Best & Worst Places to Start a Career in 2026 – WalletHub Study

For new graduates looking to start a career, they might want to consider someplace other than California — at least three particular cities. With graduation season upon us and many employers in the U.S. report difficulty finding qualified talent, WalletHub today released its report on 2026’s Best & Worst Places to Start a Career.

A trio of California cities did not fare well. See if you agree.

WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 25 key indicators of career-friendliness. The data set ranges from the availability of entry-level jobs to monthly average starting salary to housing affordability.

Worst Places to Start a Career

173. Anaheim, CA
174. Jackson, MS
175. Shreveport, LA
176. Pearl City, HI
177. Oxnard, CA
178. Chula Vista, CA
179. Port St. Lucie, FL
180. Detroit, MI
181. Bridgeport, CT
182. New York, NY

Best vs. Worst

  • Austin, Texas, has the highest monthly average starting salary (adjusted for cost of living), which is three times higher than in Juneau, Alaska, the city with the lowest.
  • Columbia, Maryland, has the highest median annual household income (adjusted for cost of living), which is 3.3 times higher than in Detroit, the city with the lowest.
  • Oxnard, California, has the highest workforce diversity, which is 2.3 times higher than in New Haven, Connecticut, the city with the lowest.
  • Sioux Falls and Rapid City, South Dakota, have the lowest unemployment rate, which is 5.2 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest.

“Transitioning out of school and into the workforce can be a difficult and stressful process, but certain cities make things a lot easier than others,” Chris Kupo, WalletHub analyst writes in the report. “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. 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.”
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“Atlanta is the best place to start a career, with strong job growth of 2.08% annually, ranking 10th in the nation,” Lupo adds, “Plus, the median annual household income in Atlanta is already pretty high, at over $90,400. In addition, Atlanta has a lot of job opportunities at companies that are rated at least 4 out of 5 stars on Glassdoor, along with plentiful entry-level jobs, and residents have a high rate of satisfaction with their jobs.”

To view the full report and your city’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-cities-to-start-a-career/3626

 

Image Sources

  • Starting career: Shutterstock