NextChapter

Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Great Lakes

Chicago has the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Great Lakes: 684 jobs in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

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Key facts

  • #1 Chicago, IL: 684 jobs
  • #2 Columbus, OH: 187 jobs
  • #3 Cincinnati, OH: 153 jobs
  • 36 cities ranked in the Great Lakes
  • Data as of November 2026
  1. 1Chicago IL684 jobs
  2. 2Columbus OH187 jobs
  3. 3Cincinnati OH153 jobs
  4. 4Indianapolis IN148 jobs
  5. 5Minneapolis MN120 jobs
  6. 6Cleveland OH115 jobs
  7. 7Milwaukee WI90 jobs
  8. 8Detroit MI63 jobs
  9. 9Grand Rapids MI57 jobs
  10. 10Madison WI56 jobs

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Chicago (684 jobs) is well clear of Madison at #10 (56 jobs).
  • Grand Rapids reaches #9 on a sample of 329 jobs matched to an occupation, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Chicago is the largest market in the top ten, with 4,922 jobs matched to an occupation behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 60 jobs matched to an occupation are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

A four-year degree is not the only way into a professional job. Counting the openings in occupations that typically need less shows which cities have the most of them.

How to use it

If you do not have a four-year degree, the top cities show where the most such roles are. Big markets lead in the count, so read it with the share list.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Chicago IL

    684 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    684
    Share of the city's jobs
    14%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    4,922

    Hiring most here: Publicis Groupe, Confidential, Mars

    Based on 4,922 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chicago

  2. 2

    Columbus OH

    187 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    187
    Share of the city's jobs
    15%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    1,265

    Hiring most here: State of Ohio, Nationwide, Ohio State University-Newark Campus

    Based on 1,265 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Columbus

  3. 3

    Cincinnati OH

    153 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    153
    Share of the city's jobs
    15%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    1,002

    Hiring most here: Medpace Holdings, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, Procter & Gamble

    Based on 1,002 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cincinnati

  4. 4

    Indianapolis IN

    148 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    148
    Share of the city's jobs
    15%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    997

    Hiring most here: Eli Lilly and Company, State of Indiana, Masco

    Based on 997 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Indianapolis

  5. 5

    Minneapolis MN

    120 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    120
    Share of the city's jobs
    14%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    887

    Hiring most here: Mortenson, Ameriprise Certificate, George Konik Associates

    Based on 887 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Minneapolis

  6. 6

    Cleveland OH

    115 jobs

    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

  7. 7

    Milwaukee WI

    90 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    90
    Share of the city's jobs
    14%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    644

    Hiring most here: Michels, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls International

    Based on 644 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Milwaukee

  8. 8

    Detroit MI

    63 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    63
    Share of the city's jobs
    13%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    489

    Hiring most here: Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System, Accident Fund

    Based on 489 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Detroit

  9. 9

    Grand Rapids MI

    57 jobs

    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

  10. 10

    Madison WI

    56 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    56
    Share of the city's jobs
    15%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    367

    Hiring most here: Universities of Wisconsin [UW_Madison], Creative Financial Staffing, Catalent Pharma Solutions

    Based on 367 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Madison

  11. 11

    Dayton OH

    52 jobs

    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

  12. 12

    Rolling Meadows IL

    50 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    50
    Share of the city's jobs
    26%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    193

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

    Based on 193 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Rolling Meadows

  13. 13

    Akron OH

    33 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    33
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    206

    Hiring most here: FirstEnergy Akron, Babcock International Group PLC/ADR, Akron Childrens Hospital

    Based on 206 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Akron

  14. 14

    Fort Wayne IN

    32 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    32
    Share of the city's jobs
    15%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    208

    Hiring most here: BAE Systems, RTX, L3HARRIS Technologies

    Based on 208 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fort Wayne

  15. 15

    Southfield MI

    30 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    30
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    182

    Hiring most here: Lucid Motors, Sun Communities, Lear

    Based on 182 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Southfield

  16. 16

    Mundelein IL

    29 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    29
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    184

