NextChapter

Best college towns for junior jobs in the Midwest

La Crosse leads the Midwest 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.

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Key facts

  • #1 La Crosse, WI: 50%
  • #2 Lansing, MI: 49%
  • #3 Green Bay, WI: 48%
  • 51 cities ranked in the Midwest
  • 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. 5Lincoln NE45%
  6. 6Appleton WI43%
  7. 7Springfield MO42%
  8. 8Sioux Falls SD42%
  9. 9Springfield IL42%
  10. 10Rockford IL41%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: La Crosse leads on 50%, and #10 Rockford is at 41%.
  • Springfield is the largest market in the top ten, with 283 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

    Lincoln NE

    45%

    Entry-level openings
    92
    All openings
    204
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: Nelnet Servicing, General Dynamics OTS, Hudl

    Based on 204 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lincoln

  6. 6

    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

  7. 7

    Springfield MO

    42%

    Entry-level openings
    82
    All openings
    193
    Openings with pay posted
    3%

    Hiring most here: O'Reilly Auto Parts, Coxhealth, Jack Henry & Associates

    Based on 193 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  8. 8

    Sioux Falls SD

    42%

    Entry-level openings
    84
    All openings
    201
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: Sioux Center Health, Marshfield Clinic, Trinzic

    Based on 201 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sioux Falls

  9. 9

    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

  10. 10

    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

  11. 11

    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

  12. 12

    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

  13. 13

    St. Louis MO

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    209
    All openings
    537
    Openings with pay posted
    20%

    Hiring most here: Stifel Charitable, BJC HealthCare, Kforce

    Based on 537 openings.

    Jobs and employers in St. Louis

  14. 14

    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

  15. 15

    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

  16. 16

    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

  17. 17

    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

  18. 18

    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

  19. 19

    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

  20. 20

    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

  21. 21

    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

  22. 22

    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

  23. 23

    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

  24. 24

    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

  25. 25

    Wichita KS

    34%

    Entry-level openings
    79
    All openings
    229
    Openings with pay posted
    13%

    Hiring most here: Spirit AeroSystems, Shield AI, Cargill

    Based on 229 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Wichita

Full ranking

All 51 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
5Lincoln NE45%204
6Appleton WI43%150
7Springfield MO42%193
8Sioux Falls SD42%201
9Springfield IL42%283
10Rockford IL41%140
11Akron OH40%308
12Cincinnati OH40%1,379
13St. Louis MO39%537
14Toledo OH39%180
15Peoria IL39%157
16Madison WI39%508
17St. Paul MN38%194
18Naperville IL38%191
19Grand Rapids MI37%424
20Evansville IN37%119
21Troy MI37%249
22Cleveland OH37%891
23Columbus OH36%1,892
24Mundelein IL36%247
25Wichita KS34%229
26Dayton OH34%432
27Milwaukee WI33%827
28Evanston IL33%104
29Oak Brook IL33%138
30Fort Wayne IN32%276
31Omaha NE32%545
32Detroit MI32%734
33Bloomington MN31%202
34Aurora IL31%126
35Indianapolis IN31%1,422
36Overland Park KS30%446
37Columbia MO30%130
38Fargo ND30%168
39Waukesha WI30%108
40Jeffersonville IN29%114
41Topeka KS28%111
42Cedar Rapids IA27%350
43Ann Arbor MI26%350
44Minneapolis MN26%1,276
45Southfield MI26%230
46Rochester MN25%183
47Downers Grove IL24%141
48Chicago IL24%7,607
49Des Moines IA24%369
50Lisle IL23%117
51Minnetonka 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 midwest?
La Crosse leads the Midwest 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?
51 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 51 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 Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-college-towns-for-junior-jobs-in-the-midwest

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

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

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