NextChapter

Best college towns for junior jobs in the Southeast

Lynchburg leads the Southeast for junior jobs: 49% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 33% 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 Lynchburg, VA: 49%
  • #2 Mobile, AL: 47%
  • #3 Virginia Beach, VA: 47%
  • 64 cities ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 33% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Lynchburg VA49%
  2. 2Mobile AL47%
  3. 3Virginia Beach VA47%
  4. 4Fayetteville NC47%
  5. 5Savannah GA47%
  6. 6Tallahassee FL45%
  7. 7Chesapeake VA45%
  8. 8Asheville NC44%
  9. 9Pensacola FL44%
  10. 10Wilmington NC43%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Lynchburg leads on 49%, and #10 Wilmington is at 43%.
  • Tallahassee is the largest market in the top ten, with 759 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

    Lynchburg VA

    49%

    Entry-level openings
    55
    All openings
    113
    Openings with pay posted
    27%

    Hiring most here: BWX Technologies, BWXT, BWXT Ordnance Tennessee

    Based on 113 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lynchburg

  2. 2

    Mobile AL

    47%

    Entry-level openings
    59
    All openings
    125
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: Seattle Aquarium Society-seas, Alten Technology USA, PRF Technologies

    Based on 125 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Mobile

  3. 3

    Virginia Beach VA

    47%

    Entry-level openings
    122
    All openings
    260
    Openings with pay posted
    18%

    Hiring most here: HII Mission Technologies, Sentara Health, Amazon

    Based on 260 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Virginia Beach

  4. 4

    Fayetteville NC

    47%

    Entry-level openings
    52
    All openings
    111
    Openings with pay posted
    20%

    Hiring most here: Veterans Health Administration

    Based on 111 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fayetteville

  5. 5

    Savannah GA

    47%

    Entry-level openings
    87
    All openings
    187
    Openings with pay posted
    12%

    Hiring most here: Great Dane, Parsons

    Based on 187 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Savannah

  6. 6

    Tallahassee FL

    45%

    Entry-level openings
    342
    All openings
    759
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: State of Florida, L3HARRIS Technologies, Florida

    Based on 759 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tallahassee

  7. 7

    Chesapeake VA

    45%

    Entry-level openings
    59
    All openings
    132
    Openings with pay posted
    16%

    Hiring most here: Family Dollar, Oceaneering International, Trane U.s.

    Based on 132 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chesapeake

  8. 8

    Asheville NC

    44%

    Entry-level openings
    62
    All openings
    140
    Openings with pay posted
    16%

    Hiring most here: RTX, Rha Health Services, Eaton

    Based on 140 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Asheville

  9. 9

    Pensacola FL

    44%

    Entry-level openings
    78
    All openings
    177
    Openings with pay posted
    7%

    Hiring most here: Baptist Health Care, Navy Federal Credit Union, Danaher

    Based on 177 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Pensacola

  10. 10

    Wilmington NC

    43%

    Entry-level openings
    83
    All openings
    191
    Openings with pay posted
    12%

    Hiring most here: Corning, Novant Health, Acadia Healthcare Company

    Based on 191 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Wilmington

  11. 11

    Clearwater FL

    43%

    Entry-level openings
    69
    All openings
    159
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: Honeywell Aerospace, Kemco Systems, Knowbe4

    Based on 159 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Clearwater

  12. 12

    St. Petersburg FL

    42%

    Entry-level openings
    57
    All openings
    135
    Openings with pay posted
    18%

    Hiring most here: Jabil, Hilton Grand Vacations

    Based on 135 openings.

    Jobs and employers in St. Petersburg

  13. 13

    Kennesaw GA

    42%

    Entry-level openings
    73
    All openings
    173
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

    Hiring most here: Enercon, Staff Financial Group, CARRIER GLOBAL

    Based on 173 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Kennesaw

  14. 14

    Roanoke VA

    42%

    Entry-level openings
    74
    All openings
    177
    Openings with pay posted
    12%

    Hiring most here: Carilion Clinic, Carilion Medical Center, HII Mission Technologies

    Based on 177 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Roanoke

  15. 15

    Charlottesville VA

    41%

    Entry-level openings
    206
    All openings
    504
    Openings with pay posted
    5%

    Hiring most here: UVA Health, University of Virginia, University of Virginia-Main Campus

    Based on 504 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Charlottesville

