Salt Lake City ranks among the top 10 cities to start a career: WalletHub

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — According to a recent WalletHub study, Salt Lake City is one of the best cities in the United States for young adults to kickstart their careers.

The study compared professional opportunities and quality of life among the country’s most populated cities. Out of more than 180 cities in the study, the capital of the Beehive State was ranked eighth overall. Per WalletHub, the top 10 cities for starting a career are listed below:

1. Atlanta, Georgia
2. Orlando, Florida
3. Tampa, Florida
4. Austin, Texas
5. Miami, Florida
6. Charleston, South Carolina
7. Richmond, Virginia
8. Salt Lake City, Utah
9. Columbia, South Carolina
10. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“The best cities for starting a career not only have a lot of job opportunities but also provide substantial income growth potential and satisfying work conditions,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. “It’s also important to consider factors such as how fun a city is to live in or how good of a place it is for raising a family, to ensure life satisfaction outside of your career.”

How were the cities ranked?

“In order to determine the best cities in which to launch a career, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state…” the company explains.

The study examined each city’s “professional opportunities” and “quality of life,” evaluating those dimensions using 25 different metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, and the weighted average across all metrics determined a city’s overall score.

Salt Lake City was ranked 20th for “professional opportunities” and sixth for “quality of life.” West Valley City was also on the list, coming in at number 104 with a score of 108 in both professional opportunities and quality of life.

Within the “professional opportunities” dimension, some of the metrics examined included availability of entry-level jobs, monthly average starting salary, annual job growth rate, job satisfaction, and more.

As for the “quality of life” dimension, WalletHub examined the median annual income, projected population growth, housing affordability, and average commute time.

To see the full 182-city ranking, and to dive deeper into the study’s methodology, visit WalletHub’s website.