College graduates across the country are embarking on the next chapter in their lives.
That step can look different for all kinds of students, whether that’s furthering their education, taking time for themselves, or venturing out for a full-time gig.
The mission to secure a job can come with hurdles, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence. But where they look can play a bigger factor.
In a recent study, Tampa Bay ranks second in U.S. metro areas where graduates are most likely to be hired.
ADP Research compared 53 U.S. metro areas with populations of at least one million residents, ranking three characteristics: wages, hiring rates and affordability.
Here’s a closer look at Tampa Bay and other Florida areas standings.
Tampa Bay moves up the hiring charts
In 2025, the region ranked 26th on ADP Research’s list. This area is now the runner-up as a graduate-hiring hot spot, moving from the 54th percentile to 98th.
Why the change? In the research sample, the Tampa Bay area’s hiring rate increased from 2.6% to 3.4%.
The typical local worker pulls in a salary of$49,817, the study said, using data to estimate median wages for workers aged 20 to 29.
Several other Florida cities didn’t fare as well in the rankings. Orlando fell out of ADP Research’s top 10, where it had placed in last year’s study, dropping from the 85th percentile to 63rd. Jacksonville and Miami also took a dip.
A look at the rest of the U.S. metro areas
The top four metro areas for new graduates are completely different from ADP Research’s 2025 study.
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
The bottom four metro areas for new graduates:
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA