With more than a quarter (28.5 percent) of U.S. job applications in metro areas that would likely require people to move, American workers are showing they are willing to move for the right opportunity. But which cities should people consider this year? Today, Glassdoor, one of the world’s largest job and recruiting sites, announced results of its newest jobs report identifying the 25 Best Cities for Jobs in 2018.
This list is compiled by ranking U.S. metros with the highest Glassdoor City Score, determined by weighing three factors equally: how easy it is to get a job (hiring opportunity), how affordable it is to live there (cost of living) and how satisfied employees are working there (job satisfaction).1 As part of this report, we include each metro’s median pay for employees, median home value, job satisfaction rating, number of current job openings and a selection of local in-demand jobs.
Glassdoor’s 25 Best Cities for Jobs in 2018 are:
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.7
- Job Openings: 91,849
- Median Base Salary: $46,500
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.2
- Median Home Value: $141,300
- Hot Jobs: Financial Advisor, Registered Nurse, Warehouse Associate
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.3
- Job Openings: 75,061
- Median Base Salary: $48,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.5
- Median Home Value: $161,400
- Hot Jobs: Cloud Engineer, Business Analyst, Insurance Agent
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.3
- Job Openings: 55,344
- Median Base Salary: $45,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $152,800
- Hot Jobs: Mechanical Engineer, Marketing Manager, Truck Driver
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.2
- Job Openings: 61,320
- Median Base Salary: $45,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.3
- Median Home Value: $160,900
- Hot Jobs: Account Executive, Software Engineer, Sales Associate
5. Hartford, CT
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.2
- Job Openings: 40,978
- Median Base Salary: $55,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.3
- Median Home Value: $227,600
- Hot Jobs: Electrical Engineer, Teacher, Maintenance Technician
6. Boston, MA
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.2
- Job Openings: 211,602
- Median Base Salary: $62,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.5
- Median Home Value: $455,600
- Hot Jobs: Software Engineer, Project Manager, Administrative Assistant
7. Memphis, TN
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.2
- Job Openings: 26,022
- Median Base Salary: $43,900
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $133,100
- Hot Jobs: Product Manager, Account Executive, Restaurant Manager
8. Raleigh, NC
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.2
- Job Openings: 49,003
- Median Base Salary: $50,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $255,000
- Hot Jobs: Registered Nurse, Research Associate, Business Analyst
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.2
- Job Openings: 44,385
- Median Base Salary: $46,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.2
- Median Home Value: $141,100
- Hot Jobs: Java Engineer, Consultant, Store Manager
10. Detroit, MI
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.1
- Job Openings: 88,993
- Median Base Salary: $50,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.3
- Median Home Value: $154,900
- Hot Jobs: Manufacturing Engineer, Data Scientist, Auto Technician
11. Kansas City, MO
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.1
- Job Openings: 57,362
- Median Base Salary: $48,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $181,400
- Hot Jobs: Mobile Developer, Licensed Practical Nurse, Office Manager
12. Washington, DC
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.1
- Job Openings: 239,832
- Median Base Salary: $64,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.6
- Median Home Value: $399,500
- Hot Jobs: Risk Consultant, Security Analyst, Systems Administrator
13. Birmingham, AL
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.1
- Job Openings: 24,864
- Median Base Salary: $42,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $139,100
- Hot Jobs: Registered Nurse, Operations Manager, Truck Driver
14. Chicago, IL
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.1
- Job Openings: 271,947
- Median Base Salary: $54,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $220,400
- Hot Jobs: Software Engineer, Speech Language Pathologist, Cook
15. Columbus, OH
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.1
- Job Openings: 54,711
- Median Base Salary: $47,500
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.3
- Median Home Value: $182,200
- Hot Jobs: Database Administrator, Insurance Agent, Shift Manager
16. Louisville, KY
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.0
- Job Openings: 29,495
- Median Base Salary:$42,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $155,200
- Hot Jobs: Business Development Manager, Marketing Manager, Certified Nursing Assistant
17. Baltimore, MD
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.0
- Job Openings: 93,092
- Median Base Salary: $50,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $264,800
- Hot Jobs: Product Manager, Software Developer, Police Officer
18. Philadelphia, PA
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.0
- Job Openings: 173,717
- Median Base Salary: $50,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $228,100
- Hot Jobs: Physical Therapist, Public Relations Manager, Store Manager
19. Atlanta, GA
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.0
- Job Openings: 145,356
- Median Base Salary: $50,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $204,600
- Hot Jobs: Business Analyst, Big Data Engineer, Restaurant Manager
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 4.0
- Job Openings: 27,186
- Median Base Salary: $38,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.5
- Median Home Value: $142,400
- Hot Jobs: Test Engineer, Medical Assistant, Sales Consultant
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 3.9
- Job Openings: 102,664
- Median Base Salary: $53,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $261,300
- Hot Jobs: Manufacturing Engineer, Licensed Practical Nurse, Cashier
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 3.9
- Job Openings: 193,262
- Median Base Salary: $80,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.6
- Median Home Value: $953,600
- Hot Jobs: Software Engineer, Marketing Manager, Account Executive
23. Seattle, WA
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 3.9
- Job Openings: 137,990
- Median Base Salary: $64,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.5
- Median Home Value: $492,700
- Hot Jobs: Software Development Engineer, Product Manager, Barista
24. Richmond, VA
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 3.9
- Job Openings: 34,802
- Median Base Salary: $47,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $223,200
- Hot Jobs: Financial Analyst, Clinical Nurse, Management Consultant
25. Charlotte, NC
- Glassdoor City Score (out of 5): 3.9
- Job Openings: 55,030
- Median Base Salary: $48,000
- Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
- Median Home Value: $195,800
- Hot Jobs: Data Scientist, Business Analyst, Project Manager
This year, we see four newcomers among the Best Cities for Jobs: Boston (No. 6), Philadelphia (No. 18), Richmond (No. 24) and San Francisco (No. 22). Ohio is the state with the most cities represented among the top 25 (Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus), while three other states, Missouri, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, are each represented with two cities on this year’s list. However, several of the country’s hot technology and finance hubs, including New York City, Los Angeles and San Jose, did not crack the top 25, primarily due to the high cost of living. Among the top 25, Chicago(No. 14) is the city with the most job openings with 271,947 open jobs. San Francisco (No. 22) and Washington, DC (No. 12) tie for the strongest job satisfaction rating (3.6).
“In today’s labor market, highly skilled job seekers are in an incredible position to find top jobs no matter where they live. But, the popularity of many major metropolitan hubs might be overshadowing the potential benefits of several midsize cities like Pittsburgh and Indianapolis,” said Glassdoor Economic Research Analyst Amanda Stansell. “While several of the cities highlighted in this report might fly under the radar, many are experiencing booming local economies, complete with a healthy dose of new job prospects and strong home affordability. Plus, employees working in these cities often find themselves quite satisfied in their jobs. In turn, this can benefit local employers as studies show a correlation between high employee satisfaction and better business performance.”