  16. 16

    Norfolk VA

    40%

    Entry-level openings
    133
    All openings
    332
    Openings with pay posted
    21%

    Hiring most here: Commonwealth of Virginia, Seacorp, United States Fleet Forces Command

    Based on 332 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Norfolk

  17. 17

    Fort Myers FL

    40%

    Entry-level openings
    62
    All openings
    155
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: Gartner, Apex Companies, Hearst

    Based on 155 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fort Myers

  18. 18

    Knoxville TN

    40%

    Entry-level openings
    177
    All openings
    446
    Openings with pay posted
    7%

    Hiring most here: University of Tennessee, University of Tennessee System, Covenant Health (Tennessee)

    Based on 446 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Knoxville

  19. 19

    Greenville SC

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    124
    All openings
    317
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

    Hiring most here: Vertiv Holdings, United Community Banks, Ogletree Deakins

    Based on 317 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Greenville

  20. 20

    Naples FL

    39%

    Entry-level openings
    76
    All openings
    196
    Openings with pay posted
    6%

    Hiring most here: Arthrex, Pyramid Global Hospitality, Community Health Systems

    Based on 196 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Naples

  21. 21

    Boca Raton FL

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    132
    All openings
    344
    Openings with pay posted
    15%

    Hiring most here: Compass, Baptist Health South Florida, SBA Communications

    Based on 344 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Boca Raton

  22. 22

    Montgomery AL

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    74
    All openings
    194
    Openings with pay posted
    15%

    Hiring most here: CONDUENT, Diageo, Faith Technologies

    Based on 194 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Montgomery

  23. 23

    Sarasota FL

    38%

    Entry-level openings
    74
    All openings
    196
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: Springhill Memorial Hospital, Slidell Memorial Hospital, CACI International

    Based on 196 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sarasota

  24. 24

    Fairfax VA

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    151
    All openings
    406
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

    Hiring most here: George Mason University, Dewberry, Inova Health

    Based on 406 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fairfax

  25. 25

    Gainesville FL

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    50
    All openings
    135
    Openings with pay posted
    16%

    Hiring most here: UF Health, Veterans Health Administration

    Based on 135 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Gainesville

Full ranking

All 64 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Lynchburg VA49%113
2Mobile AL47%125
3Virginia Beach VA47%260
4Fayetteville NC47%111
5Savannah GA47%187
6Tallahassee FL45%759
7Chesapeake VA45%132
8Asheville NC44%140
9Pensacola FL44%177
10Wilmington NC43%191
11Clearwater FL43%159
12St. Petersburg FL42%135
13Kennesaw GA42%173
14Roanoke VA42%177
15Charlottesville VA41%504
16Norfolk VA40%332
17Fort Myers FL40%155
18Knoxville TN40%446
19Greenville SC39%317
20Naples FL39%196
21Boca Raton FL38%344
22Montgomery AL38%194
23Sarasota FL38%196
24Fairfax VA37%406
25Gainesville FL37%135
26Duluth GA37%154
27Augusta GA37%200
28Columbia SC36%317
29Richmond VA36%1,136
30Marietta GA36%269
31Greensboro NC36%439
32Fort Lauderdale FL35%572
33Raleigh NC35%1,427
34Jacksonville FL35%1,071
35Vienna VA35%163
36Hampton VA35%112
37Tampa FL35%1,738
38Doral FL35%139
39Birmingham AL35%585
40Louisville KY34%2,065
41Daytona Beach FL34%104
42Columbus GA33%107
43Falls Church VA33%169
44Charleston SC32%309
45Chattanooga TN32%204
46Lexington KY32%221
47Charlotte NC32%3,198
48Greenville NC32%122
49Newport News VA32%126
50Jackson MS32%114
51Orlando FL31%1,272
52Franklin TN31%133
53Miami FL29%2,344
54Memphis TN29%712
55Coral Gables FL29%254
56Arlington VA28%1,989
57Atlanta GA27%5,566
58Nashville TN27%1,650
59Sterling VA27%305
60Durham NC26%776
61Frankfort KY26%153
62Huntsville AL25%1,154
63Cary NC24%230
64Melbourne FL16%306

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 southeast?
Lynchburg leads the Southeast for junior jobs: 49% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 33% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
64 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 64 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 Southeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-college-towns-for-junior-jobs-in-the-southeast

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

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

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