NextChapter

Cities where the biggest share of jobs do not need a four-year degree

Knoxville leads the United States: 25% of its jobs are in occupations that do not typically need a four-year degree, against 13% 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 Knoxville, TN: 25%
  • #2 Syracuse, NY: 25%
  • #3 Baton Rouge, LA: 22%
  • 100 cities ranked in the United States
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 13% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Knoxville TN25%
  2. 2Syracuse NY25%
  3. 3Baton Rouge LA22%
  4. 4Fort Lauderdale FL21%
  5. 5Greensboro NC20%
  6. 6Louisville KY19%
  7. 7Salt Lake City UT19%
  8. 8Portland OR19%
  9. 9New Orleans LA19%
  10. 10Albany NY19%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Knoxville leads on 25%, and #10 Albany is at 19%.
  • Louisville is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,319 jobs matched to an occupation behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 200 jobs matched to an occupation are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Some cities hire for a bigger share of occupations that need no four-year degree. The share shows where a job seeker without a bachelor's has the largest part of the market to aim at.

How to use it

Use it to compare cities for a search without a four-year degree, and read it beside the count so you do not chase a small market with a high share.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Knoxville TN

    25%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    79
    Share of the city's jobs
    25%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    315

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

    Based on 315 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Knoxville

  2. 2

    Syracuse NY

    25%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    70
    Share of the city's jobs
    25%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    285

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

    Based on 285 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Syracuse

  3. 3

    Baton Rouge LA

    22%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    44
    Share of the city's jobs
    22%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    202

    Hiring most here: Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, ST Catherines Village, EisnerAmper

    Based on 202 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Baton Rouge

  4. 4

    Fort Lauderdale FL

    21%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    91
    Share of the city's jobs
    21%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    427

    Hiring most here: North Broward Hospital District (Broward Health), Autonation, Town & Country Credit Union

    Based on 427 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fort Lauderdale

  5. 5

    Greensboro NC

    20%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    60
    Share of the city's jobs
    20%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    303

    Hiring most here: Cone Health, Kaiser Permanente, Guilford County Schools

    Based on 303 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Greensboro

  6. 6

    Louisville KY

    19%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    251
    Share of the city's jobs
    19%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    1,319

    Hiring most here: BrightSpring Health Services, Norton Healthcare, GE Appliances

    Based on 1,319 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Louisville

  7. 7

    Salt Lake City UT

    19%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    142
    Share of the city's jobs
    19%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    747

    Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, iCapital, Harris Health Strategic Fund

    Based on 747 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Salt Lake City

  8. 8

    Portland OR

    19%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    102
    Share of the city's jobs
    19%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    546

    Hiring most here: Oregon Health & Science University, Legacy Health, Keen Footwear

    Based on 546 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Portland

  9. 9

    New Orleans LA

    19%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    46
    Share of the city's jobs
    19%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    247

    Hiring most here: Tulane University, Entergy, LCMC Health

    Based on 247 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New Orleans

  10. 10

    Albany NY

    19%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    48
    Share of the city's jobs
    19%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    259

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

    Based on 259 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Albany

  11. 11

    Philadelphia PA

    18%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    208
    Share of the city's jobs
    18%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    1,143

    Hiring most here: Confidential, GSK, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

    Based on 1,143 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Philadelphia

  12. 12

    Albuquerque NM

    18%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    43
    Share of the city's jobs
    18%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    240

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

    Based on 240 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Albuquerque

  13. 13

    Boca Raton FL

    18%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    45
    Share of the city's jobs
    18%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    254

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

    Based on 254 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Boca Raton

  14. 14

    Cleveland OH

    17%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    115
    Share of the city's jobs
    17%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    663

    Hiring most here: Flexjet, Sherwin Williams, KeyBank

    Based on 663 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cleveland

  15. 15

    Grand Rapids MI

    17%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    57
    Share of the city's jobs
    17%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    329

    Hiring most here: Corewell Health, Acrisure, BDO USA

    Based on 329 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Grand Rapids

  16. 16

    Charlottesville VA

    17%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    55
    Share of the city's jobs
    17%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    322

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

    Based on 322 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Charlottesville

  17. 17

    Honolulu HI

    17%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    48
    Share of the city's jobs
    17%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    285

    Hiring most here: Bank of Hawaii, First Hawaiian, Central Pacific Bank

    Based on 285 openings.

  18. 18

    Miami FL

    17%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    257
    Share of the city's jobs
    17%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    1,526

    Hiring most here: University Of Miami, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Princess Cruises / Holland America Line

    Based on 1,526 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Miami

  19. 19

    Richmond VA

    17%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    136
    Share of the city's jobs
    17%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    819

    Hiring most here: Mckesson, Capital One, Genworth Financial

    Based on 819 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Richmond

  20. 20

    Tampa FL

    16%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    194
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    1,179

    Hiring most here: DTCC, University of South Florida, Tampa Electric

    Based on 1,179 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tampa

  21. 21

    Tulsa OK

    16%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    60
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    365

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

    Based on 365 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tulsa

  22. 22

    El Paso TX

    16%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    35
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    214

    Hiring most here: Confidential, Tenet Healthcare, Faith Technologies

    Based on 214 openings.

