Top 10 U.S. Cities With the Most F-1 OPT Jobs

Mihailo Bozic
Mihailo Bozic
Updated July 30, 2026 · 4 min read

The U.S. cities with the most F-1 OPT jobs are led by New York, Chicago, and Houston, the metros with the highest concentration of live F-1 OPT openings. Migrate Mate is tracking 23,320 live F-1 OPT jobs across these 10 metros as of July 30, 2026, updated daily. F-1 OPT is your own work authorization, so the role only needs to relate to your field of study.

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Which U.S. cities have the most F-1 OPT jobs?

Ranked by live F-1 OPT jobs in each metro on Migrate Mate, updated daily

Editor’s note

How this list is ranked

These metros are ranked by how many F-1 OPT jobs are live on Migrate Mate right now, so the list reflects where F-1 OPT hiring is concentrated today rather than historical government filings. Counts change daily. A larger metro means more employers and more openings to work through, but confirm the specific role fits and that you are eligible before you apply.

  1. 01

    New York, New York

    New York leads with 4,599 live F-1 OPT jobs on Migrate Mate, the most of any metro on this list.

    F-1 OPT hiring in New York concentrates in Project & Program Management, Business Development, and Data Science & Analytics roles, with employers like NYU Langone Health, Columbia University, and JPMorganChase posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Project & Program Management
    • Business Development
    • Data Science & Analytics
    • Nursing
    • Healthcare Administration
    Open F-1 OPT roles in New York
    Private Equity Due Diligence Specialist
    New York, New York · On-site
    Apply
    Research Coordinator
    New York, New York · On-site
    Apply
    Senior Social Worker
    New York, New York · On-site
    Apply
    Office Manager
    New York, New York · On-site
    Apply
    Magnetic Resonance Imaging Specialist/MRI Tech
    New York, New York · On-site
    Apply
    See all 4,599 F-1 OPT jobs in New York
  2. 02

    Chicago, Illinois

    Chicago has 2,745 live F-1 OPT jobs on Migrate Mate.

    F-1 OPT hiring in Chicago concentrates in Teaching & Instruction, Project & Program Management, and Nursing roles, with employers like Chicago Public Schools, Rush University Medical Center, and Advocate Health posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Teaching & Instruction
    • Project & Program Management
    • Nursing
    • Healthcare Administration
    • Business Development
    Open F-1 OPT roles in Chicago
    Registered Nurse
    Chicago, Illinois · On-site
    Apply
    Registered Nurse Medical Surgical
    Chicago, Illinois · On-site
    Apply
    Teacher
    Chicago, Illinois · On-site
    Apply
    Inside Sales Representative
    Chicago, Illinois · Remote
    Apply
    Nurse Administrator
    Chicago, Illinois · On-site
    Apply
    See all 2,745 F-1 OPT jobs in Chicago
  3. 03

    Houston, Texas

    Houston lists 2,705 live F-1 OPT jobs on Migrate Mate.

    F-1 OPT hiring in Houston concentrates in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, and Teaching & Instruction roles, with employers like Houston Methodist, Spring Independent School District, and Memorial Hermann Health System posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Nursing
    • Healthcare Administration
    • Teaching & Instruction
    • Science & Research
    • Project & Program Management
    Open F-1 OPT roles in Houston
    Dialysis Outpatient Registered Nurse
    Houston, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Instructional Specialist
    Houston, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Specialist-Curriculum ES Science
    Houston, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Pharmacy Manager
    Houston, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Technical Training & Competency Manager
    Houston, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    See all 2,705 F-1 OPT jobs in Houston

  4. Unlock every F-1 OPT job in these cities

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  5. 04

    Atlanta, Georgia

    There are 2,573 live F-1 OPT jobs in Atlanta on Migrate Mate.

