Map Shows Best States for Entry Level Jobs

Newsweek

16-06-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Every year, around 4 million students graduate from college and enter the workforce in search of a high-paying entry-level job.
According to a new report from NetCredit, not all states offer the same level of opportunities.
NetCredit ranked the states based on entry-level job vacancies on Indeed.com and MIT's living wage calculator and discovered that 40 percent of entry-level jobs in the United States don't meet the living wage for their areas.
Why It Matters
Salary matters significantly for entry-level workers, but the cost of living in certain cities can impact how far money can stretch and overall quality of life as well.
By taking into account both factors, workers can enjoy a salary that aligns with their city's cost of living for housing, food, transportation, and more.
What To Know
The best states for entry-level jobs offering salaries above the local living wage were Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Ohio.
All of the cities had at least 79 percent of all entry-level job listings offering salaries above the local living wage, with a whopping 92 percent of all entry-level jobs in Minnesota meeting the state's cost of living.
Some cities also had better entry-level options for workers than others.
The top city was Bakersfield, California, where 100 percent of the new job listings met the local living wage. Bakersfield was the only city where this was the case.
"Bakersfield hitting 100 percent is pretty amazing," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek. "Every single entry-level job there pays a living wage. And honestly? The Midwest dominance wasn't something most people saw coming. We're so used to thinking coastal cities are where the opportunities are."
Graduation students, faculty, and family gather in Harvard Yard on May 28, 2025, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Graduation students, faculty, and family gather in Harvard Yard on May 28, 2025, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.Fargo, North Dakota; Toledo, Ohio; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Detroit, Michigan, also had high percentages of entry-level jobs offering above the local living wage. The top five cities' job listings all exceeded 84 percent in meeting the city's cost of living.
"Bakersfield honestly shocked me. It's proof that even in high-cost states, employers can meet the bar. They just usually choose not to," HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek.
"Entry-level job doesn't have to mean underpaid and overworked. Recent grads should demand better, look beyond prestige markets like New York or LA. The best opportunity might be in a place you hadn't considered."
What People Are Saying
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "What's troubling is that in the entire country, only one city—Bakersfield, California—has 100 percent of its entry-level jobs that start at or above the local living wage...
"We know a record number of younger Americans are starting out single and are having to rely on their income to cover most or all of their own expenses. While wages are higher in many cities and states compared to five years ago, we still have many areas of the country where entry-level work will not keep someone's head above financial water."
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "Grads may face a tradeoff: take a higher-paying job in a less appealing area or earn a little less to live somewhere with better weather or quality of life. Either way, the job market will have to adjust. Companies will need to raise wages to attract talent in pricier areas or make the case for why their location is worth the tradeoff. Quality of life is starting to matter just as much as the paycheck."
Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek: "Don't sleep on 'second-tier' cities. Your dollar stretches further, your quality of life might actually be better, and you're not competing with quite as many people for the same opportunities."
HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek: "What stands out most is how rare it is for entry-level work to pay a true living wage—and how the fight for $15 is clearly already out of date. Even the best-performing state barely clears 90 percent.
"That's a failing grade when workers have to work more than one job to live in their community. The U.S. labor market is so deeply tilted toward employers that we now celebrate when 70 percent of jobs meet the minimum needed to survive."
What Happens Next
Graduates seeking entry-level roles are encouraged to consider the job offer's entire package, not just its base salary.
"A $45,000 job in Minneapolis might give you a better lifestyle than a $55,000 job in a high-cost coastal city," Ryan said.
"This data reveals a pretty significant geographic divide in economic opportunity. We're seeing the emergence of 'opportunity deserts' where young people literally can't afford to start their careers in certain cities."