Glassdoor, the world’s most transparent jobs and recruiting marketplace, announced the results of its newest jobs report, identifying the 25 Best Cities for Jobs in 2016. San Jose, CA claims the top spot, followed by San Francisco, CA & Seattle, WA.
This list is compiled by ranking U.S. metros with the highest Glassdoor Job Score1, determined by weighting four factors equally: how easy it is to get a job (hiring opportunity), how affordable it is to live there (cost of living), and how satisfied employees are working there (job satisfaction and work-life balance). As part of this report, we include each metro’s median pay for employees, median home value, job satisfaction rating, work-life balance rating, number of current job openings and a few in-demand jobs according to Glassdoor Trends.
Glassdoor’s 25 Best Cities for Jobs in 2016 are:
1. San Jose, CA – Glassdoor Job Score: 4.0
Number of Job Openings: 61,038
Median Base Salary: $112,000
Median Home Value: $956,500
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.5
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.5
Hot 3 Jobs: Solutions Architect, HR Manager, Data Scientist
2. San Francisco, CA – Glassdoor Job Score: 3.8
Number of Job Openings: 121,597
Median Base Salary: $88,000
Median Home Value: $806,600
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.5
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.5
Hot 3 Jobs: Data Scientist, Engagement Manager, Junior Graphic Designer
3. Seattle, WA – Glassdoor Job Score: 3.5
Number of Job Openings: 103,124
Median Base Salary: $85,000
Median Home Value: $382,700
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.4
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.3
Hot 3 Jobs: UI-UX Designer, Data Scientist, Engagement Manager
4. Boston, MA – Glassdoor Job Score: 3.5
Number of Job Openings: 121,498
Median Base Salary: $67,500
Median Home Value: $387,400
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.4
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.4
Hot Jobs: Nurse Practitioner, Applications Developer, Sales Development Representative
5. Washington, D.C. – Glassdoor Job Score: 3.4
Number of Job Openings: 163,520
Median Base Salary: $70,000
Median Home Value: $364,100
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.4
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.3
Hot 3 Jobs: Director of Development, Business Office Manager, Data Scientist
6. Austin, TX – Glassdoor Job Score: 3.3
Number of Job Openings: 45,186
Median Base Salary: $61,000
Median Home Value: $247,500
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.4
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.3
Hot 3 Jobs: Creative Director. Finance Manager, Solutions Architect
7. Salt Lake City, UT – Glassdoor Job Score: 3.3
Number of Job Openings: 23,013
Median Base Salary: $58,700
Median Home Value: $234,400
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.4
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.4
Hot 3 Jobs: Technical Support Engineer, Outside Sales Representative, Marketing Coordinator
8. Raleigh-Durham, NC – Glassdoor Job Score: 3.3
Number of Job Openings: 34,660
Median Base Salary: $62,000
Median Home Value: $209,400
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.3
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.3
Hot 3 Jobs: Registered Nurse, Research Associate, Software Engineer
9. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MI – Glassdoor Job Score: 3.0
Number of Job Openings: 65,141
Median Base Salary: $65,000
Median Home Value: $219,400
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.3
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.3
Hot 3 Jobs: Web Designer, Sales Manager, Business Development Manager
10. Oklahoma City, OK – Glassdoor Job Score: 3.0
Number of Job Openings: 20,576
Median Base Salary: $50,000
Median Home Value: $132,500
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.3
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.2
Hot 3 Jobs: Delivery Driver, Accountant, Account Executive
11. St. Louis, MO – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.9
Number of Job Openings: 49,450
Median Base Salary: $56,896
Median Home Value: $141,900
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.3
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.2
Hot 3 Jobs: Software Developer, Office Manager, Attorney
12. Detroit, MI – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.9
Number of Job Openings: 59,494
Median Base Salary: $61,500
Median Home Value: $123,100
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.2
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.2
Hot 3 Jobs: Financial Advisor, Teller, Registered Nurse
13. Kansas City, MO – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.8
Number of Job Openings: 43,182
Median Base Salary: $58,000
Median Home Value: $147,500
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.2
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.2
Hot 3 Jobs: Buyer, Business Development Manager, Pharmacist
14. Columbus, OH – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.8
Number of Job Openings: 36,873
Median Base Salary: $57,000
Median Home Value: $154,600
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.3
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.2
Hot 3 Jobs: Regional Sales Manager, Senior Financial Analyst, Process Engineer
15. Cleveland, OH – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.8
Number of Job Openings: 35,130
Median Base Salary: $55,000
Median Home Value: $125,500
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.2
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.2
Hot 3 Jobs: Medical Technologist, Marketing Manager, Software Developer
16. Indianapolis, IN – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.7
Number of Job Openings: 38,934
Median Base Salary: $56,000
Median Home Value: $130,200
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.2
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.1
Hot 3 Jobs: Account Executive, Pharmacist, Retail Store Manager