    F-1 OPT hiring in Atlanta concentrates in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, and Project & Program Management roles, with employers like Emory Healthcare, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and Emory University posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Nursing
    • Healthcare Administration
    • Project & Program Management
    • Business Analysis
    • Science & Research
    Open F-1 OPT roles in Atlanta
    Electrical Engineer
    Atlanta, Georgia · On-site
    Apply
    Service Estimator
    Atlanta, Georgia · On-site
    Apply
    Associate, Strategic Operations
    Atlanta, Georgia · On-site
    Apply
    Plumbing Engineering Consultant
    Atlanta, Georgia · On-site
    Apply
    Project Manager
    Atlanta, Georgia · On-site
    Apply
    See all 2,573 F-1 OPT jobs in Atlanta
  6. 05

    Boston, Massachusetts

    Boston shows 2,153 open F-1 OPT roles on Migrate Mate.

    F-1 OPT hiring in Boston concentrates in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, and Science & Research roles, with employers like Boston Medical Center, Beth Israel Lahey Health, and Massachusetts General Hospital posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Nursing
    • Healthcare Administration
    • Science & Research
    • Project & Program Management
    • Data Science & Analytics
    Open F-1 OPT roles in Boston
    Engineer III, Device Development
    Boston, Massachusetts · On-site
    Apply
    Clinical Lactation Consultant Postpartum (IBCLC) Non RN
    Boston, Massachusetts · On-site
    Apply
    Research Assistant I
    Boston, Massachusetts · On-site
    Apply
    Healthcare Data Analyst I
    Boston, Massachusetts · Hybrid
    Apply
    Assistant Registrar
    Boston, Massachusetts · Hybrid
    Apply
    See all 2,153 F-1 OPT jobs in Boston
  7. 06

    Austin, Texas

    Austin has 2,076 live F-1 OPT jobs on Migrate Mate.

    F-1 OPT hiring in Austin concentrates in Engineering (Non-Software), Nursing, and Project & Program Management roles, with employers like Apple, Ascension, and Amazon.com posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Engineering (Non-Software)
    • Nursing
    • Project & Program Management
    • Software Engineering
    • Data Science & Analytics
    Open F-1 OPT roles in Austin
    Registered Nurse PACU
    Austin, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Registered Nurse Pediatric Operating Room
    Austin, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Speech Language Pathologist Pediatrics
    Austin, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Inpatient Physical Therapist
    Austin, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Registered Nurse Progressive Care
    Austin, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    See all 2,076 F-1 OPT jobs in Austin
  8. 07

    Charlotte, North Carolina

    Charlotte lists 1,691 live F-1 OPT jobs on Migrate Mate.

    F-1 OPT hiring in Charlotte concentrates in Nursing, Teaching & Instruction, and Healthcare Administration roles, with employers like Advocate Health, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, and Novant Health posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Nursing
    • Teaching & Instruction
    • Healthcare Administration
    • Project & Program Management
    • Allied Health
    Open F-1 OPT roles in Charlotte
    Clinical Coordinator - Charge Registered Nurse
    Charlotte, North Carolina · On-site
    Apply
    Radiology Technologist
    Charlotte, North Carolina · On-site
    Apply
    LPN
    Charlotte, North Carolina · On-site
    Apply
    Registered Nurse
    Charlotte, North Carolina · On-site
    Apply
    Financial Coordinator
    Charlotte, North Carolina · On-site
    Apply
    See all 1,691 F-1 OPT jobs in Charlotte

  9. See F-1 OPT jobs across all 10 cities and thousands more

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  10. 08

    Dallas, Texas

    There are 1,663 live F-1 OPT jobs in Dallas on Migrate Mate.

    F-1 OPT hiring in Dallas concentrates in Nursing, Project & Program Management, and Healthcare Administration roles, with employers like UT Southwestern Medical Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, and Dallas County posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Nursing
    • Project & Program Management
    • Healthcare Administration
    • Business Development
    • Engineering (Non-Software)
    Open F-1 OPT roles in Dallas
    Respiratory Therapist
    Dallas, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Outpatient Registered Nurse
    Dallas, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Information Technology Analyst
    Dallas, Texas · On-site
    Apply
    Bilingual Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist
    Dallas, Texas · Remote
    Apply
    Senior Investment Analyst
    Dallas, Texas · Hybrid
    Apply
    See all 1,663 F-1 OPT jobs in Dallas
  11. 09

    San Francisco, California

    San Francisco shows 1,592 open F-1 OPT roles on Migrate Mate.

