Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Mountain West
Question 1
Where are you right now?
Why we ask: a laid-off week and a thinking-about-a-move week look nothing alike. No résumé, no account.
Key facts
- #1 Denver, CO: 260 jobs
- #2 Salt Lake City, UT: 142 jobs
- #3 Las Vegas, NV: 104 jobs
- 15 cities ranked in the Mountain West
- Data as of November 2026
- 1Denver CO260 jobs
- 2Salt Lake City UT142 jobs
- 3Las Vegas NV104 jobs
- 4Colorado Springs CO58 jobs
- 5Boise ID37 jobs
- 6Lehi UT33 jobs
- 7Reno NV31 jobs
- 8Aurora CO28 jobs
- 9Englewood CO24 jobs
- 10Westminster CO23 jobs
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Denver (260 jobs) is well clear of Westminster at #10 (23 jobs).
- Denver is the largest market in the top ten, with 2,106 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
Denver CO
260 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 260
- Share of the city's jobs
- 12%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 2,106
Hiring most here: True Anomaly, Blue Origin, Amazon
Based on 2,106 openings.
- 2
Salt Lake City UT
142 jobs
- 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.
- 3
Las Vegas NV
104 jobs
- 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.
- 4
Colorado Springs CO
58 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 58
- Share of the city's jobs
- 11%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 537
Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, Trinzic, Odyssey Systems Consulting
Based on 537 openings.
- 5
Boise ID
37 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 37
- Share of the city's jobs
- 14%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 266
Hiring most here: Simplot Company Foundation, Micron Technology, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
Based on 266 openings.
- 7
Reno NV
31 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 31
- Share of the city's jobs
- 13%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 231
Hiring most here: IGT, Amperesand, Caesars Entertainment
Based on 231 openings.
- 8
Aurora CO
28 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 28
- Share of the city's jobs
- 11%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 250
Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, CACI International, RTX
Based on 250 openings.
- 9
Englewood CO
24 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 24
- Share of the city's jobs
- 13%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 187
Hiring most here: General Atomics, Sargent & Lundy, Lockheed Martin
Based on 187 openings.
- 10
Westminster CO
23 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 23
- Share of the city's jobs
- 11%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 210
Hiring most here: CesiumAstro, BAE Systems, Loenbro
Based on 210 openings.
- 11
Boulder CO
22 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 22
- Share of the city's jobs
- 6%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 339
Hiring most here: BAE Systems, Scitec Innovations, Atom Computing
Based on 339 openings.
- 12
Billings MT
21 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 21
- Share of the city's jobs
- 31%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 68
Based on 68 openings.
- 13
Fort Collins CO
18 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 18
- Share of the city's jobs
- 15%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 124
Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, Advanced Energy, Woodward
Based on 124 openings.
- 14
Centennial CO
16 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 16
- Share of the city's jobs
- 14%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 111
Hiring most here: United Launch Alliance, Mastec, American Civil Constructors
Based on 111 openings.
- 15
Sparks NV
15 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 15
- Share of the city's jobs
- 15%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 103
Hiring most here: Panasonic Energy North America, Amazon, Fleet
Based on 103 openings.
Full ranking
All 15 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver CO | 260 jobs | 2,106 |
| 2 | Salt Lake City UT | 142 jobs | 747 |
| 3 | Las Vegas NV | 104 jobs | 647 |
| 4 | Colorado Springs CO | 58 jobs | 537 |
| 5 | Boise ID | 37 jobs | 266 |
| 6 | Lehi UT | 33 jobs | 198 |
| 7 | Reno NV | 31 jobs | 231 |
| 8 | Aurora CO | 28 jobs | 250 |
| 9 | Englewood CO | 24 jobs | 187 |
| 10 | Westminster CO | 23 jobs | 210 |
| 11 | Boulder CO | 22 jobs | 339 |
| 12 | Billings MT | 21 jobs | 68 |
| 13 | Fort Collins CO | 18 jobs | 124 |
| 14 | Centennial CO | 16 jobs | 111 |
| 15 | Sparks NV | 15 jobs | 103 |
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 mountain west?
- Denver has the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Mountain West: 260 jobs in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 15 cities have at least 60 jobs matched to an occupation, so the list has 15 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
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Mountain West
- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Mountain West
- Counties with the lowest unemployment in the Mountain West
- Counties where unemployment fell the most in the Mountain West
- Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Mountain West
- Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Mountain West,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-with-the-most-jobs-that-do-not-need-a-four-year-degree-in-the-mountain-west
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-with-the-most-jobs-that-do-not-need-a-four-year-degree-in-the-mountain-west">Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Mountain West (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
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