Upon graduation, former college students are whisked off into the competitive job market and are dependent on finding a job in a timely manner. In the best of situations, college graduates have received job offers prior to graduation. However at some point they had to search for jobs. Many college students or college graduates don’t even know where to start when it comes to the job hunt. I’m not branding myself as an expert. However, after doing a bit of research I was able to draft a list of some of the best cities for entry level jobs. I consider these cities to be the best due to their relatively low cost of living, low unemployment rate and low average commute time. In addition, these cities also have a decent entry level job average salary.
Seattle, Washington
Washington’s largest city, Seattle, has an average salary of $49,890 per year. The average commute time in Seattle is 25.7 minutes. The unemployment rate is at approximately 8.7 percent of its labor force and the average cost of living is slightly above average. That may be rough, but on the other hand Seattle has a bright future in software engineering and alternative energy development. It is home to several distinguished companies’ corporate headquarters including Microsoft, Nordstrom, and Starbucks.
Raleigh, North Carolina
North Carolina’s very own urban incubator of cutting edge technology, Raleigh, fosters significant job growth in the industries of manufacturing, tourism, technology, and academia. The average salary in Raleigh, North Carolina is $40,840 per year and the city’s cost of living is below average. With an unemployment rate of approximately 8.8 percent of its labor force, the average commute time in Raleigh is 20.9 minutes.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The state’s capital, Oklahoma City, has made significant strides in the mining, natural resources, hospitality, wholesale, and construction industries in the past couple of years. Oklahoma City’s cost of living is quite low and the average salary is $35,970. Furthermore, Oklahoma City boasts an average commute time of 18.7 minutes and an unemployment rate of approximately 5.6 percent of its labor force.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Home of the nation’s largest industrial banking center, Salt Lake City is very much oriented towards service-based businesses. Salt Lake City, Utah amasses a large chunk of revenue from seasonal outdoor recreation tourism and the information industry. The cost of living is below average and the unemployment rate is approximately 5.2% of the labor force in Salt Lake City. On top of this, the average commute time is only 23.4 minutes. The average salary in Salt Lake City is $39,590 per year.
San Antonio, Texas
The second largest city in the state of Texas, San Antonio, has an average salary of $34,610 per year. San Antonio, Texas has had much job growth in the health care, manufacturing, government, and education industries. The cost of living in San Antonio is below average and the average commute time is 22.5 minutes. The unemployment rate of San Antonio is approximately 6.0% of its labor force.
Austin, Texas
The 14th most populous city in the United States, Austin, has recently been birthing high-tech entrepreneurialism. Austin, Texas may depend on The University of Texas and the state government for many of its jobs but it still has a high job growth rate as well as an unemployment rate of approximately 6.3 percent of its labor force. The average commute time in Austin is 21.9 minutes and the cost of living is rather average. Austin, Texas has an average salary of $41,300.
Make sure you consult Spark Hire Jobs for help with your job search. I suggest sifting through the featured jobs and proceeding to search for jobs sorted by state at the bottom of the page.
SOURCES: College Monster
IMAGE: Courtesy of Trip Advisor