    F-1 OPT hiring in San Francisco concentrates in Data Science & Analytics, Project & Program Management, and Software Engineering roles, with employers like University of California - San Francisco, University of California, San Francisco, and Anthropic posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Data Science & Analytics
    • Project & Program Management
    • Software Engineering
    • Business Development
    • Science & Research
    Open F-1 OPT roles in San Francisco
    Data Innovation Specialist
    San Francisco, California · On-site
    Apply
    Strategic Finance, Sr Associate
    San Francisco, California · Hybrid
    Apply
    Project Policy Analyst 2
    San Francisco, California · On-site
    Apply
    AP Accountant
    San Francisco, California · Hybrid
    Apply
    GL Accountant
    San Francisco, California · Hybrid
    Apply
    See all 1,592 F-1 OPT jobs in San Francisco
  12. 10

    Phoenix, Arizona

    Phoenix has 1,523 live F-1 OPT jobs on Migrate Mate.

    F-1 OPT hiring in Phoenix concentrates in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, and Engineering (Non-Software) roles, with employers like Banner Health, HonorHealth, and CommonSpirit Health posting openings now.

    Roles hiring now

    • Nursing
    • Healthcare Administration
    • Engineering (Non-Software)
    • Teaching & Instruction
    • Project & Program Management
    Open F-1 OPT roles in Phoenix
    Coder Educator
    Phoenix, Arizona · Remote
    Apply
    Cybersecurity Engineers
    Phoenix, Arizona · Hybrid
    Apply
    Software Engineers
    Phoenix, Arizona · Hybrid
    Apply
    Accounting Manager
    Phoenix, Arizona · On-site
    Apply
    Internal Audit & Financial Advisory Senior Consultant
    Phoenix, Arizona · Hybrid
    Apply
    See all 1,523 F-1 OPT jobs in Phoenix

How F-1 OPT works

OPT is work authorization for F-1 students, not an employer-sponsored visa. The student applies through their school's international office (the DSO) and USCIS with Form I-765; the employer files nothing. The role must relate to the student's field of study. OPT gives up to 12 months of work authorization, with a 24-month STEM extension for eligible degrees.

Related on Migrate Mate

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Top F-1 OPT Cities: Frequently Asked Questions

Which U.S. cities have the most F-1 OPT jobs?

New York leads, with 4,599 live F-1 OPT jobs on Migrate Mate, followed by Chicago (2,745) and Houston (2,705). Across the 10 metros on this list, Migrate Mate is tracking 23,320 live F-1 OPT jobs, updated daily.

Who is eligible for F-1 OPT?

F-1 OPT is available to international students who have been enrolled full-time for at least one academic year at a SEVP-certified school, have a valid I-20, and are applying for work in a field directly related to their major. The student applies through their DSO and files Form I-765 with USCIS. OPT is student-initiated work authorization, the employer does not file anything.

Can my spouse or family work on F-1 OPT?

No. F-2 dependents, the spouse and children of an F-1 student, can accompany the student but are not authorized to work.

How does F-1 OPT compare to H-1B?

Unlike H-1B, F-1 OPT has no lottery, so selection is not a barrier. The trade-off is eligibility: H-1B is open to any specialty occupation worldwide, while F-1 OPT is limited to specific nationalities or roles. If you qualify for F-1 OPT, it is often the faster and more predictable route; if you do not, H-1B may be the only option.

How much does F-1 OPT cost?

F-1 OPT is student work authorization, so there is no employer sponsorship fee. The student pays the USCIS filing fee for the work-authorization application, plus any costs their school charges. Fee amounts change from time to time, so check the current figure before you rely on it.

How do I find a F-1 OPT job in these cities?

Search Migrate Mate for F-1 OPT openings in your target field, then apply directly to employers who are actively hiring OPT students. Roles listed by city include in-person, hybrid, and fully remote positions, so candidates based elsewhere can still target a high-concentration metro. To activate OPT, work with your DSO to update your I-20 and file Form I-765 before your program end date, the role must relate to your field of study.

Find 170,000+ F-1 OPT jobs