Here Are the Best, Worst US Cities to Start Your Career

With the pandemic starting to slowly ease and businesses reopening, recent college grads or those about to graduate may find a better job market than the one that existed at this time last year. How well they'll do in their career of choice could depend on where they're located. WalletHub looked at 182 of the most populated cities across America, using more than two dozen metrics in two main categories: professional opportunities, which includes everything from the availability of entry-level jobs to monthly average starting salary and job growth rate; and quality of life, which examines each city's average commute time, housing affordability, and how friendly it is to both singles and families, among other factors. Salt Lake City topped the list. Read on to see which other cities look good for career starters, and which ones may require a warier eye:

Best Cities

1. Salt Lake City
2. Orlando, Fla.
3. Atlanta
4. Austin, Texas
5. Columbia, SC
6. Charleston, SC
7. Seattle
8. Overland Park, Kan.
9. Durham, NC
10. Scottsdale, Ariz.

Worst Cities

173. Santa Clarita, Calif.
174. Philadelphia
175. North Las Vegas, Nev.
176. Columbus, Ga.
177. Pembroke Pines, Fla.
178. Detroit
179. Bridgeport, Conn.
180. New York
181. Hialeah, Fla.
182. Newark, NJ

Check out WalletHub's list to see where other cities rank. (Here are the cities that remote workers may soon flee.)