Top 10 cities for recent college grads in 2025
The job market is tough for recent college grads, but cities like Austin, Texas and Raleigh, N.C., still offer a promising mix of affordability and opportunity, a new report shows.
Realtor.com analyzed more than 300 cities and towns to find the most 'grad-friendly' rental markets in 2025, weighing factors like housing affordability, rental availability and job opportunities.
Austin topped the list for the second year in a row thanks to its low rent-to-income ratio (18.9 percent) and high share of jobs (29.4 percent) that require a bachelor's degree but no prior experience.
Raleigh and Overland Park, Kan., ranked second and third, followed by Minneapolis and St. Louis.
'These markets aren't just affordable areas with relatively more abundant rental options, they're full of energy, opportunity, and a sense of community, everything a recent grad could want,' Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said in a statement.
On average, graduates in the top 10 markets spend just 21.5 percent of their income on rent, well below the commonly accepted 30 percent affordability benchmark. This year's top cities also have a lower average unemployment rate (3.8 percent) compared to the 50 largest metros (4.1 percent).
Cost of living and job opportunities will likely be top priorities for the Class of 2025, which is entering the rockiest job market since 2021.
Here's Realtor.com's top 10 list for 2025 along with some of the key metrics the report considered.
Atmosphere during weekend one, day one of the 2024 Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park on Oct. 4, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by)
Median Rent: $1,504
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 18.9 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 8.2 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 29.4 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 3.6 percent
Raleigh's downtown skyline is seen from The Dillion's ninth floor lobby terrace open to the public January 02, 2019 in Raleigh, NC. The convention center's Shimmer Wall is seen at the far right. (Photo by Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Median Rent: $1,524
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 20.0 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 9.0 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 30.4 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 3.3 percent
Kansas, Overland Park, Museum at Prairiefire. (Photo by: Bernard P. Friel/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Median Rent: $1,351
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 20.6 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 9.2 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 25.5 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 4.2 percent
Minneapolis skyline showing the Mississippi river and U.S. Bank Stadium in the fall. (Photo by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Median Rent: $1,528
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 19.7 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 5.2 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 27.3 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 3.7 percent
A general view of the St Louis Gateway Arch, skyline and the Budweiser sign during the fifth inning between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium on July 18, 2023, in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image)
Median Rent: $1,335
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 20.8 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 8.0 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 25.1 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 4.0 percent
Sunset view on James River of historic southern Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Median Rent: $1,502
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 23.2 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 8.2 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 25.3 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 3.3 percent
The skyline of Pittsburgh is framed by couple walking through a park on the Northside on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Median Rent: $1,461
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 22.3 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 8.7 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 24.3 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 4.1 percent
People ride electric scooters through the old town area on Tuesday November 19, 2024, in Scottsdale, Ariz.. Maricopa County continues to be one of the fastest growing areas in the country. (Photo by Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Median Rent: $1,530
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 22.5 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 7.9 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 23.0 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 3.7 percent
The University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson, Texas (Credit: University of Texas at Dallas)
Median Rent: $1,472
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 22.4 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 8.9 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 24.4 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 4.0 percent
View of Atlanta Skyline (Getty Images)
Median Rent: $1,604
Rent-to-Income Ratio: 24.1 percent
Rental Vacancy Rate: 9.3 percent
College Grad Friendly Occupations: 24.7 percent
Forecasted unemployment rate: 4.1 percent
For more on Realtor.com's methodology, read here.
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