NextChapter

Best college towns for junior jobs in the Northeast

York leads the Northeast for junior jobs: 50% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 25% 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 York, PA: 50%
  • #2 Lancaster, PA: 40%
  • #3 Bronx, NY: 38%
  • 50 cities ranked in the Northeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 25% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1York PA50%
  2. 2Lancaster PA40%
  3. 3Bronx NY38%
  4. 4Springfield MA38%
  5. 5King of Prussia PA38%
  6. 6Portland ME36%
  7. 7Queens NY36%
  8. 8Harrisburg PA36%
  9. 9Syracuse NY36%
  10. 10Pittsburgh PA35%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: York leads on 50%, and #10 Pittsburgh is at 35%.
  • Pittsburgh is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,514 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

    York PA

    50%

    Entry-level openings
    59
    All openings
    119
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: BAE Systems, Johnson Controls International

    Based on 119 openings.

    Jobs and employers in York

  2. 2

    Lancaster PA

    40%

    Entry-level openings
    64
    All openings
    161
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: Turner Construction, PNC Financial Services Group, Hearst

    Based on 161 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lancaster

  3. 3

    Bronx NY

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    71
    All openings
    185
    Openings with pay posted
    4%

    Hiring most here: Bronxworks, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Argus Community

    Based on 185 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Bronx

  4. 4

    Springfield MA

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    42
    All openings
    111
    Openings with pay posted
    15%

    Hiring most here: MassMutual, Kbwfinancial

    Based on 111 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  5. 5

    King of Prussia PA

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    126
    All openings
    334
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: Sikorsky Aircraft, Lockheed Martin Services, Lockheed Martin

    Based on 334 openings.

    Jobs and employers in King of Prussia

  6. 6

    Portland ME

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    69
    All openings
    190
    Openings with pay posted
    12%

    Hiring most here: Unum Group, BerryDunn, Kbwfinancial

    Based on 190 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Portland

  7. 7

    Queens NY

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    37
    All openings
    103
    Openings with pay posted
    15%

    Hiring most here: Samaritan Daytop Village, Skanska USA, NEW York Edge

    Based on 103 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Queens

  8. 8

    Harrisburg PA

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    95
    All openings
    265
    Openings with pay posted
    16%

    Hiring most here: Michels, Parsons, Capital Blue Cross

    Based on 265 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Harrisburg

  9. 9

    Syracuse NY

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    143
    All openings
    400
    Openings with pay posted
    15%

    Hiring most here: Upstate Medical University, Hidden Level, HII Mission Technologies

    Based on 400 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Syracuse

  10. 10

    Pittsburgh PA

    35%

    Entry-level openings
    533
    All openings
    1,514
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: PNC Financial Services Group, Highmark Health, UPMC

    Based on 1,514 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Pittsburgh

  11. 11

    Mechanicsburg PA

    35%

    Entry-level openings
    49
    All openings
    141
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: Gallagher Bassett, Gallagher, Arthur J. Gallagher

    Based on 141 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Mechanicsburg

  12. 12

    Edison NJ

    35%

    Entry-level openings
    42
    All openings
    121
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: Xoriant, DHL

    Based on 121 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Edison

  13. 13

    Andover MA

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    55
    All openings
    167
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: RTX, TransMedics Group, Vicor

    Based on 167 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Andover

  14. 14

    New Haven CT

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    93
    All openings
    285
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

    Hiring most here: Yale University, Yale New Haven Health, Knights of Columbus

    Based on 285 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New Haven

  15. 15

    Buffalo NY

    32%

    Entry-level openings
    134
    All openings
    416
    Openings with pay posted
    21%

    Hiring most here: Moog Military Aircraft, University at Buffalo, Moog

    Based on 416 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Buffalo

  16. 16

    Albany NY

    31%

    Entry-level openings
    115
    All openings
    366
    Openings with pay posted
    22%

