The job market has improved markedly in 2014, with private employers adding about 2.5 million jobs over the past 12 months. Economists expect an even better hiring pace in 2015, especially in the technology and health care sectors. Alas, not all job markets are created equal.
SLIDESHOW: 10 Best Cities for Job Seekers
“For those in search of employment opportunities, 2015 seems a good time to be in the job market, depending, of course, on where one lives,” noted WalletHub in a report on this year’s best and worst cities to find a job, published Wednesday.
To assess the strength of local job markets, WalletHub analyzed 150 of the most populated cities across 16 key metrics split in two main categories.
It looked at the local job market, which includes the level of job opportunities, of employment growth and how high the monthly median starting salary is. It also looked at the socio-economic environment of each city, which includes median annual income, how good benefits are and housing affordability, among other criteria.
Related: How to Find a Job Without Really Looking
Indeed, a strong job market isn’t enough to top this list. For example, while Washington D.C. offers the highest number of job opportunities in the country, it ranked relatively low as far as its socio-economic environment.
Arizona ranked well with three cities in the top 10 for job seekers: Gilbert, Chandler and Scottsdale. Other cities that made the top 10 are in such states as California, Texas and Washington.
In terms of job prospects and earning potential, college graduates will have the upper hand, as the National Association of Colleges and Employers reported that nearly 80 percent of recruiters expect to hire graduates with bachelor’s degrees in 2015.
Click here to see the 10 best cities for job seekers
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