Overview
- ADP Research released a new ranking of 53 U.S. metros that names Birmingham–Hoover, Alabama, the top market for recent college graduates.
- Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater jumped to No. 2 on a 3.4% hiring rate for young workers, while San Jose ranked third on very high pay and solid hiring.
- ADP’s payroll data show Birmingham’s median pay for recent grads rose more than 16% to $59,004 between January 2025 and January 2026.
- The study weighs wages, hiring rates for workers in their 20s and local affordability, which lifts several Midwestern and Southern metros over costlier coastal hubs.
- Report authors and coverage note a cooler entry-level market as some employers use AI for tasks once handled by new hires, pushing graduates to seek better value in rising metros.