Boston averages 45.6 applicants per job across 23,011 open positions from 3,420 employers.
Financial Analyst leads with 106 applicants per job—4.1× higher than the least competitive roles
Boston's most competitive positions are concentrated in tech and finance roles. Our analysis of 23,011 LinkedIn job postings shows Financial Analyst as the hardest role to land, with 106 applicants competing for each of just 54 openings. That's 4.1× more competitive than Security Officer roles and 132% above Boston's average of 45.6 applicants per job.
Hardest to land — polish your resume
1,234+ openings across healthcare and skilled trades roles with just 26-25 applicants per job
Better odds — still need a great resume
Healthcare and skilled trades roles dominate Boston's least competitive job categories. Security Officer positions have just 26 applicants per opening across 55 available jobs—4.1× easier to land than Financial Analyst roles and 43% below Boston's average competition of 45.6 applicants.
Nurse leads with 748 openings at 25 applicants per job | Financial Analyst is hardest to land at 106 applicants | Security Officer easiest at 26
Our analysis of 23,011 LinkedIn job postings reveals significant variation in competition across Boston's 40 major job categories. Nurse offers the most opportunity with 748 open positions, but faces 25 applicants per role. Meanwhile, Financial Analyst is the hardest role to land in Boston with 106 applicants competing for just 54 openings.
Of all 40 job titles analyzed, 10 roles are highly competitive (70+ applicants) accounting for 1,309 jobs, while 15 roles have below-average competition (under 40 applicants) with 2,212 combined openings. The competition gap in Boston is stark: Financial Analyst averages 106 applicants while Security Officer sees just 26—a 4.1× difference.
Beth Israel Lahey Health leads with 461 jobs (2% of market) | WHOOP hardest at 133 applicants | Boston Public Schools easiest at 25
Beth Israel Lahey Health dominates Boston's job market with 461 open positions—2% of all jobs in the metro area—at 34 applicants per role. PwC follows with 409 positions at 28 applicants each. The top 10 employers alone account for 3,144 jobs—14% of Boston's market.
Competition varies dramatically by employer. WHOOP is the hardest place to get hired in Boston with 133 applicants per job, while Boston Public Schools offers better odds at just 25 applicants. Of 43 major employers analyzed, 8 have high competition (70+ applicants) and 20 have below-average competition (under 40 applicants).
Browse 8 industries hiring across the Boston metro area
Data compiled by ResumeTarget.com from 23,011 LinkedIn job postings in the Boston metro area. Updated Dec 2, 2025.
Boston Children's Hospital, Amazon, and 8 other employers with 3,775 open positions
The Technology sector in Boston currently has 3,775 open positions across 10 employers in Boston. With an average of 59 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Boston's overall market average of 45.6.
Beth Israel Lahey Health, Mass General Brigham, and 8 other employers with 3,107 open positions
The Healthcare sector in Boston currently has 3,107 open positions across 10 employers in Boston. With an average of 35 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to Boston's overall market average of 45.6.
KPMG US, State Street, and 8 other employers with 1,780 open positions
The Banking & Finance sector in Boston currently has 1,780 open positions across 10 employers in Boston. With an average of 59 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Boston's overall market average of 45.6.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Takeda, and 8 other employers with 1,166 open positions
The Pharmaceutical & Biotech sector in Boston currently has 1,166 open positions across 10 employers in Boston. With an average of 79 applicants per job, this industry is highly competitive compared to Boston's overall market average of 45.6.
EY, WSP in the U.S., and 8 other employers with 1,079 open positions
The Consulting sector in Boston currently has 1,079 open positions across 10 employers in Boston. With an average of 45 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Boston's overall market average of 45.6.
PwC, Deloitte, and 8 other employers with 1,068 open positions
The Accounting sector in Boston currently has 1,068 open positions across 10 employers in Boston. With an average of 31 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to Boston's overall market average of 45.6.
Boston University, Boston Public Schools, and 8 other employers with 676 open positions
The Education sector in Boston currently has 676 open positions across 10 employers in Boston. With an average of 49 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Boston's overall market average of 45.6.
Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Sodexo, and 8 other employers with 586 open positions
The Hospitality sector in Boston currently has 586 open positions across 10 employers in Boston. With an average of 44 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Boston's overall market average of 45.6.
Education and Training leads with 2,582 jobs (11% of market) at 27 applicants | Education and Training easiest to break into at 27 applicants
Education and Training dominates Boston's job market with 2,582 open positions—11% of all jobs—at 27 applicants per role. Health Care Provider follows with 2,407 positions at 28 applicants each. The top 3 functions account for 6,878 jobs—30% of Boston's entire job market.
Competition varies significantly by function. Engineering is the most competitive category in Boston with 71 applicants per job, while Education and Training offers the best odds at just 27 applicants—a 44-applicant difference. Of 27 functions analyzed, 2 are highly competitive (70+ applicants) and 7 have below-average competition (under 40 applicants).
How does Boston's job competition compare to Northeast rivals?
Head-to-head job market comparison
Boston has 27% less competition overall than New York City. Boston wins on most role comparisons.
See full New York City job market data →Ranked by competition level (lower = easier)
Boston ranks #2 of 5 for easiest job market in Northeast.
Competition changes from other cities
Competition data based on 23,011 active job postings in Boston.
Boston averages 45.6 applicants per job across 23,011 open positions. Financial Analyst is hardest at 106 applicants; Security Officer is easiest at 26.
Financial Analyst (106 applicants per job), Data Engineer (105), and DevOps Engineer (96). These roles see 4.1× more competition than healthcare positions.
Security Officer (26 applicants per job, 55 openings), Maintenance Technician (26), and Tax Accountant (26).
Beth Israel Lahey Health leads with 461 jobs, followed by PwC (409) and Mass General Brigham (357). 3,420 companies are actively hiring.
23,011 open positions across 3,420 employers. Data from LinkedIn, updated Dec 2, 2025.
Technology (3,775 jobs), Healthcare (3,107), and Banking & Finance (1,780).
ResumeTarget.com compiled and analyzed 23,011 full-time job postings from LinkedIn across the Boston-metro area to calculate competition levels by job title, industry, employer, and job function.
Competition is measured by the average number of applicants per job posting. Roles with 70+ applicants are classified as highly competitive, 40-69 as moderately competitive, and under 40 as less competitive.
With 45.6 applicants per job, you need a resume that immediately proves you're the top candidate. Our writers conduct 1-on-1 interviews to uncover your unique achievements and create ATS-optimized resumes that get noticed.
