10 Best Cities to Move to After College (FAQs) | 2023

Cities to Move to After College: After the graduation ceremony and you have received your diploma, the moment to make your first significant decision arises: where will you live after graduating?

The chance of getting a job, the amount of money that may be earned, and the cost of living are the top criteria you must consider to determine your next steps.

To get you started, here is a list of the top cities to relocate to once you graduate from college.

Why Move After College?

When you graduate from college, you gain great independence, vastly improving your quality of life. You will not be limited by grade point average or chosen concentration.

After graduating from college, you’ll have more freedom to shape your future any way you like.

Moving might have a significant effect on your bottom line. Leaving your current area could drastically reduce your living expenses or boost your earning prospects.

Relocating also allows you to save money in other ways. Consider finding an apartment closer to your future place of employment so you can cut down on your travel time.

Sharing an apartment or reducing the size of your current living quarters is another great way to cut costs on rent.

Comparing moving truck companies before settling on one is one technique to save moving costs.

Best Cities to Move to After College

1. Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, is on the Ohio River opposite Covington and Newport, Kentucky, 15 miles east of the Indiana border and 80 miles southwest of Dayton.

For the fourth year, Cincinnati has taken the top spot on the list of best cities for recent college graduates.

When looking at specific criteria, Cincinnati has the fourth-highest average score on bars and the tenth-highest average score on Yelp for restaurants. 

In addition, Cincinnati has the sixth-lowest average rent at $635 and the seventh-lowest cost of living at $22,721.

The cost of living is comprised of typical expenses such as medical care, housing, food, transportation, and other necessities.

2. Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, is near the Mississippi’s junction with the Minnesota River, where navigation begins.

The city has the most college graduates and is in the top third of all of the criteria considered.

The Twin Cities are ideal for ambitious business executives wishing to enter the workforce with a cheaper cost of living because of their affordable rent, average income, and low unemployment rate.

In addition, Minneapolis was given an “A” for the number of eateries per capita. The fact that this city excels in every category helps it earn the position of valedictorian in our rankings. 

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, is one of the best cities to move to after college.

3. Arlington

Arlington is in Tarrant County, Texas. It’s a major city in the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington MSA’s Mid-Cities region.

21.4% of the population is between the ages of 20 and 29, and the average annual earnings for those aged 25 and older who hold a bachelor’s degree are expected to be $72,400. 

Jobs in administration, business, scientific research, and artistic endeavors are plentiful in this metropolis.

In addition, Arlington is a great place to live since it offers a wide variety of activities to do in your spare time, which, let’s face it, is a highly vital consideration when you’re in the process of establishing your new life.

4. Austin

Austin is the U.S. state of Texas capital and the largest city in Travis County.

The age of 33.4 is considered to be the city’s average age. A bachelor’s degree is held by around 31% of the total population.

People with a bachelor’s degree or higher have a 2.3% lower chance of unemployment. Moreover, less than half of the people who live in Austin work in business, science, the arts, or management. 

The typical wage for workers with one to four years of experience is $52,935, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Austin is one of the best cities to move to after college.

5. Seattle

Seattle is the largest metropolis in the Pacific Northwest and one of the wealthiest cities in the U.S.

The city’s “A” grade came from the fact that many 25-year-olds in Seattle have bachelor’s degrees and that unemployment is low.

Because of companies like Amazon and Starbucks, Seattle is a great place to find work.

6. Madison

Madison is in south-central Wisconsin’s Four Lakes region, 127 kilometers west of Milwaukee. The city is built on the isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona. 

The city with a population of 258,000, has the greatest percentage of 20-29-year-olds (26.50%) and the lowest bachelor’s degree jobless rate (1.4%).

At 2.3%, Madison also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country as a whole.

Madison is one of the best cities to move to after college.

7. Columbus

Columbus is the state capital of Ohio and the largest city in the United States.

Because it is the location of Ohio State University, Columbus is the city with one of the highest settlements of recent graduates.

19.63% of the population in Columbus is comprised of people in their 20s, which places the city’s percentage at the 17th-highest in all of our research.

Additionally, the city’s unemployment rate for people with bachelor’s degrees is the seventh lowest in the nation at 2%.

8. Denver

Denver is the capital of the U.S. state of Colorado. It is on the western edge of the Great Plains and just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

Denver is a great place to start a career because it has a low unemployment rate (4.3%), high average earnings for people under the age of 25, and a lot of job opportunities.

Because of these things, Denver is a very desirable place to live. High scores for the number of restaurants per person in Denver show that the city has a lively social scene, especially if you like breweries.

Denver is one of the best cities to move to after college.

9. Nashville

Nashville is the state capital of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County in the United States.

Moving to Nashville could be a great choice if you have plans for your future to pick up a banjo, guitar, or another musical instrument after graduation.

There are many educational, artistic, and fun things to do in Nashville for students of all ages. The unemployment rate is lower than the national average, and the music scene is well-known worldwide.

10. Chicago

Chicago is Illinois’ most populous city and the third most populous in the country. The Chicago metropolitan region is one of the world’s largest and best places to reside in Illinois.

A little over 18% are between the ages of 20 and 29, while 80% are older than 30. The average age of the city is 34.6.

People with at least a bachelor’s degree have a 3.2% lower likelihood of becoming unemployed. 

The fields of administration, business, the sciences, the arts, sales, office work, and service make up a significant portion of the workforce in Chicago.

The annual average wage for workers with one to four years of experience is $54,800.

Frequently Asked Questions on Best Cities to Move to After College

Is it bad to move back home after college?

It’s fairly normal, and if you don’t have a great job offer waiting for you when you graduate, it can be beneficial to take a year off. Your living arrangement is irrelevant to your achievement as long as you use this time to pursue your goals each day actively.

What are the chances of getting a job after college?

A common misconception is that obtaining a university or college education automatically results in employment. Around half of all college, grads are either unemployed or working in jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. On average, fresh college grads have to look for work for three to six months.

Do most kids move out after college?

According to a 2019 survey, 31% of millennials said they intended to stay for at least two years, while 50% said they expected to relocate back home with their parents after college.

What is America’s most educated city?

According to the latest rankings by WalletHub, Ann Arbor has the highest level of education of any city in the United States. The college town has maintained its number one position for many years, likely due to various factors, including the high quality of its public schools, the high number of college graduates per capita, and so on.

Conclusion

Even if location isn’t always a factor in determining one’s fate, it can significantly impact how soon one can repay student debts.

In general, how much people make and how much it costs to live determines which places are best for paying off student loans.

Awesome one; I hope this article answers your question.

Editor’s Recommendations:

If you find this article good, please share it with a friend.

ST Admin
ST Admin

Hello, I am ST Admin! For five years, I began actively assisting students in Europe, the United States, and Canada in their pursuit of college advice and scholarship prospects. I am the Administrator of www.schoolandtravel.com at present.

Articles: 922