The 20 best places for new grads to launch their career

But that doesn't mean they're the best places to start a career.

According to personal-finance site WalletHub, recent grads should consider a few other spots before they decide where to move after college.

WalletHub recently analyzed and ranked the 150 most populous US cities based on professional opportunities and quality of life to determine the best places to start a career.

Metrics included the number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents, housing affordability, annual job-growth rate, projected population growth, unemployment rate, and percentage of the population with similar education level and age.

To read more about the study's methodology, check out the full report here.

20. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Overall professional opportunities rank: 24

Overall quality of life rank: 32

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,903

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 3,057

Housing affordability rank: 59

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 15.5%

19. Tampa, Florida

Overall professional opportunities rank: 20

Overall quality of life rank: 35

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $3,179

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 3,487

Housing affordability rank: 95

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 16.1%

18. Scottsdale, Arizona

Overall professional opportunities rank: 48

Overall quality of life rank: 5

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,977

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 2,501

Housing affordability rank: 101

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 12.5%

17. Knoxville, Tennessee

Overall professional opportunities rank: 18

Overall quality of life rank: 34

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $3,103

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 3,064

Housing affordability rank: 42

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 16.1%

16. Raleigh, North Carolina

Overall professional opportunities rank: 35

Overall quality of life rank: 11

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $3,240

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 2,064

Housing affordability rank: 40

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 18.3%

15. Durham, North Carolina

Overall professional opportunities rank: 22

Overall quality of life rank: 27

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $3,910

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 1,784

Housing affordability rank: 35

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 19.2%

14. San Francisco, California

Overall professional opportunities rank: 11

Overall quality of life rank: 44

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,586

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 1,783

Housing affordability rank: 150

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 22.3%

13. Boston, Massachusetts

Overall professional opportunities rank: 13

Overall quality of life rank: 37

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,700

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 2,090

Housing affordability rank: 144

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 22.8%

12. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Overall professional opportunities rank: 28

Overall quality of life rank: 13

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,521

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 2,013

Housing affordability rank: 11

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 16.9%

11. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Overall professional opportunities rank: 32

Overall quality of life rank: 7

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,992

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 2,247

Housing affordability rank: 65

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 21.9%

10. Madison, Wisconsin

Overall professional opportunities rank: 44

Overall quality of life rank: 2

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,629

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 2,458

Housing affordability rank: 39

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 19.1%

9. Irving, Texas

Overall professional opportunities rank: 4

Overall quality of life rank: 64

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $3,289

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 1,727

Housing affordability rank: 77

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 19.9%

8. Denver, Colorado

Overall professional opportunities rank: 12

Overall quality of life rank: 14

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,948

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 3,162

Housing affordability rank: 120

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 21.8%

7. Miami, Florida

Overall professional opportunities rank: 2

Overall quality of life rank: 84

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,661

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents:3,360

Housing affordability rank: 143

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 24.4%

6. Atlanta, Georgia

Overall professional opportunities rank: 8

Overall quality of life rank: 10

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $3,128

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 3,710

Housing affordability rank: 94

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 20.0%

5. Tempe, Arizona

Overall professional opportunities rank: 19

Overall quality of life rank: 3

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,977

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 2,458

Housing affordability rank: 80

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 19.2%

4. Grand Rapids, Michigan

Overall professional opportunities rank: 3

Overall quality of life rank: 19

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,751

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 3,316

Housing affordability rank: 12

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 18.4%

3. Austin, Texas

Overall professional opportunities rank: 6

Overall quality of life rank: 6

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $3,353

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 2,058

Housing affordability rank: 92

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34:

2. Orlando, Florida

Overall professional opportunities rank: 5

Overall quality of life rank: 4

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,796

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 6,083

Housing affordability rank: 100

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 20.3%

1. Salt Lake City, Utah

Overall professional opportunities rank: 1

Overall quality of life rank: 1

Monthly median starting salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $2,921

Number of entry-level jobs per 100,000 residents: 4,263

Housing affordability rank: 89

Percentage of the population aged 25 to 34: 21.5%

The 20 best places for new grads to launch their career

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