Best Places for STEM Grads 2016

Nerdwallet
By Sreekar Jasthi & Laura McMullen
April 26, 2016

College graduates entering science, technology, engineering and math fields in 2016 will find a robust job market and the potential for handsome paychecks.

According to the most recent data, the unemployment rate for STEM workers was 2.3% in June 2015, which compares with the 5.3% jobless rate nationwide among all industries in the same period, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS estimates growth in STEM jobs will top 9 million over the decade from 2012 to 2022.

STEM employees are sought after and often earn more than workers in other industries. The average STEM salary was $85,570 in 2014, compared with $47,230 for all occupations, according to the BLS.

To identify the best places for STEM graduates, NerdWallet analyzed the nation’s 330 largest metro areas. We examined the most recent federal data available from the BLS on salaries, concentration of STEM jobs and unemployment rate, as well as U.S. Census Bureau data on the cost of median monthly rent in each location.

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