It’s graduation season meaning thousands of recent college grads are embarking on their journey into “the real world,” full of interviews, relocation, first jobs, and the transition into true adulthood. Exams have been scored, dorm rooms are cleared out, and the empty red Solo cups are left to dry out on frat house floors. Career time is here and college graduates are revved up and rearing to start their work lives with the same excitement and spirit they had as college freshmen.

Orlando

Unlike colleges and universities, when it comes to where to start a career, the evidence isn’t as cut and dry as a glossy brochure and a guided tour. That’s why WalletHub, the personal finance website has released a report on 2017’s best and worst places to start a career in the U.S.

WalletHub analyzed the 150 largest markets in the country and used 23 metrics to indicate which areas were the most career-friendly and which places flunked. These findings will be helpful for recent grads considering their current residence as a place to seek work or if relocation is a smarter move for their journey into the workforce.

Austin

Factors including highest monthly average starting salary, availability of entry-level jobs, job growth progression, affordable housing, workplace diversity, and more were weighed and measured, creating a formula for WalletHub to assess the best and worst areas of the country for newbies, maybe you, seeking a successful start to a brand new career.

The best places may surprise you, but for those living in or near these top cities, the news is surely welcome.

The top 5, according to WalletHub are Salt Lake City, UT; Orlando, FL; Austin, TX; Grand Rapids, MI; and Tempe, AZ. And for the bottom 5, Newark, NJ; Cleveland, OH; Augusta, GA; Montgomery, AL; and Toledo, OH, let’s hope for the sake of the local economy and those who reside there that things turn around soon.

Grand Rapids

While Durham, NC didn’t make the cut for the top 10 due to the overall findings, this city boasts the highest monthly average starting salary – $3,909 – based on the cost of living. And diversity in the workforce made Oxnard, CA a standout.

For the full list of rankings and more specific findings from the WalletHub study, see the entire report.

There’s more than location that makes for a foot in the door, but knowing these facts can help young adults make wise career choices. But it takes personal responsibility and professionalism in order to make your way into the workforce no matter where your path takes you. Make a lasting and positive impression at your first interviews with these 4 tips for a better shot for hiring managers and business owners asking you back for a second meeting and the opportunity for work.

Graduation may be the end of an era, but as you embark on a career, new beginnings are right around the corner… just be sure it’s in a city that welcomes you with open arms and plentiful opportunity.

string(4109) "
It's graduation season meaning thousands of recent college grads are embarking on their journey into "the real world," full of interviews, relocation, first jobs, and the transition into true adulthood. Exams have been scored, dorm rooms are cleared out, and the empty red Solo cups are left to dry out on frat house floors. Career time is here and college graduates are revved up and rearing to start their work lives with the same excitement and spirit they had as college freshmen.
Orlando
Unlike colleges and universities, when it comes to where to start a career, the evidence isn't as cut and dry as a glossy brochure and a guided tour. That's why WalletHub, the personal finance website has released a report on 2017's best and worst places to start a career in the U.S. 
WalletHub analyzed the 150 largest markets in the country and used 23 metrics to indicate which areas were the most career-friendly and which places flunked. These findings will be helpful for recent grads considering their current residence as a place to seek work or if relocation is a smarter move for their journey into the workforce.
Austin
Factors including highest monthly average starting salary, availability of entry-level jobs, job growth progression, affordable housing, workplace diversity, and more were weighed and measured, creating a formula for WalletHub to assess the best and worst areas of the country for newbies, maybe you, seeking a successful start to a brand new career.
The best places may surprise you, but for those living in or near these top cities, the news is surely welcome.
The top 5, according to WalletHub are Salt Lake City, UT; Orlando, FL; Austin, TX; Grand Rapids, MI; and Tempe, AZ. And for the bottom 5, Newark, NJ; Cleveland, OH; Augusta, GA; Montgomery, AL; and Toledo, OH, let's hope for the sake of the local economy and those who reside there that things turn around soon.
Grand Rapids
While Durham, NC didn't make the cut for the top 10 due to the overall findings, this city boasts the highest monthly average starting salary - $3,909 - based on the cost of living. And diversity in the workforce made Oxnard, CA a standout.
For the full list of rankings and more specific findings from the WalletHub study, see the entire report. 
There's more than location that makes for a foot in the door, but knowing these facts can help young adults make wise career choices. But it takes personal responsibility and professionalism in order to make your way into the workforce no matter where your path takes you. Make a lasting and positive impression at your first interviews with these 4 tips for a better shot for hiring managers and business owners asking you back for a second meeting and the opportunity for work.
Graduation may be the end of an era, but as you embark on a career, new beginnings are right around the corner… just be sure it's in a city that welcomes you with open arms and plentiful opportunity.
"

In this month’s Money Journal, Celia is organized and disciplined yet enjoys her life “to the Max” Welcome to Money Journal, a monthly Paypath series that examines how Americans really handle their finances. Our participants keep a journal of their earnings, spending, and savings (if any), then share what it’s like to live in their

Trying to cancel your gym membership can be more tiring than actually attending that kickboxing class you keep skipping. Getting out of your gym contract can be so tough that people are going to great lengths to avoid paying any penalties. After going into debt living a lifestyle she couldn’t afford, this woman forged fake

By Massimo Tornambe Scott Disick, aka “Lord Disick” has gained fame and a devoted following since his appearances on the reality show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Disick is renowned for his expensive taste in clothes, cars, and women. The question that millions of fans are asking is: where did his fortune come from? Scott

Who could live without online shopping? It’s a standard routine in so many households. Whether you’re stocking up on groceries, snagging the latest and greatest tech sensation, shopping for holiday gifts, or treating yourself to a new outfit, the convenience of buying this stuff while in your pajamas is hard to beat — at least

Everyone says the economy’s healthier than ever, but some of us still find it necessary to make that paycheck stretch…and stretch…and stretch. The better we understand our spending habits, the better we can manage them. Living frugally can benefit you in many ways. You’ll grow more self-reliant, creative, and resourceful as you learn to make

You’ve heard it a thousand times before. The holidays are about two things: giving and family…more specifically, giving to your family. And no one wants to be the Grinch. So we lavish gifts and good tidings on our families and friends. And it feels incredible when it comes to gift-giving — I’m insatiable. Spending on

Most parents welcome visits from their grown-up children. But what happens when the kids head back home when life gets rough and then never leave? This scenario is playing out more and more frequently as 20-something adults try to cope with – or hide from – skyrocketing costs in an increasingly expensive world. Lou Carloza

Imagine this: you marry the man of your dreams. You have two beautiful children with another on the way. You spend your days cooking gorgeous, nutritious meals for your family…. from scratch. You get paid to share your daily life and meals with people around the world. But here’s the catch: half of those people

If your business offers corporate credit cards or expense accounts to employees, there’s a good chance there is unethical spending going on. 33% of corporate credit card holders admit to blatantly defrauding the companies they work for, and twice that amount confess to making “risky purchases.” But a thread on AskReddit reveals some of the

You Lose $20K Each Year Just For Being a Mom You may not know this, but there was a time when smoking was considered “liberated” behavior for women. There was a cigarette company Virginia Slims that was created specifically to attract female smokers during the bad old 1970s. The slogan was “You’ve come a long