2018’s Best & Worst Places to Start a Career
3:14 AMPosted by: John S Kiernan
Deciding where to lay the foundation for a long and prosperous career can be a daunting task, especially for recent graduates entering the job market for the first time. After all, there are numerous factors — job-market saturation, housing affordability and commuter-friendliness, for instance — to consider about each prospective area.
But the process needn’t be that difficult or intimidating. WalletHub’s data team compared the relative market strength and overall livability of the 150 largest U.S. cities to help recent college graduates find the best cradles for their burgeoning careers. We examined each city based on 23 key metrics that range from the availability of entry-level jobs to monthly average starting salary to workforce diversity. A complete breakdown of our findings, a detailed methodology and expert career advice can be found below.
Main FindingsEmbed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/3626/startcarreer-geochart1.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2KoZnvH>
Best Places to Start a Career
Overall Rank |
City |
Total Score |
‘Professional Opportunities’ Rank |
‘Quality of Life’ Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Salt Lake City, UT | 68.72 | 1 | 1 |
2 | Orlando, FL | 63.50 | 5 | 4 |
3 | Austin, TX | 62.21 | 6 | 6 |
4 | Grand Rapids, MI | 62.06 | 3 | 19 |
5 | Tempe, AZ | 60.58 | 19 | 3 |
6 | Atlanta, GA | 60.50 | 8 | 10 |
7 | Miami, FL | 59.94 | 2 | 84 |
8 | Denver, CO | 59.19 | 12 | 14 |
9 | Irving, TX | 58.78 | 4 | 64 |
10 | Madison, WI | 57.92 | 44 | 2 |
11 | Minneapolis, MN | 57.58 | 32 | 7 |
12 | Sioux Falls, SD | 57.05 | 28 | 13 |
13 | Boston, MA | 56.95 | 13 | 37 |
14 | San Francisco, CA | 56.80 | 11 | 44 |
15 | Durham, NC | 56.59 | 22 | 27 |
16 | Raleigh, NC | 56.46 | 35 | 11 |
17 | Knoxville, TN | 56.40 | 18 | 34 |
18 | Scottsdale, AZ | 56.38 | 48 | 5 |
19 | Tampa, FL | 56.27 | 20 | 35 |
20 | Colorado Springs, CO | 56.22 | 24 | 32 |
21 | Grand Prairie, TX | 55.85 | 7 | 96 |
22 | Seattle, WA | 55.73 | 43 | 12 |
23 | Pittsburgh, PA | 55.20 | 52 | 9 |
24 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 55.02 | 25 | 47 |
25 | Riverside, CA | 54.82 | 10 | 92 |
26 | Dallas, TX | 54.82 | 15 | 70 |
27 | San Antonio, TX | 54.63 | 21 | 59 |
28 | Charlotte, NC | 54.36 | 36 | 31 |
29 | Reno, NV | 54.22 | 30 | 43 |
30 | Fort Worth, TX | 54.20 | 9 | 109 |
31 | Plano, TX | 54.16 | 47 | 21 |
32 | Washington, DC | 53.81 | 38 | 36 |
33 | Amarillo, TX | 53.74 | 23 | 78 |
34 | Boise, ID | 53.72 | 71 | 8 |
35 | St. Louis, MO | 53.43 | 39 | 38 |
36 | Tallahassee, FL | 53.43 | 57 | 18 |
37 | Nashville, TN | 53.32 | 40 | 40 |
38 | Corpus Christi, TX | 53.32 | 14 | 103 |
39 | Lincoln, NE | 52.77 | 60 | 20 |
40 | Chandler, AZ | 52.74 | 69 | 17 |
41 | San Diego, CA | 52.62 | 45 | 48 |
42 | Houston, TX | 52.52 | 33 | 69 |
43 | Des Moines, IA | 52.47 | 59 | 26 |
44 | Tulsa, OK | 52.44 | 31 | 79 |
45 | Santa Rosa, CA | 52.37 | 34 | 71 |
46 | Omaha, NE | 52.35 | 64 | 22 |
47 | Springfield, MO | 52.33 | 42 | 55 |
