NextChapter

Best college towns for junior jobs in the Great Lakes

La Crosse leads the Great Lakes for junior jobs: 50% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 32% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Question 1

Where are you right now?

Why we ask: a laid-off week and a thinking-about-a-move week look nothing alike. No résumé, no account.

Get new entry-level jobs by email

We’ll email you when new matches are posted. No account needed.

Key facts

  • #1 La Crosse, WI: 50%
  • #2 Lansing, MI: 49%
  • #3 Green Bay, WI: 48%
  • 39 cities ranked in the Great Lakes
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 32% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1La Crosse WI50%
  2. 2Lansing MI49%
  3. 3Green Bay WI48%
  4. 4Auburn Hills MI46%
  5. 5Appleton WI43%
  6. 6Springfield IL42%
  7. 7Rockford IL41%
  8. 8Akron OH40%
  9. 9Cincinnati OH40%
  10. 10Toledo OH39%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: La Crosse leads on 50%, and #10 Toledo is at 39%.
  • Cincinnati is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,379 openings behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Entry-level hiring is concentrated in some metro areas and thin in others. The share of openings pitched at entry or early-career level shows where a first or second job is easiest to find.

How to use it

If you are early in your career, start your search in the places near the top and read their employer lists. Places lower down can still have entry roles, but they make up a smaller part of what is open.

The top 25

  1. 1

    La Crosse WI

    50%

    Entry-level openings
    58
    All openings
    117
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: Trane U.s., Gundersen Health, Kwik Trip

    Based on 117 openings.

    Jobs and employers in La Crosse

  2. 2

    Lansing MI

    49%

    Entry-level openings
    103
    All openings
    212
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: University of Michigan Health-Sparrow, Auto-Owners Insurance, Sparrow Clinton Hospital

    Based on 212 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lansing

  3. 3

    Green Bay WI

    48%

    Entry-level openings
    65
    All openings
    136
    Openings with pay posted
    13%

    Hiring most here: Michels, W.W. Grainger

    Based on 136 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Green Bay

  4. 4

    Auburn Hills MI

    46%

    Entry-level openings
    69
    All openings
    149
    Openings with pay posted
    3%

    Hiring most here: Alten Technology USA, Stellantis, Nexteer

    Based on 149 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Auburn Hills

  5. 5

    Appleton WI

    43%

    Entry-level openings
    64
    All openings
    150
    Openings with pay posted
    5%

    Hiring most here: Illinois Tool Works, Ducommun, Oshkosh

    Based on 150 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Appleton

  6. 6

    Springfield IL

    42%

    Entry-level openings
    118
    All openings
    283
    Openings with pay posted
    28%

    Hiring most here: State of Illinois, Army National Guard Units, Hshs Medical Group

    Based on 283 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  7. 7

    Rockford IL

    41%

    Entry-level openings
    57
    All openings
    140
    Openings with pay posted
    15%

    Hiring most here: RTX, Woodward, Top Echelon Network (recruiter member boards)

    Based on 140 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Rockford

  8. 8

    Akron OH

    40%

    Entry-level openings
    124
    All openings
    308
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: FirstEnergy Akron, Babcock International Group PLC/ADR, Akron Childrens Hospital

    Based on 308 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Akron

  9. 9

    Cincinnati OH

    40%

    Entry-level openings
    549
    All openings
    1,379
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: Medpace Holdings, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, Procter & Gamble

    Based on 1,379 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cincinnati

  10. 10

    Toledo OH

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    70
    All openings
    180
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: Owens Corning, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Turner Construction

    Based on 180 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Toledo

  11. 11

    Peoria IL

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    61
    All openings
    157
    Openings with pay posted
    21%

    Hiring most here: Osf Healthcare System, Caterpillar, Nexstar Media Group

    Based on 157 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Peoria

  12. 12

    Madison WI

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    196
    All openings
    508
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

    Hiring most here: Universities of Wisconsin [UW_Madison], Creative Financial Staffing, Catalent Pharma Solutions

    Based on 508 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Madison

  13. 13

    St. Paul MN

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    74
    All openings
    194
    Openings with pay posted
    30%

    Hiring most here: George Konik Associates, Mortenson, Old National Bank

    Based on 194 openings.