    Hiring most here: KPMG, New York State, Broadview Credit Union

    Based on 366 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Albany

  17. 17

    Manchester NH

    31%

    Entry-level openings
    47
    All openings
    151
    Openings with pay posted
    7%

    Hiring most here: BAE Systems, Allegro Microsystems, Eversource Energy

    Based on 151 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Manchester

  18. 18

    Exton PA

    31%

    Entry-level openings
    37
    All openings
    119
    Openings with pay posted
    5%

    Hiring most here: West Pharmaceutical Services, Bentley Systems, NextGen Security

    Based on 119 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Exton

  19. 19

    Rochester NY

    31%

    Entry-level openings
    161
    All openings
    518
    Openings with pay posted
    12%

    Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, Harris Health Strategic Fund, Rochester Institute of Technology

    Based on 518 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Rochester

  20. 20

    White Plains NY

    31%

    Entry-level openings
    69
    All openings
    222
    Openings with pay posted
    23%

    Hiring most here: New York Power Authority, FormativGroup, RWE Clean Energy

    Based on 222 openings.

    Jobs and employers in White Plains

  21. 21

    Bethlehem PA

    31%

    Entry-level openings
    34
    All openings
    110
    Openings with pay posted
    16%

    Hiring most here: Moravian University, Langan

    Based on 110 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Bethlehem

  22. 22

    Allentown PA

    31%

    Entry-level openings
    65
    All openings
    211
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: PPL, Apci Credit Union, Thermo Fisher Scientific

    Based on 211 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Allentown

  23. 23

    Malvern PA

    30%

    Entry-level openings
    31
    All openings
    104
    Openings with pay posted
    2%

    Hiring most here: Siemens Healthineers, Vanguard, CubeSmart

    Based on 104 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Malvern

  24. 24

    Danbury CT

    29%

    Entry-level openings
    29
    All openings
    101
    Openings with pay posted
    13%

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Caci Technologies, Fuelcell Energy

    Based on 101 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Danbury

  25. 25

    Hartford CT

    29%

    Entry-level openings
    100
    All openings
    350
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: CVS HEALTH, Hartford HealthCare, Eversource Energy

    Based on 350 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Hartford

Full ranking

All 50 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1York PA50%119
2Lancaster PA40%161
3Bronx NY38%185
4Springfield MA38%111
5King of Prussia PA38%334
6Portland ME36%190
7Queens NY36%103
8Harrisburg PA36%265
9Syracuse NY36%400
10Pittsburgh PA35%1,514
11Mechanicsburg PA35%141
12Edison NJ35%121
13Andover MA33%167
14New Haven CT33%285
15Buffalo NY32%416
16Albany NY31%366
17Manchester NH31%151
18Exton PA31%119
19Rochester NY31%518
20White Plains NY31%222
21Bethlehem PA31%110
22Allentown PA31%211
23Malvern PA30%104
24Danbury CT29%101
25Hartford CT29%350
26Worcester MA28%162
27Providence RI28%202
28Philadelphia PA27%1,820
29Brooklyn NY27%680
30Stamford CT27%331
31Iselin NJ27%132
32Reading PA26%198
33Camden NJ26%162
34Newark NJ26%426
35Norwood MA26%109
36Piscataway NJ25%116
37Newton MA24%115
38New York NY24%20,589
39Framingham MA24%208
40Quincy MA22%258
41Waltham MA22%583
42Boston MA19%5,143
43Morristown NJ19%222
44Princeton NJ19%396
45Lowell MA18%142
46Bedford MA18%193
47Ithaca NY15%105
48Hoboken NJ15%107
49Radnor PA14%112
50Cambridge MA13%1,141

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 northeast?
York leads the Northeast for junior jobs: 50% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 25% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
50 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 50 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 Northeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-college-towns-for-junior-jobs-in-the-northeast

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-college-towns-for-junior-jobs-in-the-northeast">Best college towns for junior jobs in the Northeast (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