As southern Arizona braces for the annual exodus of new and enthusiatic graduates, WalletHub confirmed what Pima County residents have recognized for years. While the University of Arizona annually puts thousands of new prospective professionals in the marketplace, there are few opportunities in the unfriendly business environment created by the City of Tucson and Pima County.
While no Arizona cities made the top ten, seven made the top 100. Sadly, Tucson is even last in the Quality of life ranking of Arizona cities.
| Overall Rank | City | Total Score | ‘Professional Opportunities’ Rank | ‘Quality of Life’ Rank |
| 15 | Scottsdale, AZ | 58.43 | 46 | 1 |
| 48 | Tempe, AZ | 53.06 | 54 | 18 |
| 49 | Chandler, AZ | 52.83 | 83 | 2 |
| 61 | Gilbert, AZ | 49.15 | 113 | 4 |
| 79 | Phoenix, AZ | 46.07 | 92 | 51 |
| 86 | Mesa, AZ | 45.2 | 107 | 41 |
| 90 | Peoria, AZ | 44.74 | 121 | 25 |
| 114 | Tucson, AZ | 41.01 | 127 | 83 |
| 140 | Glendale, AZ | 35.86 | 149 | 79 |
With graduation ceremonies commencing and employers planning to hire 11 percent more college grads in 2016 than in 2015, the personal-finance website WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2016’s Best & Worst Cities to Start a Career.
To help newly grads launch their careers in the right place, WalletHub’s analysts compared the relative strength of the 150 largest markets in the U.S. They did so using 17 key metrics such as number of entry-level jobs, median starting salary and housing affordability.
| Best Cities to Start a Career | Worst Cities to Start a Career | ||||
| 1 | Salt Lake City, UT | 141 | Mobile, AL | ||
| 2 | Denver, CO | 142 | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| 3 | Austin, TX | 143 | Glendale, CA | ||
| 4 | Sioux Falls, SD | 144 | Modesto, CA | ||
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | 145 | North Las Vegas, NV | ||
| 6 | Raleigh, NC | 146 | Hialeah, FL | ||
| 7 | Oklahoma City, OK | 147 | Akron, OH | ||
| 8 | Amarillo, TX | 148 | Moreno Valley, CA | ||
| 9 | Houston, TX | 149 | Fresno, CA | ||
| 10 | Corpus Christi, TX | 150 | Detroit, MI | ||
Comparing the Best & Worst:
- Houston has the highest monthly median starting salary (adjusted for cost of living), $3,705, which is nearly three times higher than in Honolulu, the city with the lowest, $1,332.
- Gilbert, Ariz., has the highest median annual household income (adjusted for cost of living), $84,969, which is more than three times higher than in Cleveland the city with the lowest, $25,869.
- Oxnard, Calif., has the highest workforce diversity, which is slightly more than two times higher than in Durham, N.C., the city with the lowest.
- Austin, Texas, has the lowest unemployment rate, 2.8 percent, which is four times lower than in Fresno, Calif., the city with the highest, 11.4 percent.
- Jersey City, N.J., has the highest percentage of the population aged 25 to 34, 22.5 percent, which is slightly more than two times higher than in Cape Coral, Fla., the city with the lowest, 10.3 percent.
- Irvine, Calif., has the highest percentage of the population with at least a bachelor’s degree, 65.6 percent, which is nearly six times higher than in San Bernardino, Calif., the city with the lowest, 11.7 percent.
- Orlando, Fla., has the highest number of entry-level job openings per 100,000 working-age residents, 311.31, which is 39 times higher than in North Las Vegas, Nev., the city with the lowest, 7.99.
For the full report and to see where your city ranks or other opportunities may exhist please visit WalletHub.