    Jobs and employers in El Paso

  23. 23

    Dayton OH

    16%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    52
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    321

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

    Based on 321 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Dayton

  24. 24

    Greenville SC

    16%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    39
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    241

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

    Based on 241 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Greenville

  25. 25

    Las Vegas NV

    16%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    104
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    647

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

    Based on 647 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Las Vegas

Full ranking

All 100 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Knoxville TN25%315
2Syracuse NY25%285
3Baton Rouge LA22%202
4Fort Lauderdale FL21%427
5Greensboro NC20%303
6Louisville KY19%1,319
7Salt Lake City UT19%747
8Portland OR19%546
9New Orleans LA19%247
10Albany NY19%259
11Philadelphia PA18%1,143
12Albuquerque NM18%240
13Boca Raton FL18%254
14Cleveland OH17%663
15Grand Rapids MI17%329
16Charlottesville VA17%322
17Honolulu HI17%285
18Miami FL17%1,526
19Richmond VA17%819
20Tampa FL16%1,179
21Tulsa OK16%365
22El Paso TX16%214
23Dayton OH16%321
24Greenville SC16%241
25Las Vegas NV16%647
26Akron OH16%206
27Omaha NE16%400
28Tallahassee FL16%482
29Houston TX16%3,033
30Orlando FL15%924
31Fort Wayne IN15%208
32Oakland CA15%410
33Cincinnati OH15%1,002
34Madison WI15%367
35Melbourne FL15%230
36San Antonio TX15%904
37Jacksonville FL15%704
38Indianapolis IN15%997
39Columbus OH15%1,265
40Pittsburgh PA15%1,043
41Scottsdale AZ15%550
42Atlanta GA15%3,586
43Hartford CT14%204
44Dallas TX14%2,850
45Birmingham AL14%427
46Santa Monica CA14%214
47Nashville TN14%1,214
48Milwaukee WI14%644
49Columbia SC14%229
50Raleigh NC14%1,019
51Tempe AZ14%481
52Boise ID14%266
53Chicago IL14%4,922
54Buffalo NY14%317
55Fairfax VA14%260
56Brooklyn NY14%467
57Charlotte NC14%2,175
58Norfolk VA14%219
59Oklahoma City OK14%402
60Minneapolis MN14%887
61Baltimore MD13%764
62Alexandria VA13%357
63Reno NV13%231
64Sacramento CA13%925
65Fort Worth TX13%830
66Rochester NY13%389
67Carlsbad CA13%232
68Memphis TN13%479
69Charleston SC13%233
70Phoenix AZ13%1,996
71Detroit MI13%489
72Kansas City MO13%640
73Irving TX13%648
74Washington DC13%2,764
75New York NY12%13,453
76Denver CO12%2,106
77Alpharetta GA12%414
78Wilmington DE12%301
79Overland Park KS12%327
80Boston MA12%3,204
81New York NY12%762
82Newark NJ12%299
83Los Angeles CA12%3,573
84Austin TX12%4,222
85Chandler AZ11%332
86Durham NC11%491
87Torrance CA11%571
88Tucson AZ11%496
89Richardson TX11%284
90Irvine CA11%1,102
91Aurora CO11%250
92Eden Prairie MN11%218
93Westminster CO11%210
94Plano TX11%680
95Bellevue WA11%1,079
96Colorado Springs CO11%537
97Des Moines IA11%269
98St. Louis MO11%293
99Princeton NJ11%247
100St. Louis MO10%373

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles whose occupation typically needs less than a bachelor's degree: an associate degree, a postsecondary certificate, some college, a high school diploma or no formal credential (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Only cities with at least 20 such jobs and 200 matched jobs are ranked, and a city where one employer posts at least half the openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score. Our board is professional roles, so these are a small share everywhere.

Sample bar: cities with fewer than 200 openings are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles, matched to standard occupation (SOC) codes; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-35: typical entry-level education and projected employment change by occupation. 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: cities where the biggest share of jobs do not need a four-year degree?
Knoxville leads the United States: 25% of its jobs are in occupations that do not typically need a four-year degree, against 13% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
100 cities have at least 200 jobs matched to an occupation, so the list has 100 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its open professional roles whose occupation typically needs less than a bachelor's degree: an associate degree, a postsecondary certificate, some college, a high school diploma or no formal credential (Bureau of Labor Statistics). A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Only cities with at least 20 such jobs and 200 matched jobs are ranked, and a city where one employer posts at least half the openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score. Our board is professional roles, so these are a small share everywhere.
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, “Cities where the biggest share of jobs do not need a four-year degree,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-where-the-most-jobs-do-not-need-a-four-year-degree

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-where-the-most-jobs-do-not-need-a-four-year-degree">Cities where the biggest share of jobs do not need a four-year degree (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

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