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2026 job market for recent college grads: Tips to navigate working in the real world
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With college costs continuing to climb, new data is highlighting the U.S. cities that offer students the strongest combination of affordability, academic excellence, career opportunities and a vibrant social scene.
To help students make informed decisions, WalletHub compared more than 400 U.S. cities using 31 key indicators. The study assessed three main categories: wallet friendliness, social environment, and academic and economic opportunities. Factors included the cost of living, crime rates, higher education quality, employment prospects and recreational activities.
Madison ranked a top college town of 2027
Big picture view:
Madison, home of the University of Wisconsin, claimed the No. 17 spot as the top college town, thanks to a variety of factors, most notably the social environment of the campus and surrounding city.
MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 12: An outside view of Bascom Hall on the campus of the University of Wisconsin on October 12, 2013 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
According to WalletHub, Madison ranked 51st for social environment in the country which looks at Madison's activities and attractions, the presence of Division 1 sports teams, nightlife options, and the number of young people and students in the area.
Madison ranked 106th nationally for the academic and economic opportunities the city offers. This includes Madison's quality of higher education, the earning potential for college graduates, the median income for part-time workers as well as the number of part time jobs, and other variables.
Top college towns in America
- Austin, TX
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Charlottesville, VA
- Raleigh, NC
- Atlanta, GA
See the full report here.
Dig deeper:
Austin, Texas earned first place in the rankings. The city ranked 22nd nationally for educational quality. Its average annual cost for in-state tuition, including room and board, was $34,651, according to WalletHub. While still a substantial expense, that figure is considerably lower than the nearly $95,000 per year students may face in the most expensive cities, the study noted.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, finished second place in the rankings. The city ranked 12th nationally for educational quality. Its average annual cost for in-state tuition, including room and board, was $36,932.
Charlottesville, Virginia, secured third place, largely supported by the University of Virginia and the city's strong academic reputation.
Raleigh, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, rounded out the top five.
What they're saying:
"Picking the right college is crucial, but it’s also important to make sure that the surrounding college town will be a place where you’ll truly love spending your college years," Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, said in a statement. "Towns with a low cost of living, plenty of activities and large student populations can make your college experience a lot less stressful and a lot more enjoyable. In addition, cities with a great economic environment can make it easier to get a job during or immediately after college."
Top ranked colleges in the US in 2027
The findings come on the heels of other data which ranked the best colleges in the U.S. for 2027.
RELATED: These colleges rank as the best in the US in 2027, data shows
Princeton University claimed the top spot in both the university rankings and the overall list for 2027. The institution has a 5% acceptance rate, and 93% of incoming students graduated in the top 10% of their high school classes.
The Source: The information for this story was provided by WalletHub, which examined 415 cities across 31 metrics. This data was published on Oct. 20, 2026. This story was published from Los Angeles.