Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Pacific Northwest
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 Seattle, WA: 316 jobs
- #2 Bellevue, WA: 117 jobs
- #3 Portland, OR: 102 jobs
- 8 cities ranked in the Pacific Northwest
- Data as of November 2026
What stands out
- Salem reaches #8 on a sample of 82 jobs matched to an occupation, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- Seattle is the largest market in the top ten, with 4,071 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
Seattle WA
316 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 316
- Share of the city's jobs
- 8%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 4,071
Hiring most here: Amazon, Blue Origin, Shield AI
Based on 4,071 openings.
- 2
Bellevue WA
117 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 117
- Share of the city's jobs
- 11%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 1,079
Hiring most here: Amazon, TerraPower, Okta
Based on 1,079 openings.
- 3
Portland OR
102 jobs
- 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.
- 5
Everett WA
19 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 19
- Share of the city's jobs
- 13%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 146
Hiring most here: Helion Energy, Fortive, TerraPower
Based on 146 openings.
- 7
Tacoma WA
16 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 16
- Share of the city's jobs
- 17%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 92
Hiring most here: Globe Main, TOTE Maritime
Based on 92 openings.
- 8
Salem OR
15 jobs
- Jobs that do not need a four-year degree
- 15
- Share of the city's jobs
- 18%
- Jobs matched to an occupation
- 82
Hiring most here: Agility Robotics, Garmin, Northwest Human Services
Based on 82 openings.
Full ranking
All 8 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
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 pacific northwest?
- Seattle has the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Pacific Northwest: 316 jobs in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 8 cities have at least 60 jobs matched to an occupation, so the list has 8 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 Pacific Northwest
- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Pacific Northwest
- Counties with the lowest unemployment in the Pacific Northwest
- Counties where unemployment fell the most in the Pacific Northwest
- Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Pacific Northwest
- Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Pacific Northwest
- 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 Pacific Northwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-with-the-most-jobs-that-do-not-need-a-four-year-degree-in-the-pacific-northwest
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/cities-with-the-most-jobs-that-do-not-need-a-four-year-degree-in-the-pacific-northwest">Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Pacific Northwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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