How Attractive Is The Job Market In Iowa For College Graduates?

As you heard on WHO Radio News, Iowa was recently ranked by a job search website as the best state for jobs. But with college graduations right around the corner, how does Iowa rank as a place to start a career?

GoBankingRates has just come out with their list of the Best and Worst States for College Grads to Start Their Careers.

They looked at variety of factors including: median home income for someone with a bachelor’s degree, job availability and unemployment rates.

How did Iowa rank? Not bad. From the website:

7. Iowa

  • Share of population ages 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree:18.7%
  • Percentage of population ages 25-29:6.2%
  • Median income for population ages 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree:$49,094
  • Median home price:$170,000
  • Years needed to afford down payment:6.93
  • Median rent:$1,050
  • Percentage of income spent on rent:25.7%
  • Unemployment rate for population with a bachelor’s degree:1.5%
  • Livability score:57

While Iowa has a low portion of the population ages 25-29 and a relatively low density of college-educated adults, it also has the third-shortest wait to save up for your first home.

Maryland was named the best state for college grads to start their career. The state has the third-highest median income for college grads, at $61,631. Plus, unemployment rates for college grads is just 2.1% and only 33.1% of income will be spent on rent.

Top Five States For College Grads to Start Their Careers

  1. Maryland
  2. Massachusetts
  3. Minnesota
  4. North Dakota
  5. Connecticut

On the flipside, Nevada is the worst state for recent college grads to start their career, with a low percentage of the population being college grads, a median income for college grads at just $47,109, and an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is amongst the highest in the nation.

Five Worst States For College Grads to Start Their Careers

  1. Nevada
  2. Hawaii
  3. Mississippi
  4. Florida
  5. Idaho 

Here's the complete list.


View Full Site