48 | Portland, OR | 52.11 | 55 | 33 |
49 | Aurora, CO | 51.95 | 27 | 91 |
50 | El Paso, TX | 51.94 | 16 | 125 |
51 | Oakland, CA | 51.59 | 26 | 102 |
52 | Tacoma, WA | 51.57 | 46 | 65 |
53 | Arlington, TX | 51.38 | 37 | 83 |
54 | St. Petersburg, FL | 51.32 | 49 | 56 |
55 | Laredo, TX | 51.12 | 17 | 128 |
56 | Lubbock, TX | 51.02 | 51 | 62 |
57 | San Jose, CA | 50.63 | 41 | 97 |
58 | Oklahoma City, OK | 50.50 | 54 | 58 |
59 | Sacramento, CA | 50.49 | 56 | 57 |
60 | Overland Park, KS | 50.30 | 94 | 16 |
61 | St. Paul, MN | 50.27 | 98 | 15 |
62 | Kansas City, MO | 50.11 | 63 | 53 |
63 | Irvine, CA | 49.66 | 90 | 23 |
64 | Mesa, AZ | 49.60 | 67 | 63 |
65 | Louisville, KY | 49.06 | 79 | 46 |
66 | Anchorage, AK | 49.01 | 76 | 52 |
67 | Cincinnati, OH | 48.88 | 95 | 30 |
68 | Columbus, OH | 48.66 | 101 | 25 |
69 | Los Angeles, CA | 48.64 | 29 | 142 |
70 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 48.60 | 99 | 28 |
71 | Garland, TX | 48.20 | 58 | 107 |
72 | Worcester, MA | 48.12 | 77 | 72 |
73 | Ontario, CA | 47.89 | 53 | 119 |
74 | Richmond, VA | 47.86 | 108 | 24 |
75 | Fremont, CA | 47.83 | 72 | 88 |
76 | Anaheim, CA | 47.61 | 65 | 106 |
77 | Gilbert, AZ | 47.54 | 100 | 42 |
78 | Cape Coral, FL | 47.51 | 66 | 108 |
79 | Honolulu, HI | 47.17 | 85 | 73 |
80 | Spokane, WA | 47.11 | 102 | 45 |
80 | Chattanooga, TN | 47.11 | 74 | 94 |
82 | Las Vegas, NV | 47.06 | 93 | 60 |
83 | Peoria, AZ | 46.96 | 82 | 81 |
84 | Baton Rouge, LA | 46.93 | 89 | 67 |
85 | New Orleans, LA | 46.88 | 103 | 50 |
86 | Brownsville, TX | 46.87 | 50 | 134 |
87 | Glendale, AZ | 46.87 | 78 | 90 |
88 | Little Rock, AR | 46.79 | 80 | 87 |
89 | Fayetteville, NC | 46.77 | 73 | 105 |
90 | Jacksonville, FL | 46.56 | 68 | 121 |
91 | Huntington Beach, CA | 46.55 | 92 | 75 |
92 | Virginia Beach, VA | 46.54 | 122 | 29 |
93 | Vancouver, WA | 46.29 | 104 | 61 |
94 | Bakersfield, CA | 46.27 | 70 | 122 |
95 | Phoenix, AZ | 46.26 | 81 | 95 |
96 | Huntsville, AL | 45.99 | 117 | 41 |
97 | Fontana, CA | 45.94 | 62 | 132 |
98 | San Bernardino, CA | 45.92 | 87 | 93 |
99 | Rochester, NY | 45.78 | 110 | 54 |
100 | Birmingham, AL | 45.76 | 75 | 124 |
101 | Tucson, AZ | 45.70 | 106 | 68 |
102 | Jersey City, NJ | 45.49 | 116 | 49 |
103 | Buffalo, NY | 45.09 | 121 | 51 |
104 | Oceanside, CA | 45.00 | 83 | 118 |
105 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 44.96 | 86 | 116 |
106 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 44.93 | 113 | 66 |
107 | Greensboro, NC | 44.70 | 112 | 77 |
108 | Moreno Valley, CA | 44.68 | 61 | 146 |
109 | Fort Wayne, IN | 44.49 | 96 | 112 |
110 | Chula Vista, CA | 44.03 | 84 | 129 |
111 | Winston-Salem, NC | 43.94 | 107 | 104 |
112 | Garden Grove, CA | 43.69 | 115 | 89 |
113 | Providence, RI | 43.63 | 138 | 39 |
114 | Aurora, IL | 43.41 | 111 | 101 |
115 | Henderson, NV | 43.29 | 123 | 85 |
116 | Glendale, CA | 43.25 | 114 | 98 |
117 | Chicago, IL | 43.02 | 124 | 86 |
118 | Wichita, KS | 42.71 | 132 | 74 |
119 | Long Beach, CA | 42.69 | 97 | 133 |
120 | Indianapolis, IN | 42.67 | 129 | 80 |
121 | Norfolk, VA | 42.14 | 134 | 76 |
