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The Top Destinations For Recent College Graduates

In the face of the economic downturn, the Class of 2025 is charging forward to find their places in the world. Surprisingly, many are choosing to plant roots in the most crowded, competitive urban centers – places often associated with high prices and highly competitive job markets.

This is supported by the 2025 Talent Hubs report by private equity heavyweight Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), which shows that recent graduates seem to be drawn to major metropolitan centers.

Sophie Caldwell of CNBC breaks down the data, revealing that 1.47 million grads have secured office-centric roles this year, with over a third relocating to new cities and nearly a quarter crossing state lines to do so.

THE TOP 3 CITIES GAINING GRADS

Where are all of these graduates heading? They’re off to three of the most populated areas in the U.S.: New York City, San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles.

In first place for the most grads is New York City, which experienced a 38% year-over-year surge in new grads. Next is San Francisco, known to be one of the biggest epicenters of innovation. This city saw a 31% increase in new grads and they continue to attract STEM talent with impressive force. Los Angeles takes the third spot, with its economy booming in aerospace, media, and tech.

Just outside the top three – Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. – are holding their own, thanks to elite universities and diverse industries. Ranked fourth, Boston claimed 4.7% of 2025 grads with an 11% year-over-year rise, driven by finance, consulting, and tech. Chicago, in fifth, edged ahead with 4.9% and a 10% bump, anchored by accounting, banking, and technology.

Washington, D.C., ranked sixth, saw a remarkable 47% surge – the highest among the top 10 – supported by government, consulting, and defense jobs. Cost-conscious grads are also eyeing Atlanta (No. 7), which drew 3.4% of grads thanks to its expanding tech and finance scene. Philadelphia (No. 8) continues to attract talent with its life sciences and finance ecosystem, though growth was more subdued at 1%.

In ninth was Dallas-Fort Worth, which overtook Houston with a 26% jump and a 3.1% share of grads. Rounding out the list at No. 10, Seattle is still a magnet for grads with its tech-driven economy and Pacific Northwest appeal.

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