With graduation season in full effect and many college graduates on the hunt for employment, personal finance network WalletHub conducted a study to see what states are the best and worst for young professionals to start their career.
While the job outlook for the 2015 graduating class looks promising, as hiring is expected to increase 9.6 percent, graduates may still face challenges when trying to decide on a location that will provide them with great career opportunities as well as affordable living. WalletHub analyzed 150 of the largest U.S. cities and examined everything from the region’s leisure establishments, housing affordability, average starting salaries, number of entry level jobs and potential job growth. Popular cities like New York and Los Angeles were placed towards the bottom of the list due to their high cost of living, making it difficult for young professionals to live there comfortably. Texas ranked as the top state, with many of its cities falling in the top 10 when looking at professional opportunities and quality of life.
[Related: Young Professionals Opting for Financial Stability Over Dream Career]
“Whether you’re conducting an international job search or need to remain in the same county, the place you choose to start a career has a significant impact on most parts of your life,” said Kathryn Jackson who is the director of the career development center at Loyola University in Chicago.
Take a look at the WalletHub chart below to see which were named the top 10 best places to start a career.