Want a Job That Pays Enough for a Comfortable Lifestyle? You'll Have the Best Shot in This U.S. City — and the Worst in 4 Others. How far will your wages go? It all comes down to location.

By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas

Key Takeaways

  • Recent college graduates, in particular, should know where entry-level wages meet the cost of living.
  • Online lender NetCredit dug into Indeed job ads and used MIT's Living Wage Calculator to find out.

If you're a recent college graduate looking to launch your career or a mid-level professional ready for a pivot, you might be in the market for an entry-level job — and wondering how much you can expect to get paid.

Less than half (48%) of Americans say they have emergency or rainy day funds that would cover their expenses for three months, and about 20% of them report not having enough money to pay rent or a mortgage, according to Pew Research Center.

Related: Young U.S. Workers Expect $200,000 Salaries By Age 30. Here's What They Actually Earn — How Do Your Stats Compare?

Whether or not your next gig affords a comfortable lifestyle has a lot to do with its location.

Online lender NetCredit compared local entry-level job wages to local costs of living using MIT's Living Wage Calculator and ranked states and cities based on the percentage of job ads with salaries surpassing the local living wage to figure out where people have the best chance at success.

As it turns out, Bakersfield, California, comes out on top, with 100% of entry-level job ads on Indeed advertising wages above the local living wage, and Fargo, North Dakota, follows in second, with a 93.67% ratio, per the data.

Related: U.S. Workers Have Found a Way to Increase Their Salaries Fast. But the Strategy Could Hurt Them in Retirement.

Entry-level job applicants in Honolulu, Hawaii, may fare the worst. Just 27.69% of new job posts list a salary in line with the living wage, according to NetCredit. The research also showed low ratios in Virginia Beach, Virginia (32.33%); Miami, Florida (34.3%); and Boise, Idaho (38.72%).

Check out NetCredit's infographics below for a fuller picture of the research and livable wages across the U.S.:

Image Credit: Courtesy of NetCredit

Image Credit: Courtesy of NetCredit

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

'One of the Most Consequential Bills Ever': Here's How the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Will Affect Small Businesses

President Donald Trump is expected to sign the multi-trillion-dollar bill on July 4.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Starbucks Is Offering Executives $6 Million Performance-Based Stock Grants

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol is offering leadership stock grants if they can "meaningfully" reduce operating expenses.

Money & Finance

How Much Money Do You Need to Retire Comfortably in Your State? Here's the Breakdown.

Regardless of where you spend your golden years, it pays to be realistic about the cost of living.

Marketing

4 Keyword Mistakes That Are Killing Your SEO — and What to Do Instead

Adapt your SEO strategy now to stay ahead of AI and algorithm changes reshaping search.

Business News

AI Is Going to 'Replace Everybody' in Several Fields, According to the 'Godfather of AI.' Here's Who He Says Should Be 'Terrified.'

Geoffrey Hinton, called the "Godfather of AI" due to his pioneering work on AI, says some fields face a heavier risk of replacement due to automation.