With employers currently planning to hire almost 15% more college graduates in 2023 than they did in 2022, now looks to be a good time for those entering the job market for the first time.

But if you’re a recent graduate not committed to a particular city, how do you decide where you are going to base yourself at the beginning of your career to give yourself the best possible start? 

Many factors come into play when choosing the location for that all-important first job, with the employment market, availability of affordable housing, and commuter-friendliness being three of the most obvious.

These are all key to making that first step on the career ladder, one that will help you lay solid foundations for your future happiness and prosperity.

You’ll also want to consider climate, proximity to friends and family, ease of access to airports and other transport links, and whether your preferred leisure activities are readily available. 

With so many considerations to take into account, it can be hard to make comparisons between different locations when you are trying to evaluate their relative pros and cons.

Best U.S. cities for new grads

In order to help with the decision-making process, personal finance website WalletHub compared the relative market strength and overall livability of more than 180 U.S. cities. 

The research team used 26 different metrics ranging from the availability of entry-level jobs to average monthly starting salary to housing affordability to produce a league table of the best–– and worst––U.S. cities in which to launch your career. 

In first position is Atlanta, GA. The city is home to big brands including Coca-Cola, Delta and CNN and known for its thriving hip-hop scene. It is ranked second when it comes to professional opportunities, and seventh on quality of life.  

After Atlanta, the research recommends Orlando, FL, Salt Lake City, UT, Columbia, SC, and Tampa, FL, as the next best cities for starting your career. 

Nature lovers and ski enthusiasts may find themselves drawn to Salt Lake City, where Security National Life Insurance Co. is looking for a dynamic Commercial Real Estate Underwriter to join the Security National Commercial Capital team. 

Three years’ experience is required, so would suit someone still in the early stages of their career. A degree in economics, finance, real estate or a related field is needed. 

In this position, the underwriter will focus on providing detailed analysis of bridge loan requests and will be responsible for engaging with borrowers to ensure receipt of all required documents and give a positive customer experience.

The company is proud of its great company culture and consistently ranks as a great place to work. 

Tampa, located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and known for its beautiful white sand beaches. This Part Time Associate Banker position at JPMorgan Chase Bank in Tampa Bay could be a good bet for a graduate who is looking to ease into working life.

Offering 30 hours a week, you’ll help clients with everyday transactions such as deposits, withdrawals, payments, reordering a debit card, setting up a direct deposit or helping to update their address, accurately and efficiently, while complying with all policies, procedures and regulatory and banking requirements.

A thrill seeking lover of theme parks might decide on Orlando as the ideal place to start a career, so they could get to enjoy the rides and fun atmosphere when not working. Imagine being able to visit the Jurassic World VelociCoaster whenever you feel like it?

Live Nation is looking for Client Support Specialists based in Orlando to join its Field Operations team. The work involves building and maintaining relationships with clients to ensure their business objectives are met, and they are able to utilize the various Ticketmaster products and platforms. 

Interestingly, while Miami comes out top for career opportunities, it’s ranked 101st for quality of life, which brings the city to seventh position overall. Washington DC, meanwhile, comes 23rd.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, New York comes bottom of the list in 182nd position, earning itself the dubious honor of being the worst city in the U.S. in which to start your career, thanks to poor entry-level job opportunities and the lack of availability of affordable housing.  

It seems that for recent college graduates and those at the start of their career journey, the Big Apple has lost its crunch. 

To browse active openings by top recruiters in your chosen field, visit The Hill Jobs Board today