NextChapter

Best college towns for junior jobs in the Southwest

Lubbock leads the Southwest for junior jobs: 42% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 30% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Question 1

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Key facts

  • #1 Lubbock, TX: 42%
  • #2 Corpus Christi, TX: 41%
  • #3 Albuquerque, NM: 40%
  • 32 cities ranked in the Southwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 30% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Lubbock TX42%
  2. 2Corpus Christi TX41%
  3. 3Albuquerque NM40%
  4. 4Amarillo TX37%
  5. 5Midland TX37%
  6. 6San Antonio TX36%
  7. 7Arlington TX36%
  8. 8Sparks NV35%
  9. 9Tempe AZ35%
  10. 10Tyler TX34%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Lubbock leads on 42%, and #10 Tyler is at 34%.
  • San Antonio is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,282 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

    Lubbock TX

    42%

    Entry-level openings
    55
    All openings
    130
    Openings with pay posted
    7%

    Hiring most here: Prosperity Bancshares, Johnson Controls International, Terracon Consultants

    Based on 130 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lubbock

  2. 2

    Corpus Christi TX

    41%

    Entry-level openings
    49
    All openings
    120
    Openings with pay posted
    17%

    Hiring most here: American Electric Power, CHRISTUS Health, Veterans Health Administration

    Based on 120 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Corpus Christi

  3. 3

    Albuquerque NM

    40%

    Entry-level openings
    145
    All openings
    363
    Openings with pay posted
    6%

    Hiring most here: University of New Mexico-Main Campus, Rocket Lab, Kairos Power

    Based on 363 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Albuquerque

  4. 4

    Amarillo TX

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    49
    All openings
    132
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: Mortenson, Xcel Energy, Veterans Health Administration

    Based on 132 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Amarillo

  5. 5

    Midland TX

    37%

    Entry-level openings
    58
    All openings
    157
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

    Hiring most here: Patterson UTI Energy, SM Energy, AST SpaceMobile

    Based on 157 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Midland

  6. 6

    San Antonio TX

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    464
    All openings
    1,282
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: H-E-B, University Health San Antonio, UT Health San Antonio

    Based on 1,282 openings.

    Jobs and employers in San Antonio

  7. 7

    Arlington TX

    36%

    Entry-level openings
    72
    All openings
    200
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: GM Financial, Lockheed Martin, Loews Hotels

    Based on 200 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Arlington

  8. 8

    Sparks NV

    35%

    Entry-level openings
    42
    All openings
    121
    Openings with pay posted
    7%

    Hiring most here: Panasonic Energy North America, Amazon, Fleet

    Based on 121 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sparks

  9. 9

    Tempe AZ

    35%

    Entry-level openings
    232
    All openings
    672
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

    Hiring most here: Carvana, Amazon, Viasat

    Based on 672 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tempe

  10. 10

    Tyler TX

    34%

    Entry-level openings
    48
    All openings
    140
    Openings with pay posted
    6%

    Hiring most here: CHRISTUS Health, Brookshire Grocery, Trane U.s.

    Based on 140 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tyler

  11. 11

    Tulsa OK

    34%

    Entry-level openings
    160
    All openings
    473
    Openings with pay posted
    7%

    Hiring most here: BOK Financial, Aaon, Helmerich & Payne

    Based on 473 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tulsa

  12. 12

    Waco TX

    34%

    Entry-level openings
    53
    All openings
    158
    Openings with pay posted
    3%

    Hiring most here: Baylor University, L3HARRIS Technologies, Harris Health Strategic Fund

    Based on 158 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Waco

  13. 13

    Las Vegas NV

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    312
    All openings
    932
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: Caesars Entertainment, Allegiant Travel Company, Jt4

    Based on 932 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Las Vegas

  14. 14

    Chandler AZ

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    153
    All openings
    459
    Openings with pay posted
    5%

    Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, Ralliant, Bechtel Energy

    Based on 459 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chandler

  15. 15

    Scottsdale AZ

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    250
    All openings
    758
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: General Dynamics Mission Systems, Axon Enterprise, AMI Semiconductor

    Based on 758 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Scottsdale

  16. 16

    El Paso TX

    33%

    Entry-level openings
    101
    All openings
    307
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: Confidential, Tenet Healthcare, Faith Technologies

    Based on 307 openings.

    Jobs and employers in El Paso

  17. 17

    Brownsville TX

    32%

    Entry-level openings
    35
    All openings
    109
    Openings with pay posted
    14%

    Hiring most here: Worley Group, Saronic Technologies, Nexstar Media Group

    Based on 109 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Brownsville

  18. 18

    Reno NV

    32%

    Entry-level openings
    95
    All openings
    296
    Openings with pay posted
    18%

    Hiring most here: IGT, Amperesand, Caesars Entertainment

    Based on 296 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Reno

  19. 19

    Fort Worth TX

    32%

    Entry-level openings
    404
    All openings
    1,267
    Openings with pay posted
    11%

    Hiring most here: Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky Aircraft, MP Materials

    Based on 1,267 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fort Worth

  20. 20

    Phoenix AZ

    31%

    Entry-level openings
    843
    All openings
    2,749
    Openings with pay posted
    10%

    Hiring most here: Honeywell Aerospace, State of Arizona, American Society for Microbiology

    Based on 2,749 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Phoenix

  21. 21

    Grand Prairie TX

    30%

    Entry-level openings
    61
    All openings
    201
    Openings with pay posted
    8%

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

    Based on 201 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Grand Prairie

  22. 22

    Denton TX

    29%

    Entry-level openings
    51
    All openings
    176
    Openings with pay posted
    3%

    Hiring most here: University of North Texas System, Texas Woman's University, Paccar

    Based on 176 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Denton

  23. 23

    Houston TX

    29%

    Entry-level openings
    1,254
    All openings
    4,330
    Openings with pay posted
    9%

    Hiring most here: Axiom Space, Trinzic, Fervo Energy

    Based on 4,330 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Houston

  24. 24

    Addison TX

    29%

    Entry-level openings
    57
    All openings
    197
    Openings with pay posted
    40%

    Hiring most here: National Life Group, National Life Insurance Company, Bank of America

    Based on 197 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Addison

  25. 25

    Tucson AZ

    28%

    Entry-level openings
    193
    All openings
    680
    Openings with pay posted
    7%

    Hiring most here: RTX, University of Arizona, Rocket Lab

    Based on 680 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tucson

Full ranking

All 32 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Lubbock TX42%130
2Corpus Christi TX41%120
3Albuquerque NM40%363
4Amarillo TX37%132
5Midland TX37%157
6San Antonio TX36%1,282
7Arlington TX36%200
8Sparks NV35%121
9Tempe AZ35%672
10Tyler TX34%140
11Tulsa OK34%473
12Waco TX34%158
13Las Vegas NV33%932
14Chandler AZ33%459
15Scottsdale AZ33%758
16El Paso TX33%307
17Brownsville TX32%109
18Reno NV32%296
19Fort Worth TX32%1,267
20Phoenix AZ31%2,749
21Grand Prairie TX30%201
22Denton TX29%176
23Houston TX29%4,330
24Addison TX29%197
25Tucson AZ28%680
26Mesa AZ28%194
27The Woodlands TX28%167
28Dallas TX27%4,429
29Irving TX27%883
30Austin TX26%5,903
31Abilene TX25%132
32Richardson TX24%404

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 southwest?
Lubbock leads the Southwest for junior jobs: 42% of its professional openings are entry-level or early-career, against 30% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
32 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 32 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 Southwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-college-towns-for-junior-jobs-in-the-southwest

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

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

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