NextChapter

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

Manchester leads New England: 21% of its jobs are in occupations that do not typically need a four-year degree, against 11% 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 Manchester, NH: 21%
  • #2 Worcester, MA: 21%
  • #3 Portland, ME: 18%
  • 15 cities ranked in New England
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 11% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Manchester NH21%
  2. 2Worcester MA21%
  3. 3Portland ME18%
  4. 4Framingham MA15%
  5. 5Hartford CT14%
  6. 6New Haven CT13%
  7. 7Burlington MA13%
  8. 8Boston MA12%
  9. 9Andover MA12%
  10. 10Stamford CT12%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Manchester (21%) is well clear of Stamford at #10 (12%).
  • Boston is the largest market in the top ten, with 3,204 jobs matched to an occupation behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 80 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

    Manchester NH

    21%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    23
    Share of the city's jobs
    21%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    107

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

    Based on 107 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Manchester

  2. 2

    Worcester MA

    21%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    21
    Share of the city's jobs
    21%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    100

    Hiring most here: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Umass Memorial Health Care, Milford Regional Medical Center

    Based on 100 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Worcester

  3. 3

    Portland ME

    18%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    26
    Share of the city's jobs
    18%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    142

    Hiring most here: Unum Group, BerryDunn, Springborn Staffing

    Based on 142 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Portland

  4. 4

    Framingham MA

    15%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    22
    Share of the city's jobs
    15%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    142

    Hiring most here: Staples, Bose, TJX Companies

    Based on 142 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Framingham

  5. 5

    Hartford CT

    14%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    29
    Share of the city's jobs
    14%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    204

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

    Based on 204 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Hartford

  6. 6

    New Haven CT

    13%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    24
    Share of the city's jobs
    13%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    178

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

    Based on 178 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New Haven

  7. 7

    Burlington MA

    13%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    20
    Share of the city's jobs
    13%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    151

    Hiring most here: Veracode, Vericel, Tufts Medicine Care AT Home

    Based on 151 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Burlington

  8. 8

    Boston MA

    12%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    390
    Share of the city's jobs
    12%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    3,204

    Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Confidential, Veeva Systems

    Based on 3,204 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Boston

  9. 9

    Andover MA

    12%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    13
    Share of the city's jobs
    12%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    109

    Hiring most here: RTX, Vicor, Mercury Systems

    Based on 109 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Andover

  10. 10

    Stamford CT

    12%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    23
    Share of the city's jobs
    12%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    198

    Hiring most here: Philip Morris International, Gartner, Charter Communications

    Based on 198 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Stamford

  11. 11

    Providence RI

    10%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    14
    Share of the city's jobs
    10%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    136

    Hiring most here: Gilbane, Women and Infants Hospital, Brown University

    Based on 136 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Providence

  12. 12

    Somerville MA

    10%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    18
    Share of the city's jobs
    10%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    187

    Hiring most here: Formlabs, Tulip Interfaces, Generate Biomedicines

    Based on 187 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Somerville

  13. 13

    Cambridge MA

    9%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    59
    Share of the city's jobs
    9%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    631

    Hiring most here: Harvard University, Biogen, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

    Based on 631 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cambridge

  14. 14

    Waltham MA

    8%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    35
    Share of the city's jobs
    8%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    417

    Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry

    Based on 417 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Waltham

  15. 15

    Lexington MA

    8%

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    13
    Share of the city's jobs
    8%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    162

    Hiring most here: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Lincoln Lab), Takeda Development Center Americas, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International

    Based on 162 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lexington

Full ranking

All 15 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Manchester NH21%107
2Worcester MA21%100
3Portland ME18%142
4Framingham MA15%142
5Hartford CT14%204
6New Haven CT13%178
7Burlington MA13%151
8Boston MA12%3,204
9Andover MA12%109
10Stamford CT12%198
11Providence RI10%136
12Somerville MA10%187
13Cambridge MA9%631
14Waltham MA8%417
15Lexington MA8%162

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 12 such jobs and 80 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 80 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 in new england?
Manchester leads New England: 21% of its jobs are in occupations that do not typically need a four-year degree, against 11% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
15 cities have at least 80 jobs matched to an occupation, so the list has 15 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 12 such jobs and 80 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 in New England,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-where-the-most-jobs-do-not-need-a-four-year-degree-in-new-england

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

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