Seattle ranks low as destination for new college grads

Melissa Santos

Illustration of a pile of graduation caps — Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The Seattle area isn't among the metros offering the best job opportunities for recent college graduates, according to a new study.

By the numbers: Seattle came in 38th out of the 53 metros analyzed.

Birmingham, Alabama, and Tampa Bay, Florida, top the list, based on payroll processor ADP's ranking of 20-something hiring rates, wages and affordability.

What they're saying: In Seattle, "high wages don't translate to affordability or robust hiring," ADP's Sam Adieze wrote in the report.

Researchers analyzed 53 U.S. metro areas with populations of at least 1 million.

The top 10 metros are:

San Jose, California
Columbus, Ohio
Raleigh, North Carolina
Tulsa, Oklahoma
San Francisco
Nashville, Tennessee
Charlotte, North Carolina
New York

At the bottom of the rankings are:

Salt Lake City
Riverside, California
San Diego
Portland, Oregon

Between the lines: "Even graduates who do land jobs in these metros face a tough financial tradeoff in the form of high cost of living," Adieze wrote about the bottom four.

The bottom line: Entry-level hiring is rebounding this spring — but in a tough job market, young professionals' prospects may depend on the role, sector and location, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Business Brief

Seattle ranks low as destination for new college grads

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