Raleigh has been named the top metro area for new college graduates for the second consecutive year, according to ADP’s analysis. The study evaluated 55 metropolitan areas in the United States based on affordability, wages, and hiring activity. Researchers used public cost-of-living data and ADP payroll data from over five million workers in their 20s.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Raleigh’s strong performance is due to its concentration of technology, health, and financial firms combined with a relatively affordable cost of living. As part of the Research Triangle, Raleigh benefits from an ecosystem that includes research institutions like the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University.
Kyle Touchstone, director of Raleigh Economic Development, noted the influx of office projects and the role of local universities in providing a steady supply of skilled workers. Companies such as Red Hat and Cisco Systems have increased their recruitment efforts in Raleigh. Scott McGuckin, vice president of talent acquisition at Cisco Systems, highlighted that nearly a third of their university hiring occurred in the Research Triangle area over the past four fiscal years.
For more information about opportunities in the Triangle area, visit www.workinthetriangle.com.
