Graduation season is upon us, and for most graduates that means one of two things come to mind: more school or a new job.
For those living in Charlotte who are in the "find a job" camp, you're in a place that ranks in the top half in the nation to embark on your professional journey.
The Queen City ranked No. 34 on WalletHub’s list of Best Cities to Start a Career. The study compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 29 key indicators of career-friendliness, including projected population growth, housing affordability, annual job growth rate and workforce diversity.
Both Raleigh and Durham ranked ahead of Charlotte on the list, at No. 8 and No. 17, respectively.
Charlotte wound up with a total score of 56.05. It landed at No. 26 for quality of life and at No. 42 for professional opportunities.
Here’s how the Queen City ranked in a few of the metrics included in the overall ranking:
- 39th — Projected Population Growth (2046 vs. 2016)
- 28th — Monthly Average Starting Salary (adjusted for cost of living)
- 51st — Entry-Level Jobs per 100,000 Working-Age Population
- 56th — Annual Job Growth Rate (adjusted for population growth)
- 29th — Percentage of Adults Aged 25 & Older with at Least a Bachelor’s Degree
- 27th — Median Annual Income
- 174th — Economic Mobility
The other North Carolina cities on the list were Greensboro — No. 88; Winston-Salem — No. 140; and Fayetteville — No. 168.
WalletHub found that Salt Lake City was the best place to start a career, followed by Pittsburgh and Atlanta.