2023’s Best & Worst Places to Start a Career

John S Kiernan, WalletHub Managing EditorMay 15, 2023

John S Kiernan, WalletHub Managing Editor
May 15, 2023

Deciding where to lay the foundation for a long and prosperous career can be a tall order, especially for recent graduates entering the job market for the first time. After all, there are many factors — job-market saturation, housing affordability and commuter-friendliness, for instance — to consider about each prospective area.

Fortunately, new graduates are entering the market at a good time, as there is currently an employment shortage and many places are eager to hire. In fact, employers plan to hire 14.7% more graduates from the Class of 2023 than they did from the Class of 2022.

In order to help new graduates start their search for a career, WalletHub compared the relative market strength and overall livability of more than 180 U.S. cities to help recent college graduates find the best cradles for their budding careers. We examined each city based on 26 key metrics that range from the availability of entry-level jobs to monthly average starting salary to housing affordability.

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Best Cities to Start a Career

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Professional Opportunities	Quality of Life
1	Atlanta, GA	66.87	2	7
2	Orlando, FL	64.75	3	12
3	Salt Lake City, UT	63.54	8	6
4	Columbia, SC	62.31	5	24
5	Tampa, FL	62.17	6	31
6	Charleston, SC	60.78	10	18
7	Miami, FL	60.73	1	101
8	Austin, TX	60.44	26	2
9	Minneapolis, MN	60.08	23	3
10	Pittsburgh, PA	60.04	14	8
11	Wilmington, DE	59.75	4	63
12	Tempe, AZ	58.53	54	1
13	Denver, CO	58.52	22	9
14	Seattle, WA	58.26	39	4
15	St. Louis, MO	57.97	9	57
16	Scottsdale, AZ	57.86	19	20
17	Portland, ME	57.39	31	10
18	Boise, ID	56.92	25	21
19	Richmond, VA	56.86	15	38
20	Grand Rapids, MI	56.56	18	32
21	Madison, WI	56.20	75	5
22	Overland Park, KS	56.09	24	27
23	Washington, DC	55.67	44	14
24	Boston, MA	55.50	27	33
25	Providence, RI	55.13	12	85
26	Raleigh, NC	55.12	53	15
27	Knoxville, TN	54.88	20	54
28	Charleston, WV	54.66	7	138
29	Fargo, ND	54.42	72	13
30	Colorado Springs, CO	54.25	32	36
31	Cincinnati, OH	54.16	46	23
32	Rochester, NY	53.56	29	53
33	Charlotte, NC	53.31	36	44
34	Burlington, VT	53.22	99	11
35	Rapid City, SD	53.18	35	48
36	Tulsa, OK	53.11	21	90
37	Oklahoma City, OK	52.95	30	68
38	Sacramento, CA	52.87	41	47
39	Durham, NC	52.86	38	52
40	Chattanooga, TN	52.53	17	109
41	Des Moines, IA	52.46	48	49
42	Omaha, NE	52.40	59	37
43	St. Petersburg, FL	52.38	37	60
44	Portland, OR	52.31	95	17
45	Chandler, AZ	52.30	74	25
46	Fort Lauderdale, FL	52.27	28	86
47	Gilbert, AZ	52.21	42	58
48	Birmingham, AL	52.18	13	142
49	Sioux Falls, SD	51.98	69	35
50	Reno, NV	51.97	61	40
51	Lewiston, ME	51.89	11	153
52	Tallahassee, FL	51.71	83	26
53	Cheyenne, WY	51.55	34	76
54	Dallas, TX	51.21	43	79
55	Nashville, TN	50.95	65	50
56	Kansas City, MO	50.86	55	71
57	Spokane, WA	50.71	56	70
58	San Francisco, CA	50.67	125	16
59	Cedar Rapids, IA	50.61	73	51
60	St. Paul, MN	50.60	100	29
61	Fort Worth, TX	50.59	50	80
62	Jacksonville, FL	50.53	40	97
63	Columbus, OH	50.39	101	30
64	Tacoma, WA	50.34	52	82
65	Dover, DE	50.17	16	152
66	Irving, TX	50.12	57	81
67	Phoenix, AZ	50.01	77	55
68	Manchester, NH	49.98	45	91
69	South Burlington, VT	49.98	89	45
70	Irvine, CA	49.96	98	39
71	Tucson, AZ	49.79	76	62
72	San Diego, CA	49.72	113	28
73	Bismarck, ND	49.52	63	78
74	Huntsville, AL	49.24	85	59
75	Laredo, TX	49.04	33	129
76	Lincoln, NE	48.97	129	22
77	Nampa, ID	48.92	51	112
