If you graduated college this spring and are still hunting for a job, then perhaps a relocation to Columbus is in store for you. Online degree search platform OnlineDegrees.com recently completed a new ranking of top U.S. cities for young college-educated workers, and Columbus scored very well according to their metrics.
“For many, deciding where to live after college is a nerve-wracking decision,” said OnlineDegrees.com writer and editor Jake Ravani. “Career-oriented grads tend to follow the jobs, moving wherever offers the best opportunities in their degree field. Others are more interested in the fun factor, choosing to live in areas brimming with other young adults and a vibrant nightlife scene. However, the vast majority of grads lucky enough to pick where they relocate base the decision largely on affordability.”
The metrics for the study are based on a 10-point scale that utilizes hard data like median monthly rental costs, the cost of living index scores and metro area unemployment rates. Columbus scored well with a median rent of $657 in 2014 (which has actually gone up considerably since then) and with median earnings for bachelor’s degree holders at $51,794 in 2014.
“Columbus is a fantastic option for grads looking to settle in the Midwest,” writes Ravani. “However, the city loses points for Ohio’s less than stellar overall employment figures — the state offers the lowest projected job growth out of any featured on our list.”
The metric for job growth is the only one out of ten measurements that looks at state performance rather than metro area performance, which seems like an odd choice for a city ranking study — particularly for large and diverse states. While the State of Ohio’s economy has struggled as a whole in recent years, Columbus was ranked #1 in 2015 for wage growth and the region added 100,000 jobs between 2010 and 2015, signaling a healthier local economy than what is reflected in state-wide numbers.
The three cities to top Columbus in the list are Austin, San Francisco and Houston. The only other midwestern city to make the list is Cincinnati in 14th place.
To read more and view the full list, visit www.onlinedegrees.com.