Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Southwest
Key facts
- #1 Austin, TX: 1,890 openings
- #2 Houston, TX: 954 openings
- #3 Dallas, TX: 726 openings
- 33 cities ranked in the Southwest
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 25% across all cities in our data.
- 1Austin TX1,890 openings
- 2Houston TX954 openings
- 3Dallas TX726 openings
- 4Phoenix AZ648 openings
- 5Fort Worth TX326 openings
- 6Tucson AZ293 openings
- 7San Antonio TX232 openings
- 8Plano TX224 openings
- 9Irving TX186 openings
- 10Chandler AZ183 openings
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Austin (1,890 openings) is well clear of Chandler at #10 (183 openings).
- Austin is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,890 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
Austin TX
1,890 openings
- Share of all openings
- 32%
- Median engineering pay
- $180k
- All openings
- 5,890
Hiring most here: Amazon, Advanced Micro Devices, Cloudflare
Based on 1,890 engineering openings.
- 2
Houston TX
954 openings
- Share of all openings
- 22%
- Median engineering pay
- $131k
- All openings
- 4,295
Hiring most here: Axiom Space, Trinzic, Fervo Energy
Based on 954 engineering openings.
- 3
Dallas TX
726 openings
- Share of all openings
- 17%
- Median engineering pay
- $148k
- All openings
- 4,379
Hiring most here: Amazon, Shield AI, Texas Instruments
Based on 726 engineering openings.
- 4
Phoenix AZ
648 openings
- Share of all openings
- 24%
- Median engineering pay
- $134k
- All openings
- 2,743
Hiring most here: Honeywell Aerospace, State of Arizona, American Society for Microbiology
Based on 648 engineering openings.
- 5
Fort Worth TX
326 openings
- Share of all openings
- 26%
- Median engineering pay
- $122k
- All openings
- 1,248
Hiring most here: Lockheed Martin, MP Materials, Alcon
Based on 326 engineering openings.
- 6
Tucson AZ
293 openings
- Share of all openings
- 41%
- Median engineering pay
- $100k
- All openings
- 716
Hiring most here: RTX, University of Arizona, Pima County
Based on 293 engineering openings.
- 7
San Antonio TX
232 openings
- Share of all openings
- 18%
- Median engineering pay
- $111k
- All openings
- 1,267
Hiring most here: H-E-B, University Health San Antonio, UT Health San Antonio
Based on 232 engineering openings.
- 8
Plano TX
224 openings
- Share of all openings
- 21%
- Median engineering pay
- $107k
- All openings
- 1,066
Hiring most here: NTT Data, Pepsico, JPMorgan Chase
Based on 224 engineering openings.
- 9
Irving TX
186 openings
- Share of all openings
- 21%
- Median engineering pay
- $140k
- All openings
- 875
Hiring most here: CHRISTUS Health, 7-Eleven, Mckesson
Based on 186 engineering openings.
- 10
Chandler AZ
183 openings
- Share of all openings
- 39%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 470
Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, Ralliant, Bechtel Energy
Based on 183 engineering openings.
- 11
Scottsdale AZ
179 openings
- Share of all openings
- 24%
- Median engineering pay
- $116k
- All openings
- 756
Hiring most here: General Dynamics Mission Systems, Axon Enterprise, AMI Semiconductor
Based on 179 engineering openings.
- 12
Tempe AZ
152 openings
- Share of all openings
- 23%
- Median engineering pay
- $123k
- All openings
- 671
Hiring most here: Carvana, Amazon, Viasat
Based on 152 engineering openings.
- 13
Richardson TX
151 openings
- Share of all openings
- 37%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 404
Hiring most here: Celestica, Qorvo, OSI Systems
Based on 151 engineering openings.
- 14
Oklahoma City OK
131 openings
- Share of all openings
- 23%
- Median engineering pay
- $137k
- All openings
- 564
Hiring most here: Love's Travel Stops, CACI International, Northrop Grumman
Based on 131 engineering openings.
- 15
Las Vegas NV
128 openings
- Share of all openings
- 14%
- Median engineering pay
- $119k
- All openings
- 917
Hiring most here: Caesars Entertainment, Allegiant Travel Company, Jt4
Based on 128 engineering openings.