122 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 42.11 | 88 | 145 |
123 | Santa Ana, CA | 42.02 | 120 | 115 |
124 | Modesto, CA | 41.49 | 126 | 111 |
125 | Milwaukee, WI | 41.42 | 130 | 99 |
126 | Memphis, TN | 41.22 | 128 | 113 |
127 | Philadelphia, PA | 41.01 | 127 | 117 |
128 | Santa Clarita, CA | 40.95 | 109 | 140 |
129 | New York, NY | 40.46 | 105 | 147 |
130 | Mobile, AL | 40.33 | 119 | 137 |
131 | Oxnard, CA | 40.23 | 118 | 141 |
132 | Fresno, CA | 40.13 | 125 | 131 |
133 | Columbus, GA | 39.91 | 131 | 126 |
134 | Hialeah, FL | 39.68 | 91 | 150 |
135 | Stockton, CA | 39.51 | 135 | 123 |
136 | Albuquerque, NM | 39.41 | 148 | 82 |
137 | Baltimore, MD | 38.91 | 136 | 130 |
138 | North Las Vegas, NV | 38.76 | 139 | 127 |
139 | Newport News, VA | 38.40 | 147 | 100 |
140 | Akron, OH | 38.20 | 143 | 114 |
141 | Jackson, MS | 38.05 | 137 | 138 |
142 | Chesapeake, VA | 37.88 | 149 | 110 |
143 | Shreveport, LA | 37.06 | 141 | 136 |
144 | Detroit, MI | 37.05 | 133 | 149 |
145 | Yonkers, NY | 36.79 | 140 | 144 |
146 | Toledo, OH | 36.73 | 142 | 135 |
147 | Montgomery, AL | 36.24 | 145 | 139 |
148 | Augusta, GA | 36.03 | 144 | 143 |
149 | Cleveland, OH | 35.22 | 150 | 120 |
150 | Newark, NJ | 35.06 | 146 | 148 |
Choosing a career path can be just as challenging as finding a place in which to put down roots. To help job seekers with such decisions, we turned to a panel of experts for their thoughts on the following key questions:
- What tips do you have for job seekers who are applying for jobs in a different city?
- What can city policy makers 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 five indicators?
- Rochelle Parks-Yancy Full Professor of Management in the Jesse H. Jones School of Business at Texas Southern University
- Richard E. Boyatzis Distinguished University Professor of Organizational Behavior, Psychology & Cognitive Science and H.R. Horvitz Chair of Family Business at Case Western Reserve University
- Maureen Mulhern Director of the Office of Career Development at St. Thomas Aquinas College
- Kristy J. Sherrer Director of Career Services in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
- Kimberly Merriman Professor of Management in the Manning School of Business at the University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Jamie Stamey Associate Director of Employer Relations in the Center for Career Development at Davidson College
- Christine-Keller Director of Career Development at Fontbonne University
- Alan G. Vitters Assistant Professor at St. Joseph's College, New York
- Adrienne O'Rourke Assistant Director of Employer Relations at American University
- Natalia Guarin-Klein Director of the Magner Career Center at Brooklyn College
- Stay abreast of employment trends in your industry. If a specific certification is becoming popular in your field, get that certification. If more employers are moving towards contract work, prepare for how you would work within that dynamic.
- Take all company-offered training and development opportunities. Once you have the knowledge and/or certifications, they are yours, no matter where you work.
