25 Best US Cities for Jobs in 2018

October 17, 2018 by Paul Ausick

There are more jobs available in the United States today than there are people to fill them. The catch is that some locations are better than others, either for jobs of all kinds or jobs in a specific field.

According to analysts at Glassdoor, one of the world’s largest job and recruiting websites, more than a quarter of the jobs available in U.S. metro areas likely would require people to move. The good news is that for the right job (or in some cases any job) Americans are quite willing to move.

What cities claim particularly hot job markets this year? How much do they pay? How much does it cost to live there? These are some of the questions Glassdoor answers with its 2018 list of the 25 best U.S. cities for jobs. Amanda Stansell, Glassdoor economic research analyst said:

In today’s labor market, highly skilled job seekers are in an incredible position to find top jobs no matter where they live. … 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.

Here’s Glassdoor’s list of the 25 best cities for jobs this year.

  1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    >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
  2. St. Louis, Missouri
    >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
  3. Indianapolis, Indiana
    >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
  4. Cincinnati, Ohio
    >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, Massachusetts
    >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, Tennessee
    >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, North Carolina
    >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
  9. Cleveland, Ohio
    >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, Michigan
    >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, Alabama
    >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, Illinois
    >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, Ohio
    >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, Kentucky
    >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, Maryland
    >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, Pennsylvania
    >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, Georgia
    >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
  20. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
    >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
  21. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
    >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
  22. San Francisco, California
    >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, Washington
    >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, Virginia
    >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, North Carolina
    >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

Visit Glassdoor for a description of the report’s methodology and for additional details on these cities

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