Omaha ranked one of top cities for new college grads

Recent college graduates should consider Omaha as one of the top 10 cities to ply their trade, according to a recent study compiled by MSNBC.

The news outlet's report uses information from several sources, including the U.S. Department of Labor, the American Community Survey, Forbes, rentjungle.com and nerdwallet.com.

The report looked at which cities are actually creating jobs, which cities are relatively affordable on a post-college budget, and which cities have a vibrant population of 20-somethings for graduates fresh out of college.

"The average debt package for the Class of 2013 clocks in at just over $35K," Michaela Gianott said in the report's introduction. "Pair that with the fact that nearly half of recent graduates are underemployed, and you've got yourself a reason to soak in your bathtub all day, vowing to stay inside until all this crap is magically over. While it's no shocker that things are rough out there for recent grads, there are cities that provide more opportunities for young professionals than others."

Omaha clocked in at the ninth best city for new grads, just ahead of Minneapolis and behind Raleigh, N.C. The average salary for a recent grad in Omaha ? $27,000 per year ? trails other cities in the top 10. But the report notes the cost of living in Nebraska's largest city is 9 percent below the national average.

Other reasons for new grads to choose Omaha, according to the report: 3.7 percent unemployment rate; 2.9 percent annual job growth; and average monthly rent of $688. Only Raleigh had a lower average rent at $646.

The report noted that Houston is creating more jobs than any other major U.S. city; Portland has the more breweries than any other city in the world; Seattle has the highest percentage of college grads in the U.S.; and the Minneapolis/St. Paul area is considered one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation.

The list of the top 10 cities for college graduates:

? 1. Houston
? 2. Boston
? 3. Austin, Texas
? 4. Seattle
? 5. Washington D.C.
? 6. Denver
? 7. Portland, Ore.
? 8. Raleigh, N.C.
? 9. Omaha
? 10. Minneapolis

Contact the writer: Kevin Cole

kevin.cole@owh.com ?? | ??402-444-1234 ?? |??

Kevin Cole covers workings of police, courts and government and writes features about interesting subjects in Omaha and the surrounding counties.

Source: http://www.omaha.com/article/20130718/NEWS/130719270

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