The 10 U.S. cities where pay for young workers is rising the fastest, says new research
It’s been a tough job market for young professionals, but there’s some good news for 2026: Recent graduates with up to four years of work experience are expected to see stronger wage growth next year. glass door research.
In other words, early-career workers who can secure a job are likely to have more spending power than 2020 levels, the last time wage growth kept pace with inflation.
Salary increases will vary depending on location. Glassdoor researchers note that while emerging cities may not offer the largest paychecks compared to places like New York or San Francisco, they do see the fastest wage growth and offer lower costs of living.
According to Glassdoor research, the top 10 cities with early-career wage increases since 2020 are:
1.Provo, Utah
Annual growth since 2020: 7.0%
Average salary in 2025: $61,164
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Research and science; product and project management; human resources
2. Boise, Idaho
Annual growth since 2020: 5.5%
Average salary in 2025: $60,876
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Healthcare; skilled labor and production; business
3. Orlando, Florida
Annual growth since 2020: 5.4%
Average salary in 2025: $55,782
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Qualified workforce and production; research and science; customer service and support
4.Charleston, South Carolina
Annual growth since 2020: 5.3%
Average salary in 2025: $59,100
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Healthcare; sales; skilled labor and production
5. Austin, Texas
Annual growth since 2020: 5.2%
Average salary in 2025: $71,808
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Customer service and support; legal; research and science
6. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Annual growth since 2020: 5.2%
Average salary in 2025: $62,970
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Customer service and support; consultancy; marketing
7.Rochester, New York
Annual growth since 2020: 5.2%
Average salary in 2025: $58,513
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Healthcare, engineering, sales
8. Denver, Colorado
Annual growth since 2020: 5.1%
Average salary in 2025: $73,711
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Consulting; customer service and support; product and project management
9.Richmond, Virginia
Annual growth since 2020: 5.1%
Average salary in 2025: $63,071
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Finance and accounting; sales; product and project management
10. Tucson, Arizona
Annual growth since 2020: 5.1%
Average salary in 2025: $59,975
The job groups with the fastest wage growth are: Engineering; healthcare; retail and food services
Healthcare jobs are the most in-demand jobs with rising wages for young workers, Glassdoor lead researcher Chris Martin told CNBC Make It via email. These positions led to wage increases in three of the top 10 cities: Boise, Charleston and Rochester.
In general, health care and special education jobs It supported the labor economy for a while. They account for about 17% of the country’s jobs, but 56% of job growth Between July 2023 and July 2025, according to Indeed analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Meanwhile, customer service and support roles have seen pay increases in Miami and Austin, according to Glassdoor.
According to Glassdoor data, wages are rising for jobs across the income spectrum in many cities. For example, Tucson’s fastest-growing wages for young workers were engineering positions paying a median salary of $86,700 in 2025; followed by healthcare ($64,100) and then retail and food services jobs ($35,800).
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