Best places to move after college
After earning a college degree, deciding where to move to start a career can be a daunting task. With an , this year's graduates are entering the job market at an encouraging time. What's more, employers plan to hire from the Class of 2018 than they did from the previous class.
While some may be pulled to big cities after earning their diplomas, like Milwaukee, Austin, and St. Louis may be better for younger employees looking to find jobs that will pay the rent. Big cities like New York have and lower job growth than smaller cities like Durham and Detroit. And while affordable housing is hard to come by in bustling cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, it's not in smaller cities like Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.
麻豆原创 used data that accounted for factors like quality of life and professional opportunities to rank the top 50 cities for recent college grads. The study, which involved 182 U.S. cities, examined 27 metrics including the availability of entry-level jobs, monthly average starting salary and workforce diversity in each city. Click through to see which city offers the most career opportunities for the Class of 2018.
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#50. Oklahoma City, OK
WalletHub score: 50.32
Professional Opportunity rank: #59
Quality of Life rank: #42
Millennials are for its good job opportunities and affordable housing. The city also has plenty of .
#49. Nashville, TN
WalletHub score: 50.38
Professional Opportunity rank: #67
Quality of Life rank: #30
Recent college grads have been for good jobs and low-cost living. also has a high concentration of food and entertainment options, as well as a popular hockey team.
#48. Columbus, OH
WalletHub score: 50.44
Professional Opportunity rank: #81
Quality of Life rank: #14
Ohio鈥檚 capital city has young people, including the , a 175-acre area with parks, as well as bikeways and pedestrian paths. Don鈥檛 have a car? Columbus offers access to a free bus to explore its downtown areas.
#47. Colorado Springs, CO
WalletHub score: 50.52
Professional Opportunity rank: #62
Quality of Life rank: #33
Colorado Springs is another . The city offers and is only an hour and a half south of Denver. Top spots to visit are the and .
#46. Bismarck, ND
WalletHub score: 50.64
Professional Opportunity rank: #38
Quality of Life rank: #76
Bismarck boasts for younger workers. The city is also a good place to settle for those .
#45. Plano, TX
WalletHub score: 50.66
Professional Opportunity rank: #66
Quality of Life rank: #26
Plano is only a 45-minute commute from Dallas, which residents can get to easily on the . For new grads looking to start a family, this suburb receives high marks for public schools.
#44. San Diego, CA
WalletHub score: 50.96
Professional Opportunity rank: #49
Quality of Life rank: #50
A makes San Diego a good destination for recent college grads. This offers surfing, whale watching and other fun coastal activities.
#43. Columbia, MD
WalletHub score: 51.14
Professional Opportunity rank: #68
Quality of Life rank: #18
Columbia is seated in between Baltimore and Washington D.C., with workers . The Baltimore-Columbia area offers a good spot for recent grads to .
#42. San Jose, CA
WalletHub score: 51.67
Professional Opportunity rank: #32
Quality of Life rank: #63
This area of Silicon Valley is a great place to move for the right job. Employment options are suited to those , but the cost of living is steep. Residents need to make to live comfortably.
#41. Fort Worth, TX
WalletHub score: 51.69
Professional Opportunity rank: #21
Quality of Life rank: #92
Other cities may boast higher salaries, but income goes . This Texas town also offers plenty to do at , a 35-block shopping and entertainment district.
#40. Miami, FL
WalletHub score: 52.22
Professional Opportunity rank: #14
Quality of Life rank: #117
Construction in downtown Miami has , making way for young professionals who want to rent. There are plenty of bars and restaurants to visit at night, and living downtown means avoiding traffic on the way to work.
#39. Dallas, TX
WalletHub score: 52.25
Professional Opportunity rank: #24
Quality of Life rank: #74
Dallas ranks highly for cities with the for recent grads. The city is also trying to attract young people by making a , directing residents and visitors alike to outdoor spaces like River Legacy Parks and the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve.
#38. Charlotte, NC
WalletHub score: 52.32
Professional Opportunity rank: #54
Quality of Life rank: #17
Charlotte is than previously anticipated, with an overall unemployment rate . This has also seen noticeable in past years.
#37. Sacramento, CA
WalletHub score: 52.44
Professional Opportunity rank: #28
Quality of Life rank: #58
Millennials are for jobs, plus housing options four times lower than those of neighboring San Francisco. This California city also has a bustling arts and culinary scene.
#36. Washington, DC
WalletHub score: 52.62
Professional Opportunity rank: #37
Quality of Life rank: #39
The cost of living isn't cheap , but there are a lot of jobs with a high median starting salary. If you want to meet more , head to the nation's capital. The District of Columbia also tops the list of .