17. Baltimore, MD – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.7
Number of Job Openings: 67,209
Median Base Salary: $58,000
Median Home Value: $244,800
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.3
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.2
Hot 3 Jobs: Customer Service Specialist, Electrical Engineer, Restaurant Manager
18. Louisville, KY – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.7
Number of Job Openings: 26,311
Median Base Salary: $54,000
Median Home Value: $137,500
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.2
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.1
Hot 3 Jobs: Program Manager, Outside Sales Representative, Operations Manager
19. Pittsburgh, PA – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.6
Number of Job Openings: 50,127
Median Base Salary: $56,896
Median Home Value: $126,700
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.2
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.1
Hot 3 Jobs: Mechanical Engineer, Nurse Practitioner, Product Manager
20. San Antonio, TX – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.6
Number of Job Openings: 34,895
Median Base Salary: $55,000
Median Home Value: $150,200
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.3
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.1
Hot 3 Jobs: Sales Manager, Human Resources Coordinator, Network Engineer
21. San Diego, CA – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.6
Number of Job Openings: 45,424
Median Base Salary: $71,323
Median Home Value: $506,100
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.4
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.3
Hot 3 Jobs: Marketing Assistant, Senior Research Associate, Senior Data Scientist
22. Chicago, IL – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.6
Number of Job Openings: 170,192
Median Base Salary: $63,000
Median Home Value: $193,800
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.2
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.2
Hot 3 Jobs: Creative Director, Data Scientist, UI-UX Designer
23. Cincinnati, OH – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.6
Number of Job Openings: 36,624
Median Base Salary: $57,179
Median Home Value: $143,400
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.2
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.1
Hot 3 Jobs: Phlebotomist, Graphic Designer, Business Development Manager
24. Atlanta, GA – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.6
Number of Job Openings: 94,925
Median Base Salary: $60,000
Median Home Value: $163,000
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.3
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.1
Hot 3 Jobs: Engagement Manager, Internal Auditor, Network Administrator
25. Hartford, CT – Glassdoor Job Score: 2.6
Number of Job Openings: 24,590
Median Base Salary: $68,000
Median Home Value: $215,800
Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.2
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.1
Hot 3 Jobs: Paralegal, Manufacturing Engineer, Business Analyst
This year, several mid-sized cities appear for the first time on the list: Detroit, Cleveland, San Diego, Cincinnati and Hartford.
“This demonstrates why so many people are looking to move to the San Francisco Bay Area: job satisfaction, work-life balance and hiring opportunity are unparalleled compared to anywhere else in the country,” said Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, Glassdoor Chief Economist. “However, it’s also important to recognize that for anyone considering a new job in a new city, bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. Many of the nation’s mid-sized cities stand out for offering some of the greatest job prospects combined with salaries that allow people to stretch their dollar further. It’s not a surprise to see cities like Seattle and Austin at the top since they all have rising technology communities, great institutions for higher education and research, as well as affordable neighborhoods.”
Glassdoor combines the latest job listings with a vast array of user-generated content on more than 540,000 companies, including 12 million workplace ratings and reviews2, salary reports, interview reviews, benefits reviews, office photos and more shared by employees. Earlier this year, Glassdoor launched a new job search experience designed to help job seekers quickly determine if a job or company is the right fit for them, and create a more effective recruiting pipeline for employers.
1Methodology: Glassdoor’s Best Cities for Jobs report identifies U.S. metros with the highest overall Glassdoor Job Score, based on a comparison of the 50 most populated U.S. metros. Each region’s Glassdoor Job Score, based on a 5-point scale (5.0=best city for a job, 1.0=worst city for a job), is determined by weighting four factors equally: hiring opportunity, cost of living, work-life balance and job satisfaction.
Hiring opportunity is determined by the ratio of active job openings to population. (Job openings per metro represent active job listings on Glassdoor as of 4/25/16. Population data is according to the U.S. Office of Management & Budget).
Cost of living is determined by the ratio of median annual base salary to median metro home value. (Median annual base salary per metro based on at least 1,000 salary reports shared by local employees on Glassdoor over the past year (4/25/15-4/24/16). Median home value is according to the Zillow Home Value Index for All Homes, as of March 2016).
Job satisfaction ratings per metro is based on at least 1,500 company reviews shared by local employees on Glassdoor over the past year (4/25/15-4/24/16; Ratings based on a 5-point scale: 5.0=very satisfied, 1.0=very dissatisfied).
Work-life balance ratings per metro is based on at least 1,500 work-life balance ratings shared by local employees on Glassdoor over the past year (4/25/15-4/24/16; Ratings based on a 5-point scale: 5.0=very satisfied, 1.0=very dissatisfied).
2Glassdoor Data Labs, April 2016