The Best US Cities for Senior Management Jobs

Best Cities for Senior Managers

Are there specific cities that you can go to for better senior management roles and opportunities? Which cities offer the worst opportunities for those interested in such roles? These are important questions for anyone who is hoping to climb the ladder and enter into management roles in the United States. 

We have analyzed what major cities in the US have the best job opportunities for senior management jobs, to figure out where you have the biggest chance at being a successful CEO, Vice President, Director, or Senior Manager. 

To do this, we have collected data on the number of available senior management positions, along with the average salary, comparing it to the population per city. We have also taken into account the average rent, so as to take disposable income into consideration.

Knowing which cities to avoid based on your career is an important thing to know, especially if you wish to climb the ranks. Some cities offer great opportunities for senior management roles, while others would not be a smart choice.

To help you decide which cities offer you some great opportunities for these kinds of roles, we’ve looked at the data to help you make an informed decision. 

How We Determined the Cities with the Best Jobs for Managers

In order to determine which cities offer the best and worst opportunities for senior management roles, we have taken into account the following information:

  • Average CEO salary
  • Average manager salary
  • Average director salary
  • Number of CEO, director, and manager jobs
  • Number of senior jobs by population
  • Average cost of monthly rent
Best Cities for Senior Management Jobs

Best Cities for Senior Management Jobs

Below are the top spots to move to if you want to have good opportunities to climb the ladder into a senior management job. Not only have we looked at the jobs for professional managers available, but we have also taken a look at the average cost of rent vs salaries, and how much disposable income you could have in these locations.

  1. Arlington (TX) 
  2. Seattle (WA)
  3. Long Beach (CA)
  4. Minneapolis (MN)
  5. Atlanta (GA)
  6. Oakland (CA)
  7. Raleigh (NC)
  8. San Francisco (CA)
  9. Detroit (MI)
  10. Kansas City (MO)

It’s interesting to note that all ten of the top-scoring cities have a smaller population than you might expect. In this case, the population of each of these cities is below one million people, with San Francisco having the largest population of over 880,000 people. The top scoring city only has a population of around 400,000 people.

Another interesting thing to point out is the average rent per month in these locations. Arlington has an average rent of just $1,100 per month, and San Francisco has the most expensive at over $2,500. This is overall the second-most expensive location, the most expensive average rent in New York, at over $2,650.

Best Cities for CEO Jobs

Best Cities for CEO Jobs

If you are looking for the best cities specifically for the number CEO opportunities, they are as follows:

  1. New York City (NY)
  2. Baltimore (MD)
  3. Washington (D.C.)
  4. Long Beach (CA)
  5. Los Angeles (CA)

Although these locations have significant differences in average salaries (New York City with an average annual CEO salary of over $422,000 and Washington, D.C. at over $361,000), the average rent and opportunities level things out. 

However, it’s important to mention that locations like these are usually incredibly competitive. This means that there is no guarantee of reaching CEO-level jobs, especially considering many of these cities have larger populations of senior management talent.

Worst Cities for Senior Management Jobs

Worst Places for Senior Management Jobs

Below are the five worst locations you can go to if you are hoping to secure senior management roles at work. This is due to a number of reasons, such as city size, limited opportunities, lower salaries, higher rent averages, and population. 

Here are the five worst-scoring cities to live in for senior management positions:

  1. San Diego (CA)
  2. Bakersfield (CA)
  3. Fresno (CA)
  4. San Jose (CA)
  5. Colorado Springs (CO)

It is interesting to note that four of the five cities here are located in California, and just one in Colorado. What makes this even more interesting, is that some of the best locations for senior management roles are also in California – namely in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and Long Beach.

Cities with High Manager Salaries

Cities with High Manager Salaries

If you are looking for cities that offer remarkably high manager salaries, consider any of the following options. Of course, salaries will vary depending on the specific role, but there we are focusing on the average annual salary of managers in these locations:

  1. Seattle (WA) – $149,245
  2. San Francisco (CA) – $128,092
  3. Los Angeles (CA) – $126,477
  4. Raleigh (NC) – $122,689
  5. New York (NY) – $116,522
  6. Chicago (IL) – $115,678
  7. Houston (TX) – $114,204
  8. Minneapolis (MN) – $113,449
  9. Louisville (KY) – $111,013
  10.  Nashville (TN) – $110,185

What Do the Jobs for Managers Numbers Mean For You?

Knowing which cities have high or low quality of life for senior-level management roles can be an important factor if you are planning on moving. While salaries will always change and vary depending on whether you are a CEO, director, or manager, knowing where to be if you want to earn and have disposable income can be important. 

If you want to have the opportunity to get into senior management positions, then there are many different things to consider. However, you always need to take your own personal factors into account, too. To apply for these roles you’d also need to consider a professional resume writing service to ensure that your resume passes applicant tracking software (ATS) scans and stands out in the employer’s inbox.

Summary of Management Jobs Findings

Five of the best cities to live in if you want to take on senior management roles are Arlington (TX), Seattle (WA), Long Beach (CA), Minneapolis (MN), Atlanta (GA). The five worst include San Diego, Bakersfield, Fresno, San Jose, and Colorado Springs. 

These lists have been determined by using reliable information gathered from various sources. Key elements we have considered include average salaries for CEO, director, and management roles, as well as average rent and populations. 

When it comes to jobs for managers, unfortunately we can’t pick out a single state to recommend, as the results are incredibly varied. California can be both a great and terrible place to be, depending on the particular city you’re in. However, this analysis of senior management jobs should give you a good idea of where you do, and do not, want to be if you want senior roles like these. 

 

Want to See the Data Summary?

The full data index can be found here

Sources of Jobs for Managers Data

Population: World Population Review

Salary: Glassdoor

Number of Jobs: Glassdoor

Rent per month: numbeo

Broadband: World Population Review