    Hiring most here: Coda Search│Staffing

    Based on 184 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Mundelein

  17. 17

    Toledo OH

    28 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    28
    Share of the city's jobs
    22%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    128

    Hiring most here: Owens Corning, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Turner Construction

    Based on 128 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Toledo

  18. 18

    Springfield IL

    27 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    27
    Share of the city's jobs
    14%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    187

    Hiring most here: State of Illinois, Army National Guard Units, Hshs Medical Group

    Based on 187 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Springfield

  19. 19

    Appleton WI

    27 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    27
    Share of the city's jobs
    22%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    123

    Hiring most here: Illinois Tool Works, Ducommun, Oshkosh

    Based on 123 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Appleton

  20. 20

    Naperville IL

    26 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    26
    Share of the city's jobs
    17%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    154

    Hiring most here: KeHE, viaPhoton, Wipfli

    Based on 154 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Naperville

  21. 21

    Schaumburg IL

    25 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    25
    Share of the city's jobs
    16%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    161

    Hiring most here: Motorola Solutions, Fictiv, Zurich

    Based on 161 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Schaumburg

  22. 22

    Eden Prairie MN

    24 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    24
    Share of the city's jobs
    11%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    218

    Hiring most here: Unitedhealth Group, LHC Group, Illinois Tool Works

    Based on 218 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Eden Prairie

  23. 23

    Troy MI

    24 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    24
    Share of the city's jobs
    14%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    176

    Hiring most here: Aptiv, Publicis Groupe, Flagstar Bank, National Association

    Based on 176 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Troy

  24. 24

    Jeffersonville IN

    23 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    23
    Share of the city's jobs
    25%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    92

    Hiring most here: Canadian Solar

    Based on 92 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Jeffersonville

  25. 25

    Ann Arbor MI

    22 jobs

    Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
    22
    Share of the city's jobs
    8%
    Jobs matched to an occupation
    269

    Hiring most here: May Mobility, Torc Robotics, Thomson Reuters

    Based on 269 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Ann Arbor

Full ranking

All 36 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Chicago IL684 jobs4,922
2Columbus OH187 jobs1,265
3Cincinnati OH153 jobs1,002
4Indianapolis IN148 jobs997
5Minneapolis MN120 jobs887
6Cleveland OH115 jobs663
7Milwaukee WI90 jobs644
8Detroit MI63 jobs489
9Grand Rapids MI57 jobs329
10Madison WI56 jobs367
11Dayton OH52 jobs321
12Rolling Meadows IL50 jobs193
13Akron OH33 jobs206
14Fort Wayne IN32 jobs208
15Southfield MI30 jobs182
16Mundelein IL29 jobs184
17Toledo OH28 jobs128
18Springfield IL27 jobs187
19Appleton WI27 jobs123
20Naperville IL26 jobs154
21Schaumburg IL25 jobs161
22Eden Prairie MN24 jobs218
23Troy MI24 jobs176
24Jeffersonville IN23 jobs92
25Ann Arbor MI22 jobs269
26Peoria IL22 jobs112
27Green Bay WI22 jobs99
28Mason OH20 jobs105
29Downers Grove IL20 jobs104
30Lansing MI19 jobs159
31St. Paul MN19 jobs144
32Rochester MN18 jobs138
33Rockford IL18 jobs107
34Oak Brook IL18 jobs93
35Evansville IN18 jobs87
36Carmel IN16 jobs108

How this ranking works

A city's score is the number 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 15 such jobs and 60 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 60 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 with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the great lakes?
Chicago has the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Great Lakes: 684 jobs in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
36 cities have at least 60 jobs matched to an occupation, so the list has 36 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the number 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 15 such jobs and 60 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 with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Great Lakes,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-with-the-most-jobs-that-do-not-need-a-four-year-degree-in-the-great-lakes

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-with-the-most-jobs-that-do-not-need-a-four-year-degree-in-the-great-lakes">Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Great Lakes (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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