Understanding where students, recent grads, and alum are going after they graduate is critical for developing the best strategies to recruit them.
While some locations may experience faster or slower growth year-over-year, the total number of applications submitted to jobs in a given city is still a strong indicator of where students are most interested in living and working after graduation.
Handshake looked at platform data from August 2023 to August 2024 for applications to full time roles. Through this analysis, we used total application volume to determine candidate interest in locations across the US.
With virtual recruiting expanding access to opportunity, particularly for students from underrepresented backgrounds, you can now meet qualified talent outside your backyard.
Consider these 3 key takeaways as you scroll:
1. Use data to inform your location strategy.
2. Adjust your core school strategy.
3. Attract more qualified candidates with a hybrid strategy.
Which cities receive the most applications from students and recent grads?
Big Apple, big interest 🍎
New York City alone accounted for 10% of all applications across the US. What’s more, over the last year, New York City received twice as many applications as Chicago, the next most popular city.
Regionally, New York City continues to be a top 3 city for applications for candidates in the South, West, and Northeast.
Top 15 cities with the most applications in the US
The top 3 locations receiving the most applications from students have remained steady since last year: New York City, Chicago, and Washington, DC. There has been some decline in applications to locations that are major tech hubs, like San Francisco, Austin, and Seattle.
There are likely a number of factors influencing this trend, including the combined impact of ongoing tech layoffs and rising cost of living in these cities, in addition to new grads' desire for job stability. Layer on that now, tech jobs aren’t limited to tech hubs or the tech industry, and opportunity opens up across locations and industries too.
Are more applications submitted in state or out of state?
77% of applications are submitted out of state
In 2023-2024, 77% of applications, on average, were submitted to jobs outside candidates’ current states.
What does this mean for talent attraction? Recent grads are flexible and are willing to relocate for the right job. The majority of applications are submitted out of state which demonstrates how early talent today does not necessarily attend school in the same area where they plan to work. The most qualified talent for your roles might not be located where you expect.
How do in state application patterns vary by state?
In general, the share of applications submitted in-state is strongly correlated with in-state job availability, but there are some notable exceptions.
Students in some locations are significantly more likely to apply to in-state jobs. California has the highest share of in-state applications, at 37%, closely followed by New York and Texas at 35% and 31% respectively. At the other end of this spectrum, only 2% of applications from students in Maine, and just 4% of those from students in Wyoming, are submitted in-state.
Although the share of applications submitted in-state is highly correlated with the number of in-state jobs available, there are some exceptions. For example, Alaska has a close-to-average share of applications submitted in-state, despite lower-than-average job availability.
What do regional job application patterns look like across the US?
Understanding where candidates are interested in working is top of mind for many, as employers often partner with Handshake Insights for guidance on location strategy. But no matter where you're based, you have an opportunity to attract top early talent with a national strategy.
Which cities are candidates in the Northeast applying to?
Of all applications from students and recent grads at schools in the Northeast, 77% of applications were to jobs in that region. Despite the density of cities in the region, New York City is the top city drawing applications in the Northeast, accounting for 41% of all applications.
Top 15 cities college students and recent grads in the Northeast are applying to: #1 New York City #2 Boston #3 Washington, DC #4 Chicago #5 San Francisco #6 Dallas #7 Philadelphia #8 Atlanta #9 Los Angeles #10 Baltimore #11 Seattle #12 Houston #13 Austin #14 San Jose #15 Minneapolis
Which cities are candidates in the Midwest applying to?
Of all applications from students and recent grads at schools in the Midwest, 59% were to jobs in the region. But Chicago is the main draw: 22% of all applications from candidates in the Midwest are submitted to jobs in Chicago.
Top 15 cities college students and recent grads in the Midwest are applying to: #1 Chicago #2 New York City #3 Washington, DC #4 Dallas #5 Boston #6 Detroit #7 Minneapolis #8 San Francisco #9 Atlanta #10 Columbus #11 Los Angeles #12 Indianapolis #13 Cincinnati #14 Houston #15 Naperville
Which cities are candidates in the West applying to?
Of all applications from students and recent grads at schools in the West, 68% were to jobs in that region. Unlike other regions, a single city did not capture a sizable share of applications. Student location interests from those in the West were more varied with Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City each accounting for 15% of all applications.
Top 15 cities college students and recent grads in the West are applying to: #1 Los Angeles #2 San Francisco #3 New York #4 San Jose #5 Chicago #6 Washington, DC #7 Phoenix #8 Seattle #9 Irvine #10 San Diego #11 Dallas #12 Boston #13 Atlanta #14 Sacramento #15 Denver
Which cities are candidates in the South applying to?
Of all applications from students and recent grads at schools in the South, 28% went to jobs in that region. New York City again was the top city drawing applications from candidates in the South, accounting for 25% of all applications.
Top 15 cities college students and recent grads in the South are applying to: #1 New York City #2 Dallas #3 Atlanta #4 Washington, DC #5 Chicago #6 Austin #7 Houston #8 Boston #9 San Francisco #10 Tampa #11 Charlotte #12 Los Angeles #13 Miami #14 Denver #15 Raleigh
Three key takeaways & next steps
While you can draw inferences for your specific location, hiring needs, and strategy, the following recommendations can help you get started on updates you might want to make:
1. Use data to inform your location strategy.
The case for employers to source candidates nationwide is strong: candidates are keeping their options open beyond their current location. Leverage Handshake data to uncover qualified candidates for your roles and use more modern sourcing strategies to engage them.
2. Adjust your school strategy.
This data shows that candidates are more open now than in the past to applying to locations beyond where they attend or attended school. Why limit your recruiting strategy to partnerships with schools that are local? Engage top talent regardless of their school’s location.
3. Attract more qualified candidates with a hybrid strategy.
Leverage hybrid tactics to engage candidates outside of your traditional parameters. For example, host virtual events with schools outside your region, use messaging Campaigns to promote your brand and job opportunities to targeted cohorts of students, and maximize ROI by going in person to a select number of campuses that are strategic for your business needs.
Talent is everywhere
The data in these charts, maps, and graphs can help you make informed decisions about where, how, and whom you’re recruiting for entry level roles at your organization.
From finding the right school partnerships to attract the talent you need, to learning how you can use Handshake to expand access to opportunities for students who might not be where you typically look for them, you can use this data to inform your early talent programs.
Want more data-driven insights about early career talent? Head to the Handshake Network Trends hub for the latest reports on what students want, industry impact, and thought leadership to evolve your talent attraction strategy and hire the future.
Methodology
The total number of applications submitted to jobs in a city gives us a sense of candidate interest in working in that location. Throughout this analysis, we use total application volume to determine candidate interest. Charts in this analysis represent Handshake application data from 8/2023—8/2024.