- Careers are made via talent and networking. Have many contacts in your department, outside of your department and outside of your firm.
- Keep a running record of accomplishments at work. These become part of your career record on which you can sell your talents to any employer or customer.
- The number of major industries in the city;
- The average salary of workers in the city;
- The average age of workers in the city.
- It may make sense to look at vacation policies (paid time off), and offer incentives to get more time off (e.g., additional time off after working a certain number of years at a company, additional days off if you reach your goals for the year, etc.).
- They may also want to consider a work-from-home option, if that's not already in place; offering at least 1-2 days for an employee to work from home each week. People are looking to save time and not having to commute can make both a financial and time-saving difference.
- I think it's also important to offer professional development courses so these employees can move towards their career goals. Seems like many of the millennials think they will be a CEO right out of college. Although that isn't often the case, perhaps providing a way for these employees to move towards their goals would be a great way to retain them.
- To give 200%;
- Be sure to be responsible and reliable;
- Do what is not expected, but is greatly appreciated;
- Make yourself indispensable;
- Be the first to volunteer;
- Be patient as it can take up to 6 months before you become comfortable in your new role;
- Be open to new opportunities, you never know where they can take you;
- Be kind to everyone.
- Safety;
- Quality of life;
- Cost of living;
- Weather;
- School systems.
- Evidence of energy and engagement;
- A path to growth and fulfillment;
- A city with a past, present and future;
- A city that is matched to your preferences for size, risk, cultural and spiritual appetite;
- A city for all seasons.
- Ensure your cover letters are honest and explain your situation.
- Reach out to contacts to discover local organizations in your new city and find out if they have list serves, and sign up for them before you move.
- Stay open to all possible job opportunities if you do not have a job upon arriving in your new city; it is a great way to meet people. Practice your elevator speech on everyone you meet. You never know whom someone knows. Engage in informationals with those individuals.
- Update your LinkedIn profile and use a headline to indicate what you are looking for (if you have given your notice at your last position).
- Be flexible.
- Be open.
- Try new things.
- Be willing to help.
- Choose a city where you have a network (even if it is only one or two people), especially if you are moving without a job. We tell our students 80% of jobs are found through networking, and it is most likely you will get a position through that network.
- Ensure the city has organizations you would be interested in being a part of. For example, I knew moving to DC would have a strong network of students from my alma mater, and that I could get involved with the alumni network upon moving. These organizations will not only be a great part of your social life, but can potentially expose you to other opportunities as well.
- Choose a city with colleges that have strong academics -- these cities will attract young people, as many will stay in the area after graduation, and if you decide to go to back to school or even take classes to help with professional development, you will have plenty of options.
In order to determine the best cities in which to launch a career, WalletHub’s data analysts compared the 150 most populated U.S. cities 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 23 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 calculated the total score for each city based on its weighted average across all metrics and used the resulting scores to construct our final ranking.
Professional Opportunities – Total Points: 70- Availability of Entry-Level Jobs: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)Note: This metric measures the number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents aged 16 and older.
- Monthly Average Starting Salary: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
- Annual Job Growth Rate: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for population growth.
- Median-Income Growth Rate: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)
- Economic Mobility: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)
- Workforce Diversity: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)
- Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)
- Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)
- Job Security: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as follows: (Total Workers in 2016 – Total Workers in 2015) / Total Workers in 2015
- Job Satisfaction: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)Note: This metric is based on The Indeed Job Happiness Index 2016.
- Entrepreneur-Friendliness: Full Weight (~6.36 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Best Large Cities to Start a Business ranking.
- 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)
- Strength of Social Ties: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)Note: This metric is based on responses to Sharecare’s RealAge® Test and was used in our analysis to highlight the places where relationships with family and friends are strongest and therefore likely to result in a positive effect on a person’s social life.
- Share of Adults Aged 25 & Older with at Least a Bachelor’s Degree: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Projected Population Growth (2044 vs. 2014): 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, Sharecare, Indeed.com, Equality of Opportunity Project, Council for Community & Economic Research, United States Conference of Mayors, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Center for Neighborhood Technology and WalletHub research.
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