#35. Cincinnati, OH
WalletHub score: 52.67
Professional Opportunity rank: #45
Quality of Life rank: #25
An overall low makes Cincinnati a good option for those just starting their careers. Median rent is only $570 a month.
#34. Sioux Falls, SD
WalletHub score: 52.85
Professional Opportunity rank: #44
Quality of Life rank: #24
Young people can afford to in Sioux Falls, which also has plenty of dining and entertainment options. Residents can also visit , a 123-acre park with a view of waterfalls from the Big Sioux River.
#33. Richmond, VA
WalletHub score: 52.86
Professional Opportunity rank: #36
Quality of Life rank: #36
Richmond of job opportunities, affordable rent and nightlife options. For those who enjoy the great outdoors, check out the for walking, running or biking.
#32. Durham, NC
WalletHub score: 52.90
Professional Opportunity rank: #29
Quality of Life rank: #44
Of the , Durham had the at $3,746. Millennials also enjoy the .
#31. West Valley City, UT
WalletHub score: 52.95
Professional Opportunity rank: #31
Quality of Life rank: #40
This Salt Lake City suburb, Utah's, is experiencing , and is especially good for those who . It's nestled between two mountain ranges, and is close to ski resort for winter sports enthusiasts.
#30. Des Moines, IA
WalletHub score: 53.11
Professional Opportunity rank: #34
Quality of Life rank: #35
Affordable housing, job opportunities and good starting salaries make this Midwest town . There鈥檚 also : visit the , the or the between May and October.
#29. Burlington, VT
WalletHub score: 53.19
Professional Opportunity rank: #41
Quality of Life rank: #21
For those moving to Burlington, check out the and , or walk along the .
#28. St. Paul, MN
WalletHub score: 53.24
Professional Opportunity rank: #51
Quality of Life rank: #15
Those who have access to jobs and affordable housing, which raising their emotional well-being. The area is also home to plenty of drinking and dining establishments.
#27. San Antonio, TX
WalletHub score: 53.62
Professional Opportunity rank: #26
Quality of Life rank: #38
In 2017, San Antonio was ranked the best city in Texas . Job options and a make this city attractive to young employees.
#26. Scottsdale, AZ
WalletHub score: 53.67
Professional Opportunity rank: #53
Quality of Life rank: #7
Scottsdale is about 20 minutes east of Phoenix, with during off-work hours. Explore , check out and walk around the.
#25. Irving, TX
WalletHub score: 54.09
Professional Opportunity rank: #12
Quality of Life rank: #81
This suburb of Dallas has a low unemployment rate along with a high median starting salary, making it a . It鈥檚 also a diverse place to .
#24. Tacoma, WA
WalletHub score: 54.12
Professional Opportunity rank: #15
Quality of Life rank: #75
Tacoma is about 30 miles south of Seattle, with and great places to . For those looking to buy a home, Tacoma offers options that are than Seattle.
#23. Boise, ID
WalletHub score: 54.19
Professional Opportunity rank: #43
Quality of Life rank: #9
The capital of Idaho is ranked as one of the in the country. Its and it's home to Boise State University. There are also plenty of dining, music and outdoor options to enjoy after work or school.
#22. Fargo, ND
WalletHub score: 54.21
Professional Opportunity rank: #27
Quality of Life rank: #27
Employment opportunities . The city鈥檚 unemployment rate hovers at around .
#21. Fort Lauderdale, FL
WalletHub score: 54.41
Professional Opportunity rank: #9
Quality of Life rank: #89
Fort Lauderdale, sometimes called the , offers beaches, parks and an. There's plenty to explore at for entertainment in the evening hours.
#20. Knoxville, TN
WalletHub score: 55.22
Professional Opportunity rank: #19
Quality of Life rank: #46
Knoxville, located near the Great Smoky Mountains, is and a good place . Home to The University of Tennessee, expect to find plenty of in this city.
#19. Madison, WI
WalletHub score: 55.23
Professional Opportunity rank: #46
Quality of Life rank: #3
Wisconsin鈥檚 capital, home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is not only a beautiful place to live , it鈥檚 also a thanks to its college-town vibe. Grab some local beer while exploring Willy Street, or check out .
#18. St. Louis, MO
WalletHub score: 55.42
Professional Opportunity rank: #11
Quality of Life rank: #59
The unemployment rate for college graduates in St. Louis is , and the average rent is only $600. Take a ride up the , then grab a craft beer at one of the many St. Louis has to offer.