- 16
Tulsa OK
116 openings
- Share of all openings
- 24%
- Median engineering pay
- $107k
- All openings
- 474
Hiring most here: BOK Financial, Aaon, Helmerich & Payne
Based on 116 engineering openings.
- 17
Albuquerque NM
90 openings
- Share of all openings
- 25%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 361
Hiring most here: University of New Mexico-Main Campus, Rocket Lab, Kairos Power
Based on 90 engineering openings.
- 18
Grand Prairie TX
88 openings
- Share of all openings
- 45%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 196
Hiring most here: Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Services, Sikorsky Aircraft
Based on 88 engineering openings.
- 19
Spring TX
88 openings
- Share of all openings
- 26%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 342
Hiring most here: Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP, Juniper Networks
Based on 88 engineering openings.
- 20
Reno NV
72 openings
- Share of all openings
- 24%
- Median engineering pay
- $138k
- All openings
- 299
Hiring most here: IGT, Amperesand, Caesars Entertainment
Based on 72 engineering openings.
- 21
Greenville TX
53 openings
- Share of all openings
- 54%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 98
Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, Harris Health Strategic Fund, L3HARRIS Technologies Integrated Systems L.P.
Based on 53 engineering openings.
- 22
Waco TX
51 openings
- Share of all openings
- 33%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 156
Hiring most here: Baylor University, L3HARRIS Technologies, Harris Health Strategic Fund
Based on 51 engineering openings.
- 23
Sparks NV
49 openings
- Share of all openings
- 40%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 121
Hiring most here: Panasonic Energy North America, Amazon, Fleet
Based on 49 engineering openings.
- 24
Brownsville TX
47 openings
- Share of all openings
- 43%
- Median engineering pay
- $128k
- All openings
- 109
Hiring most here: Worley Group, Saronic Technologies, Nexstar Media Group
Based on 47 engineering openings.
- 25
Arlington TX
46 openings
- Share of all openings
- 23%
- Median engineering pay
- Not enough pay data
- All openings
- 197
Hiring most here: GM Financial, Lockheed Martin, Loews Hotels
Based on 46 engineering openings.
Full ranking
All 33 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin TX | 1,890 openings | 1,890 |
| 2 | Houston TX | 954 openings | 954 |
| 3 | Dallas TX | 726 openings | 726 |
| 4 | Phoenix AZ | 648 openings | 648 |
| 5 | Fort Worth TX | 326 openings | 326 |
| 6 | Tucson AZ | 293 openings | 293 |
| 7 | San Antonio TX | 232 openings | 232 |
| 8 | Plano TX | 224 openings | 224 |
| 9 | Irving TX | 186 openings | 186 |
| 10 | Chandler AZ | 183 openings | 183 |
| 11 | Scottsdale AZ | 179 openings | 179 |
| 12 | Tempe AZ | 152 openings | 152 |
| 13 | Richardson TX | 151 openings | 151 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City OK | 131 openings | 131 |
| 15 | Las Vegas NV | 128 openings | 128 |
| 16 | Tulsa OK | 116 openings | 116 |
| 17 | Albuquerque NM | 90 openings | 90 |
| 18 | Grand Prairie TX | 88 openings | 88 |
| 19 | Spring TX | 88 openings | 88 |
| 20 | Reno NV | 72 openings | 72 |
| 21 | Greenville TX | 53 openings | 53 |
| 22 | Waco TX | 51 openings | 51 |
| 23 | Sparks NV | 49 openings | 49 |
| 24 | Brownsville TX | 47 openings | 47 |
| 25 | Arlington TX | 46 openings | 46 |
| 26 | Mesa AZ | 45 openings | 45 |
| 27 | El Paso TX | 43 openings | 43 |
| 28 | Gilbert AZ | 35 openings | 35 |
| 29 | The Woodlands TX | 34 openings | 34 |
| 30 | Midland TX | 33 openings | 33 |
| 31 | Allen TX | 30 openings | 30 |
| 32 | Sherman TX | 30 openings | 30 |
| 33 | Westlake TX | 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 southwest?
- Austin has the most software and engineering openings in the Southwest: 1,890 openings, in a market where engineering is 25% of openings across all cities in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 33 cities have at least 30 engineering openings, so the list has 33 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 Southwest
- Best cities for mid-career professionals in the Southwest
- Best cities for director and executive jobs in the Southwest
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- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Southwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-southwest
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-software-engineering-jobs-in-the-southwest">Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Southwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
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