78	Mesa, AZ	48.88	67	89
79	Aurora, CO	48.82	49	122
80	Houston, TX	48.65	92	66
81	Indianapolis, IN	48.34	62	113
82	West Valley City, UT	48.20	84	84
83	Nashua, NH	48.20	71	94
84	Plano, TX	48.19	123	42
85	Las Vegas, NV	48.00	120	46
86	Lubbock, TX	47.87	88	87
87	Little Rock, AR	47.72	47	137
88	Buffalo, NY	47.66	97	83
89	Springfield, MO	47.56	79	96
90	Columbia, MD	47.37	146	34
91	New Orleans, LA	47.21	68	128
92	Virginia Beach, VA	47.07	127	56
93	Fort Wayne, IN	47.06	60	130
94	San Antonio, TX	47.02	112	77
95	Albuquerque, NM	46.89	119	75
96	Worcester, MA	46.81	90	105
97	Glendale, AZ	46.75	96	103
98	Baton Rouge, LA	46.68	80	121
99	Arlington, TX	46.67	87	115
100	Modesto, CA	46.64	58	144
101	Missoula, MT	46.58	170	19
102	Norfolk, VA	46.44	110	92
103	Louisville, KY	46.36	104	98
104	Winston-Salem, NC	46.33	66	141
105	Huntington, WV	46.10	81	124
106	Riverside, CA	46.09	91	125
107	Lexington-Fayette, KY	46.04	151	41
108	San Bernardino, CA	45.99	70	148
109	Wichita, KS	45.87	105	108
110	Vancouver, WA	45.85	86	127
111	New Haven, CT	45.85	102	106
112	San Jose, CA	45.83	133	64
113	Augusta, GA	45.67	64	157
114	Chesapeake, VA	45.43	116	107
115	Amarillo, TX	45.23	111	111
116	Billings, MT	45.20	144	69
117	Chicago, IL	45.14	143	65
118	Akron, OH	44.95	82	147
119	Greensboro, NC	44.94	108	126
120	Milwaukee, WI	44.69	126	110
121	Philadelphia, PA	44.61	124	120
122	Honolulu, HI	44.55	152	61
123	Peoria, AZ	44.50	106	133
124	Ontario, CA	44.48	118	123
125	Mobile, AL	44.22	78	160
126	Henderson, NV	44.20	132	102
127	Baltimore, MD	44.19	107	143
128	Cleveland, OH	44.02	121	132
129	Jersey City, NJ	43.98	167	43
130	Fort Smith, AR	43.91	94	155
131	El Paso, TX	43.81	141	95
132	Aurora, IL	43.66	109	146
133	Grand Prairie, TX	43.63	103	150
134	Warwick, RI	43.54	117	135
135	Fremont, CA	43.37	158	74
136	Oakland, CA	43.35	149	93
137	Bakersfield, CA	43.10	138	119
138	Fresno, CA	43.09	122	149
139	Port St. Lucie, FL	43.04	93	173
140	Salem, OR	42.95	148	104
141	Casper, WY	42.80	128	131
142	Columbus, GA	42.38	114	164
143	Fontana, CA	42.37	150	116
144	Juneau, AK	42.18	172	73
145	Los Angeles, CA	41.99	154	114
146	Las Cruces, NM	41.98	173	67
147	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	41.78	163	100
148	Corpus Christi, TX	41.73	145	134
149	Pearl City, HI	41.64	155	117
150	Memphis, TN	41.45	131	168
151	Toledo, OH	41.39	134	159
152	Newport News, VA	41.26	130	167
153	Fayetteville, NC	41.10	160	118
154	Oceanside, CA	40.91	142	154
155	Garland, TX	40.85	140	163
156	Anchorage, AK	40.73	178	72
157	Huntington Beach, CA	40.72	174	88
158	Jackson, MS	40.58	137	171
159	Santa Rosa, CA	40.41	135	172
160	Brownsville, TX	40.25	139	169
161	Santa Ana, CA	39.99	156	145
162	Stockton, CA	39.89	136	177
163	Montgomery, AL	39.57	153	158
164	Garden Grove, CA	39.22	179	99
165	Hialeah, FL	39.08	115	182
166	Cape Coral, FL	38.91	166	151
167	Chula Vista, CA	38.88	164	162
168	Anaheim, CA	38.84	168	140
169	Glendale, CA	38.84	169	136
170	Pembroke Pines, FL	38.80	159	170
171	Bridgeport, CT	38.50	147	180
172	Long Beach, CA	38.50	171	139
173	Yonkers, NY	38.43	165	166
174	Oxnard, CA	38.35	157	175
175	Moreno Valley, CA	37.81	162	176
176	Shreveport, LA	37.12	161	178
177	North Las Vegas, NV	36.99	175	165
178	Santa Clarita, CA	36.05	180	161
179	Detroit, MI	35.48	177	179
180	Newark, NJ	35.32	176	181
181	Gulfport, MS	34.18	182	156
182	New York, NY	33.29	181	174

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

Monthly Avg. Starting Salaries (Adjusted for Cost of Living)

Highest

Highest
T-1. Austin, TX
T-1. Houston, TX
T-1. Fort Worth, TX
T-1. Durham, NC
T-1. Tacoma, WA