#17. San Francisco, CA
WalletHub score: 55.51
Professional Opportunity rank: #13
Quality of Life rank: #52
While San Francisco鈥檚 housing costs , the city is also and offers plenty of . San Francisco, home to Uber, Lyft, Airbnb and Twitter, also showed increases in annual wage growth and average pay.
#16. Seattle, WA
WalletHub score: 55.65
Professional Opportunity rank: #25
Quality of Life rank: #13
Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks and the Boeing Company are . Much like San Francisco, for those with good jobs, but it's not cheap. The median rent is more than $2,109, which is
#15. Boston, MA
WalletHub score: 56.09
Professional Opportunity rank: #20
Quality of Life rank: #29
Even though it鈥檚 not as affordable as some cities, for recent college grads to work and . The city is walkable, offers access to world-class health care and features plenty of parks, shopping and entertainment.
#14. Portland, ME
WalletHub score: 56.81
Professional Opportunity rank: #18
Quality of Life rank: #20
Portland is a , and home to a . This New England city has . Make sure to take a walk along , the center of the arts district.
#13. Pittsburgh, PA
WalletHub score: 56.97
Professional Opportunity rank: #22
Quality of Life rank: #8
The Steel City is both affordable and . It has a , a high number of residents in their 20s and the unemployment rate for residents with a bachelor鈥檚 degree is 2.4%.
#12. Tampa, FL
WalletHub score: 57.05
Professional Opportunity rank: #7
Quality of Life rank: #41
This central Florida town is only a short drive to Clearwater Beach, one of the . For afterwork activities, go dancing in , grab a beer in or ride roller coasters at .
#11. Minneapolis, MN
WalletHub score: 57.13
Professional Opportunity rank: #23
Quality of Life rank: #4
Minneapolis offers young workers job opportunities and a low cost of living in a community bustling with arts, culture and plenty of outdoor activities. It's also a great place and .
#10. Grand Rapids, MI
WalletHub score: 57.13
Professional Opportunity rank: #8
Quality of Life rank: #37
The availability of jobs and low cost of living make Grand Rapids a good place . There鈥檚 no a shortage of for fun and food. Try for a cup of joe, try a croissant from or grab a beer at the renowned
#9. Raleigh, NC
WalletHub score: 57.82
Professional Opportunity rank: #17
Quality of Life rank: #10
This North Carolina city regularly ranks highly for Housing , which makes appealing for those .
#8. Denver, CO
WalletHub score: 57.85
Professional Opportunity rank: #16
Quality of Life rank: #12
People all over the U.S. are flocking to Denver, which has low unemployment and . The number of people moving to Denver has made , but the mixed with the mountain view make it worth it. There鈥檚 also .
#7. Columbia, SC
WalletHub score: 57.98
Professional Opportunity rank: #5
Quality of Life rank: #34
Columbia, home of the University of South Carolina, has low unemployment and a cost of living . The student population and residents keep a wide selection full every night.
#6. Austin, TX
WalletHub score: 60.24
Professional Opportunity rank: #6
Quality of Life rank: #5
Austin, famous for hosting the , is for young workers. It's also one of the in the country, probably because they offer doughnuts 24 hours a day and have tons of .
#5. Tempe, AZ
WalletHub score: 60.41
Professional Opportunity rank: #10
Quality of Life rank: #2
Tempe is home to Arizona State University, . The university also offers . For those who want to get out of town, Phoenix is only a 20-minute drive.
#4. Charleston, SC
WalletHub score: 60.70
Professional Opportunity rank: #4
Quality of Life rank: #19
The economy is doing well in Charleston, with . This area saw a 198% increase in computer and science degrees over the past five years, which is six times faster than the national average. This expansion has led to a lack of affordable housing in the city, so prepare for traffic.
#3. Atlanta, GA
WalletHub score: 65.04
Professional Opportunity rank: #2
Quality of Life rank: #11
The Home Depot, Ernst & Young and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention are . While, this southern city is significantly more affordable than metro areas like Chicago, New York and San Francisco. It also has no shortage of food and entertainment options in .
#2. Orlando, FL
WalletHub score: 66.33
Professional Opportunity rank: #1
Quality of Life rank: #6
Job growth, affordable housing and an expanding downtown are attracting . The district is a popular spot for young renters who want to live in a neighborhood with character.
#1. Salt Lake City, UT
WalletHub score: 67.83
Professional Opportunity rank: #3
Quality of Life rank: #1
Both quality of life and job options rank high in Salt Lake City. Housing is relatively affordable, the and there is in this mountain town. Salt Lake City is close to and numerous .
