Despite the Coronavirus outbreak, the USA has been able to stand tall and keep having a thriving corporate industry, with numerous fields such as construction, healthcare, and technology being on top of it. It is projected that the nation will experience employment growth of 10.8% by 2022. However, not all places across the US have the same jobs to offer. Some have better opportunities than others when it comes to job hunting.
The article’s findings are based on an internal study by SignalHire. SignalHire is a recruiting tool used by recruiters, marketers, and professionals worldwide. Being representatives of recruiting solutions, SignalHire can access search queries of recruiters, making it easier for the tool to determine which cities and professions are the most in demand.
Thus, this article shares our analysis and findings of the best cities for jobs in 2022. Keep on reading.
Top 10 USA Cities For Jobs
Based on the results of the study, we have created a list of the ten best places to work and live that are worth it if you are eager to find a job with plenty of benefits. We also identified the top 5 most sought-after occupations in these cities based on recruiter inquiries as of August 2022. Keep in mind that data may vary depending on the seasonality of each industry. Therefore, this does not mean that if only these positions are given, it will be difficult with others in these cities.
1. Chicago, IL
- Job Growth: 4.4%
- Quality of Life Index: 144.81
- Average Annual Salary: $61,860
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Electrical engineer, Sales Engineer, Administrator, Project Manager, Superintendent
Illinois and its most populated city, Chicago, has been booming with jobs recently, especially in office and administrative support. The unemployment rate is 4.5% as of June 2022, and the city has been welcoming new professionals for positions. The managerial and engineering industries have been seeing a rise along with transportation and utilities. The Chicago area has also been seeing new startups opening, which means there are now heavy demands for project managers.
Beyond these industries, Chicago also supports several major industries like publishing, printing, food processing, and manufacturing. There are several hot job openings in Chicago and the neighboring areas.
2. Los Angeles, CA
- Job Growth: 3.3%
- Quality of Life Index: 139.75
- Average Annual Salary: $65,930
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Inspector, Cost Manager, Estimator, Growth Marketer, Voice Actor
Another corporate hub, Los Angeles, has been opening jobs in many industries. Being a part of the nation’s most populous state, it is no wonder that Los Angeles is home to some of the biggest industries. Be it entry-level positions or high-level positions. The city is on the rise concerning the job market. Los Angeles’s most well-known industries include healthcare, food services, and construction. With such industries comes the need for professions like cost managers and inspectors.
However, it would be wrong not to mention the robust entertainment industry whenever talking about Los Angeles or Hollywood. The city is home to numerous actors, singers, and various other artists. Naturally, voice acting and the likes are also in high demand in LA
3. New York, NY
- Job Growth: 5.3%
- Quality of Life Index: 137.32
- Average Annual Salary: $74,150
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Software Engineer, Receptionist, Estimator, Accounting Manager, IT Business Analyst
New York on this list seems obvious since it is such a happening place. New York City is known for its impressive landmarks, museums, art galleries, and entertainment. But that is not all that New York is known for. Beyond that, New York also boasts one of the top spots as the corporate hub.
Mostly known for the finance and banking industries, the area is the best place for investment bankers, consultants, accounting managers, and financial analysts. However, New York City is also accommodating the tech industry; consequently, jobs like software engineering and IT Business Analyst are opening up.
4. Atlanta, GA
- Job Growth: 5.3%
- Quality of Life Index: 163.99
- Average Annual Salary: $59,100
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Senior Software Engineer, Legal Assistant, Technical Specialist, Accounting Manager, Biomedical Engineer
Regarding the job front, Atlanta has been lucky over the last year. The city has experienced increased jobs and has become the home to numerous industries and occupations. There has been a decrease in unemployment, and most importantly, professionals are flocking to the city to find a good career.
Presently, software engineering is one of the most sought-after professions in the city, thanks to Georgia Tech’s renowned Computer and Information Sciences program. Moreover, companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet have opened big regional offices, leading to more tech job openings. The finance and legal industry is also booming and can’t be ignored.
5. Dallas, TX
- Job Growth: 6.7%
- Quality of Life Index: 175.71
- Average Annual Salary: $58,020
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Mechanical Engineer, Facilities Assistant, Escrow Officer, Superintendent, Resident
Austin might be the most renowned tech hub in Texas, but Dallas still needs to catch up. The city has welcomed several industries in the last few years, the renowned of them being the technology industry. Of course, the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) market has a big role to play in this. Many IT professionals shifted to the Dallas-Fort Worth region due to the lower cost of living. Thanks to the favorable business climate, many companies have been headquartered in the city, including AT&T, Tenet Healthcare, and Texas Instruments.