Lowest

Lowest
178. Gulfport, MS
179. Anchorage, AK
T-180. Honolulu, HI
T-180. Pearl City, HI
T-180. Juneau, AK

Entry-Level Jobs (per 100,000 Working-Age Population)

Most

Most
1. Orlando, FL
2. Columbia, SC
3. St. Louis, MO
4. Salt Lake City, UT
5. Cincinnati, OH

Fewest

Fewest
178. Garden Grove, CA
179. Los Angeles, CA
180. Moreno Valley, CA
181. Santa Clarita, CA
182. New York, NY

Job Growth (Adjusted for Population Growth)

Fastest

Fastest
1. Miami, FL
2. Wilmington, DE
3. Providence, RI
4. Bridgeport, CT
5. Lewiston, ME

Slowest

Slowest
178. Shreveport, LA
179. Portland, ME
180. Montgomery, AL
181. South Burlington, VT
182. Gulfport, MS

Affordable Housing

Most

Most
1. Cedar Rapids, IA
2. Fort Wayne, IN
3. Des Moines, IA
4. Overland Park, KS
5. Columbia, MD

Least

Least
178. Boston, MA
179. Miami, FL
T-180. Los Angeles, CA
T-180. Glendale, CA
182. New York, NY

% of Population Aged 25 to 34

Highest

Highest
1. Seattle, WA
2. Boston, MA
3. Denver, CO
T-4. Washington, DC
T-4. Jersey City, NJ
T-4. Tempe, AZ

Lowest

Lowest
178. Hialeah, FL
179. Pembroke Pines, FL
180. Gilbert, AZ
181. Peoria, AZ
182. Cape Coral, FL

Ask The Experts

Choosing a career path can be just as challenging as finding a place in which to settle down. To help job seekers with such decisions, we turned to a panel of experts for their thoughts on the following key questions:

What can city policymakers and corporations do to attract and retain recent graduates?
Do you have any tips for turning an entry-level job into a long, successful career?
What is the biggest career mistake that young people make?
In choosing a city to start a career, what are the top 5 indicators?
What will the entry-level job market look like in 2023?

Ask the Experts

Sally Foster
M.A., NCC, CCC – Assistant Dean for Student Engagement, Director, Center for Personal Development, Lewis Honors College – University of Kentucky
Read More

Allan Tasman
Emeritus Professor and Chair (Chair 1991-2015) of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Louisville and Emeritus Schwab Endowed Chair in Social and Community Psychiatry
Read More

David Earnhardt
M.Ed. – Associate Director for Employer Relations, Career Center – University of North Carolina Asheville
Read More

Beth Settje
Associate Director, College to Career Transitions – University of Connecticut
Read More

Methodology

In order to determine the best cities in which to launch a career, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two key dimensions, “Professional Opportunities” and “Quality of Life.” Our sample considers only city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

We evaluated the two dimensions using 26 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for job-market entrants.

We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Professional Opportunities – Total Points: 70

Availability of Entry-Level Jobs: Double Weight (~9.66 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents aged 16 and older.
4+ Star Company Jobs per Total People in Labor Force: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of full time job opportunities at companies with 4+ stars on Glassdoor.com per the total number of people in the labor force.
Monthly Average Starting Salary: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
Annual Job Growth Rate: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for population growth.
Median-Income Growth Rate: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Share of Workers in Poverty: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Workforce Diversity: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Employer-Based Retirement Access & Participation: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Note: It’s important for employees to have access to an employer-based retirement plan.
Workers in the United States accumulate the vast majority of their retirement savings through employer-based plans, but large gaps in coverage exist. Pew’s analysis shows that more than 30 million workers report they do not have access to an employer-based retirement plan.
The analysis focuses on full-time, full-year, private sector wage and salary workers, ages 18 to 64.
Job Satisfaction: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Note: This metric is based on The Indeed Job Happiness Index 2016.
Career Counselors per 1,000 Workers: Half Weight (~2.41 Points)
Entrepreneur-Friendliness: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best Large Cities to Start a Business” ranking.
MSA GDP Growth Rate: Full Weight (~4.83 Points)

Quality of Life – Total Points: 30

Median Annual Income: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
Average Length of Work Week (in Hours): Half Weight (~1.36 Points)
Commuter-Friendly Jobs: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of jobs accessible by a 30-minute transit ride per total civilian employed population.
Average Commute Time (in Minutes): Half Weight (~1.36 Points)
Share of Population Aged 25 to 34: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Share of Millennial Newcomers: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Share of Adults Aged 25 & Older with at Least a Bachelor’s Degree: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Projected Population Growth (2046 vs. 2016): Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Fun-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Most Fun Cities in America” ranking.
Family-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Families” ranking.
Singles-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Singles” ranking.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Indeed.com, Glassdoor, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Council for Community & Economic Research, United States Conference of Mayors, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Center for Neighborhood Technology and WalletHub research.

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