwest
- Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Pacific Northwest
- Fastest-growing job markets in the Pacific Northwest
- Best cities for mid-career professionals in the Pacific Northwest
- Best cities for director and executive jobs in the Pacific Northwest
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Pacific Northwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-pacific-northwest
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-pacific-northwest">Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Pacific Northwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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