The city hosts numerous renowned universities, including Texas A&M University and Southern Methodist University. This calls for occupations like Superintendent. Lastly, Dallas also has a diversified and stable economy with active real estate, so being an Escrow Officer also pays well in the city.
6. Seattle, WA
- Job Growth: 4.8%
- Quality of Life Index: 194.30
- Average Annual Salary: $76,170
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Operations Assistant, Project Coordinator, Shop Assistant, Sr. Human Resource Manager, Data Engineer
Seattle is another tech hub that got recognized thanks to Microsoft, one of the region’s tech giants. But, other than Microsoft, there are several other companies in the region, including Amazon, Tableau, and Cray. Consequently, occupations like operations assistant and data engineering are in high demand.
Other than the tech industry, Seattle also hosts real estate, manufacturing, and healthcare industries. Seattle may not rank the highest regarding affordability, but other factors like walkability, internet speed, and career development opportunities greatly make up for it.
7. Miami, FL
- Job Growth: 5.7%
- Quality of Life Index: 152.51
- Average Annual Salary: $54,790
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Structural Engineer, Desktop Manager, Business Analyst, Support Manager, Chemical Engineer
Miami may not be as popular as New York or Los Angeles, but it still does well on the job front. The job market is not that competitive, which means landing a job in Miami is easier than you think. As one would expect, tourism and transportation are the biggest industries in the region, and consequently, professions like Support Manager and Structural Engineer are coveted.Some other big industries in Miami are education, real estate, and entertainment. It should be noted that workers with bilingual skills are preferred in Miami due to the many tourists.
8. Austin, TX
- Job Growth: 5.3%
- Quality of Life Index: 192.56
- Average Annual Salary: $60,260
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Assistant Superintendent, Graphic designer, Director, Maintenance manager, VP of Construction
Austin is easily one of the best places to get a job and live in the United States. The city has been well-recognized for its job growth for some time, but with the unemployment rate being especially low in 2022, young professionals, as well as businesses, are flocking to the city to make a home. The tech industry in Austin is booming, with many Silicon Valley-based companies making a move, including companies such as FileTrail and Oracle. One reason is the simpler tax system.
Even Tesla has moved to Texas, leading to the opening of 5,000 jobs. But that’s not all. Texas has much to offer beyond tech as well. The real estate sector is also booming with several construction jobs and housing-related jobs.
9. Houston, TX
- Job Growth: 6.2%
- Quality of Life Index: 170.90
- Average Annual Salary: $57,790
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Geologist, Commercial Manager, Freelance writer, Clinical research coordinator, Pre-sales Systems Engineer
Cities of the Lone Star State have been featured on this list several times, and rightfully so. Houston boasts several great industries. However, the most robust are construction, retail, finance and insurance, information, business, educational services, healthcare, and professional and technical services.Engineers do particularly well in Houston since the region is an aeronautics hub and an energy industry. Since the city has many science-based industries, it also demands geologists and clinical research coordinators.
10. Irving, TX
- Job Growth:
- Quality of Life Index:
- Average Annual Salary: $58,020
- Top 5 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Architect, ServiceNow Administrator, Software Engineer, ServiceNow Implementation Specialist, Business Development Representative
As we can see from the list, Texas is one of the biggest tech hubs of the nation, and Irving is yet another city that professionals have been flocking to get better opportunities. The tech and real estate industries are the noticeable sectors in the city, and as a result, jobs like architecture and software engineering are in high demand at the moment.
Moreover, since ServiceNow has a big office in Irving, there are several openings in the software company that job seekers can grab.
Methodology & The Origins of Our Data
SignalHire is a recruiting solution that welcomes countless visitors every week. Recruiters, marketers, and salespeople use the tool to fetch contact information, which becomes our research’s basis. To find the best cities to work in the US, we collected the search requests from SignalHire users as of August 2022 and sorted them for positions in US cities. We counted and analyzed the number of searches for each location. Then, based on the highest volume of searches, we created a ranking of the top 10 cities for jobs.
Apart from our internal study, we also gather data from other leading sources. We took data on job growth from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of August 2022, data on the quality of life index from Numbeo as of 2022- mid-year, and ultimately, data on average annual salary from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of March 2022.
Conclusion
If you are curious to relocate and find better career opportunities for yourself, consider the above-mentioned best cities for jobs. Although the job market in the US has been doing well despite so many uncertainties, the scenario can change at any second, and the course of the labor market can transform too. Thus, to keep up with trends and employment situations, stay tuned to our blog as we monitor the market and report how it progresses.
You can also use SignalHire to find the contact information of prospective candidates or for any other purpose. This will also help us to do future research based on client search queries. Apart from the best places to find a job in the US, we have also covered several other studies, including the most common job in every state and the top 10 most in-demand USA jobs in 2022. Have a read, and stay on top of your game!
