Best Cities for New Grad Nurses in 2025

New Nurse Graduates / Best Cities

What makes a city great for nurses?

There are plenty of cities that new grads flock to; there are also particular cities that are great for nurses. So, where does that leave new grad nurses?

We’ve narrowed down the best cities for new grad nurses. Our top ten cities for new grad nurses have low unemployment rates, a plethora of job openings, and a fair cost of living.

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Best Cities for a New Grad Nurses

Denver, Colorado

Denver is one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation and made WalletHub’s 2017 list for the Best Cities for Jobs. With over 30,000 registered nurses in the metro, and competitive pay, Denver is a great option.

Dallas, Texas

Home to several of the best hospitals in the state, affordable cost of living, and no state income tax, Dallas is a city worth considering for most nurses. Additionally, Dallas ranks #2 on the best city for career and businesses by Forbes.

Seattle, Washington

Seattle ranks #1 on the best city for career and businesses by Forbes. Salaries for nurses are also competitive, with the average salary for registered nurses at $99,310, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is seeing an influx of new residents. With the additional bonus of being an affordable big city with monthly rent averaging around $700, this is a great place for most young adults looking to grow their careers and not break the bank. Cincinnati also has two major hospital systems, resulting in plenty of job availability for healthcare workers.

Des Moines, Iowa

Although Iowa isn’t usually the first place that comes to mind when thinking of ideal places to live, Des Moines is the fastest-growing Midwest metro.

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston is a relatively pricey city, but nurses are also compensated well. There are also over 10 top-ranking hospitals in the state, making Boston robust with great nursing opportunities.

Durham, North Carolina

Durham is known as the City of Medicine, and the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area ranked first in Forbes’ Best Cities for Health Care jobs list due to its high concentration of jobs for nurses and other clinicians. Besides its six top hospitals,

Washington, District of Columbia

Although Washington, D.C is one of the most expensive places to live in the nation, it also has some of the best hospitals in the nation on the U.S. News’ annual list. So, if you are looking to be in a robust area to advance your nursing skill set and you don’t mind being on the more expensive side of the cost of living spectrum, Washington D.C may be a great option for you.

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