    Jobs and employers in St. Paul

  14. 14

    Naperville IL

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    72
    All openings
    191
    Openings with pay posted
    21%

    Hiring most here: KeHE, viaPhoton, Wipfli

    Based on 191 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Naperville

  15. 15

    Grand Rapids MI

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    157
    All openings
    424
    Openings with pay posted
    5%

    Hiring most here: Corewell Health, Acrisure, BDO USA

    Based on 424 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Grand Rapids

  16. 16

    Evansville IN

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    44
    All openings
    119
    Openings with pay posted
    2%

    Hiring most here: Deaconess Homecare, Old National Bank, Deaconess Womens Hospital Of Southern Indiana

    Based on 119 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Evansville

  17. 17

    Troy MI

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    92
    All openings
    249
    Openings with pay posted
    7%

    Hiring most here: Aptiv, Publicis Groupe, Flagstar Bank, National Association

    Based on 249 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Troy

  18. 18

    Cleveland OH

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    329
    All openings
    891
    Openings with pay posted
    17%

    Hiring most here: Flexjet, Sherwin Williams, KeyBank

    Based on 891 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cleveland

  19. 19

    Columbus OH

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    689
    All openings
    1,892
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: State of Ohio, Nationwide, Ohio State University-Newark Campus

    Based on 1,892 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Columbus

  20. 20

    Mundelein IL

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    88
    All openings
    247
    Openings with pay posted
    32%

    Hiring most here: Coda Search│Staffing

    Based on 247 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Mundelein

  21. 21

    Dayton OH

    34%

    Entry-level openings
    147
    All openings
    432
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: University of Dayton, Modern Technology Solutions, Odyssey Systems Consulting

    Based on 432 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Dayton

  22. 22

    Milwaukee WI

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    271
    All openings
    827
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: Michels, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls International

    Based on 827 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Milwaukee

  23. 23

    Evanston IL

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    34
    All openings
    104
    Openings with pay posted
    22%

    Hiring most here: Northwestern University, UL Standards & Engagement, Prime Healthcare

    Based on 104 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Evanston

  24. 24

    Oak Brook IL

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    45
    All openings
    138
    Openings with pay posted
    19%

    Hiring most here: Hub Group, Sotera Health

    Based on 138 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Oak Brook

  25. 25

    Fort Wayne IN

    32%

    Entry-level openings
    88
    All openings
    276
    Openings with pay posted
    4%

    Hiring most here: BAE Systems, RTX, L3HARRIS Technologies

    Based on 276 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fort Wayne

Full ranking

All 39 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1La Crosse WI50%117
2Lansing MI49%212
3Green Bay WI48%136
4Auburn Hills MI46%149
5Appleton WI43%150
6Springfield IL42%283
7Rockford IL41%140
8Akron OH40%308
9Cincinnati OH40%1,379
10Toledo OH39%180
11Peoria IL39%157
12Madison WI39%508
13St. Paul MN38%194
14Naperville IL38%191
15Grand Rapids MI37%424
16Evansville IN37%119
17Troy MI37%249
18Cleveland OH37%891
19Columbus OH36%1,892
20Mundelein IL36%247
21Dayton OH34%432
22Milwaukee WI33%827
23Evanston IL33%104
24Oak Brook IL33%138
25Fort Wayne IN32%276
26Detroit MI32%734
27Bloomington MN31%202
28Aurora IL31%126
29Indianapolis IN31%1,422
30Waukesha WI30%108
31Jeffersonville IN29%114
32Ann Arbor MI26%350
33Minneapolis MN26%1,276
34Southfield MI26%230
35Rochester MN25%183
36Downers Grove IL24%141
37Chicago IL24%7,607
38Lisle IL23%117
39Minnetonka MN18%107

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles tagged entry-level or early-career, read from the full posting text.

Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. Internships are left out.

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.

Only cities that have a college or university in the Department of Education directory are ranked.

Sample bar: cities with fewer than 100 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 college towns for junior jobs in the great lakes?
La Crosse leads the Great Lakes for junior jobs: 50% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 32% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
39 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 39 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its open professional roles tagged entry-level or early-career, read from the full posting text. Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. Internships are left out. 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. Only cities that have a college or university in the Department of Education directory are ranked.
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 college towns for junior jobs in the Great Lakes,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-college-towns-for-junior-jobs-in-the-great-lakes

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-college-towns-for-junior-jobs-in-the-great-lakes">Best college towns for junior jobs in the Great Lakes (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

The job market, once a week

One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.

Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?

Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.

See how organizations use it