Best Cities In U.S. For Starting Career: Atlanta Tops List, NYC Ranks Last!

WASHINGTON — Fresh-faced college graduates regularly flood the gates of corporate America during springtime each year. While it can be a bit of a rat race to get your foot in the door of your desired career field, those who don caps and gowns this year are in luck, as employers plan to hire 14.7 percent more graduates from the class of 2023 than they did in 2022.

However, a state’s job market can make or break your entry-level experience. Fortunately, researchers from WalletHub compared career-friendliness in over 180 U.S. cities based on 26 key indicators like base salary, diversity, and housing in each state.

At the top of the list when it comes to desirable places to work are Atlanta, Georgia; Orlando, Florida; and Salt Lake City, Utah. Meanwhile, there’s a shocking entry at the bottom of the list. While the old song may say, “if I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere,” it turns out New York City is not the place college grads should start their careers in. The bottom three of the list include New York City; Newark, New Jersey; and Gulfport, Mississippi.

This may be bad news for those who have dreamed of sprinting to the Big Apple post-grad. New York City turns out to have the least number of entry-level jobs, compared to places like Orlando, Florida and Columbia, South Carolina — which are full of them. New York also has the least favorable ranking in affordable housing.

worker in suit walking in Times Square — Photo by Saulo Mohana from Unsplash

Follow the money

Plus, a big factor for getting a college degree, in general, is the lure of a big, fancy salary once you grab your diploma. For those chasing the big bucks, head to Austin, Texas which boasts the highest average monthly starting salary at $4,958. That is 2.9 times higher than the lowest in Juneau, Alaska at $1,685.

For those looking for long-term progression in a field, Miami is the number one place for you with the fastest job growth. On the flip side, Gulfport, Mississippi placed as the slowest for moving up the corporate ladder.

Researchers also looked at household income in each state. This revealed that Columbia, Maryland had the highest median annual household income at $104,886 (after adjustments for cost of living). Detroit ended up holding the lowest at $33,329.

As for unemployment rate, Detroit takes another hit with the highest at 8.6 percent. On the other hand, residents of South Burlington, Vermont are experiencing more of a thriving job market with their unemployment rate at 1.5 percent, almost six times higher than Detroit’s.

In workforce diversity, Oxnard, California comes out on top while New Haven, Connecticut is lacking the most in that area. These factors are important for graduates to consider when moving into their new professional lives to ensure success in the unknown world of jumping into a career.

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.