So you’re about to graduate and you’re looking for the best entry-level jobs you can find. It’s a daunting task, sometimes.
Never fear though graduates, our friends over at WalletHub have put together a list of the best entry-level jobs for you (as well as the worst ones… but we’re only gonna cover the best here).
The good news is, WalletHub says employers are likely to hire 26 percent more graduates of the Class of 2022 than the Class of 2021.
“Ultimately, many job-market entrants seek a career, not just a job. They want the attractive combination of a high starting salary and high growth for compensation and responsibility. They also want stability while doing what they love. The question is how to go about obtaining such things in the current job market.”
To come up with the rankings, WalletHub measured 108 different entry-level jobs in 12 key areas. Everything from starting salary, to job growth and job hazards and much more.
Immediate Opportunity takes into account things like starting salary, number of openings, and unemployment rates.
Growth Potential includes things like projected job growth, income growth potential, median annual salary and more.
Job Hazards measures fatal occupational injuries, and typicality of working more than 40 hours per week.
Given all that, here’s the best entry-level jobs for all you Class of 2022 graduates:
1. Software Engineer I
gorodenkoff / Getty Images
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 81.07 7 15 12 2. Electronics Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 80.30 1 20 39 3. Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 79.92 11 13 33 4. Systems Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 79.68 5 23 33 5. Industrial Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 79.51 10 23 33 6. Electrical Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 79.21 3 28 39 7. Operations Research Analyst I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 78.86 34 6 15 8. Hardware Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 78.57 2 36 33 9. Web Applications Developer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 78.52 18 33 12 10. Environmental, Health, and Safety Engineer I
DSCimage / Getty Images
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 78.22 24 17 33 11. Designer I - Web
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 77.31 22 40 17 12. Database Administrator I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 76.55 39 11 17 13. Safety Representative I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 76.07 6 48 1 14. Systems Engineering Technician I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 74.67 26 46 45 15. Architect I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 74.59 28 18 53 16. Safety Technician I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 74.18 31 35 1 17. Certified Nursing Assistant - Nursing Home Salaries
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 73.54 41 37 29 18. Attorney I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 72.28 16 1 92 19. Materials Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 70.36 9 12 81 20. Chemical Engineer I
industryview / Getty Images
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 69.49 27 5 81 21. Chemist I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 69.35 55 38 38 22. Financial Analyst I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 69.35 12 30 71 23. Mechanical Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 69.27 8 25 88 24. Systems Administrator I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 68.88 15 32 64 25. Programmer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 68.87 38 59 12 26. Benefits Analyst I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 68.74 23 78 24 27. Chemical Technician I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 68.66 32 64 42 28. Market Research Analyst I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 67.40 48 58 24 29. Environmental Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 67.39 13 19 100 30. Network Engineer I
SeventyFour / Getty Images
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 67.04 4 52 64 31. Training Specialist I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 67.04 20 43 67 32. Industrial Designer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 66.50 70 34 49 33. Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 66.50 72 41 30 34. Employment Law Attorney I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 66.26 50 1 92 35. Aerospace Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 66.23 36 10 81 36. Mechanical Engineering Technician I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 66.12 49 57 42 37. Interior Designer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 66.05 69 39 49 38. Tax Attorney I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 65.36 52 1 92 39. Information Security Analyst I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 65.34 17 44 97 40. Industrial Engineering Technician I
NanoStockk / Getty Images
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 65.14 71 46 45 41. Writer I - Web
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 65.14 87 14 32 42. Civil Engineer I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 64.70 35 29 91 43. Budget Analyst I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 64.23 25 99 27 44. Landscape Architect I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 64.23 67 31 53 45. Installation & Maintenance Technician I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 64.04 14 60 59 46. Patent Attorney I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 63.95 56 1 92 47. Network Service Representative I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 63.70 47 79 17 48. General Maintenance Worker I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 62.40 33 72 56 49. Records Clerk
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 61.65 51 82 20 50. Environmental Engineering Technician I
Total Score Immediate Opportunity Growth Potential Job Hazards 61.08 76 55 42 Complete rankings
For the complete rankings of the best and worst jobs for college graduates, visit WalletHub.com.
North Carolina One of the Worst Places in the Country to Die
The Top 8
1. Vermont
It doesn’t get much better for a final resting place than this does it? (Getty Images)
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 1 Vermont 71.7% $8,984 72.6 10.3% 8713 100.0% 38.0% 2. Utah
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 2 Utah 70.3% $7,536 24.3 4.3% 8166 92.9% 44.2% 3. Idaho
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 3 Idaho 60.3% $7,288 30.8 3.8% 7108 66.7% 42.0% 4. Ohio
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 4 Ohio 59.7% $7,195 66.1 0.9% 7607 84.8% 29.4% 5. South Dakota
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 5 South Dakota 59.4% $7,748 70.5 3.4% 8973 88.9% 21.6% 6. Maine
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 6 Maine 59.1% $8,999 58.0 4.0% 8880 76.9% 37.0% 7. Illinois
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 7 Illinois 58.9% $7,419 56.2 0.6% 8854 81.6% 32.7% 8. Colorado
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 8 Colorado 58.9% $8,132 22.2 3.8% 9573 80.6% 36.0% The Bottom 8
44. North Carolina
North Carolina may not be among the best places to sign off permanently. (Getty Images)
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 44 North Carolina 39.7% $7,404 45.2 1.9% 6775 67.6% 33.2% 45. New Jersey
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 45 New Jersey 39.4% $9,154 49.3 0.6% 7098 91.8% 29.9% 46. Georgia
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 46 Georgia 39.4% $6,924 37.3 0.7% 7041 65.0% 33.2% 47. New York
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 47 New York 38.9% $10,355 51.7 1.0% 7131 80.8% 29.7% 48. Hawaii
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 48 Hawaii 38.3% $15,203 11.8 3.7% 5079 66.7% 37.4% 49. Texas
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 49 Texas 38.0% $7,148 31.3 0.6% 6173 52.2% 33.0% 50. Alaska
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 50 Alaska 37.1% $9,913 17.2 0.0% 14566 42.9% 43.4% 51. Florida
Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home 51 Florida 30.9% $7,667 28.4 0.8% 4257 64.5% 29.2%