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Alexandria ranked 6th mid-sized city in the U.S. for recent college grads

By James Cullum
Money on a table (staff photo via Vernon Miles/ALXnow)

Got plans after college? A new study has ranked Alexandria as the sixth-best city in the country for finding a job after graduation.

CoworkingCafe’s 2025 list of the best large, mid-sized, and small-sized cities for recent graduates is based on the percentage of the population with a bachelor’s degree, the unemployment rate for residents aged 20 to 29, the median income for graduates, the cost of living in Alexandria, and more.

With a median income of more than $100,000, Arlington was named the top mid-sized city in the country, followed by Sunnyvale, California, and St. Louis, Missouri. Last year, Alexandria ranked second on the list behind Arlington.

The median income for recent graduates in Alexandria is $86,364, while the cost of living is 8.6% higher than the national average. Additionally, 66% of graduates have health insurance through their employer.

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.