U.K. cities where new graduates have the best chance of landing a job

This week, a report on career opportunities across the United Kingdom landed in my inbox. I receive these reports regularly because I used to write for the higher education industry. I read it because after writing for several years for Fierce Education -- a technology in higher education publication that unfortunately no longer exists-- I still receive reports and news from universities, organisations, and others in connection with what is going on in the higher education world. I have kept the habit of reading them even though I currently don’t write for any publication where I could report on what I find of interest in these reports.

Then, I thought that, in fact, I am on platforms such as Vocal Media, Medium, and Substack where I can share my thoughts and findings on these reports so someone, somewhere could benefit from them. That’s what they exist in the first place: to help people in higher education, new graduates, academics, and others. As a former educator, I will always be interested in education and that's why I am writing this.

I found this report particularly interesting because it made me realise that many new graduates don’t take into account opportunities close to home.

The May 2026 study, which analised wages, rents, and work opportunities in over 40 of the largest cities in the U.K., highlights career opportunities across the United Kingdom, and sets Cambridge as the best city for new graduates who are joining the job market. The study was conducted by Edumentors, a platform that offers personalised tutoring experience with human tutors from across leading U.K. universities; the platform also has a waitlist for a free trial with an AI tutor, something they claim it's the world's first.

According to the report, 60% of graduates enter high-skill employment each year with Cambridge having the most entry-level job openings in the country, with three graduate advertised jobs per 10 residents. The rent is easiest to afford in Aberdeen, with residents paying £508 a month. Belfast has the lowest unemployment rate, with only 1.5% of residents not having a job.

The study ranked the best cities in the U.K. for career-building graduates according to factors such as wages, rent, cost of living, and unemployment. It was also considered how likely graduates are to land a job by calculating the ratio of graduate or entry-level positions to the population. Other additional factors included crime statistics, new economic job growth, and future opportunities for homebuying. The final score highlights the cities according to their affordability, safety, and the job opportunities for recent graduates.

Here’s a brief summary of the top 5 best U.K. cities for new graduates starting their careers:

1. Cambridge

Wages: £924.50 per week

Rent: £786 a month

Graduate/entry level jobs: 304.1 per 1K residents

Unemployment: 3.8%

Cost of living index: 73.2

Final Score: 66.6/100

Cambridge is the best U.K. city for graduates starting their careers, with the most job openings and the highest wages. The city offers 3 entry-level positions per 10 residents, which is three times higher than for many other cities in the study’s top 10. The payment is also among the best, as residents earn £924.50 per week. Cambridge stands out with 13% expected job growth and the highest share of new economy positions at the top of the list. The workforce in Cambridge is mostly oriented toward digital and knowledge-driven sectors.

2. Reading

Reading follows Cambridge closely, with the highest job growth in the UK, at 23.5%, 10% higher than in Cambridge. The wages here are also among the highest in the top 10, with £917 per week. The rent is lower than in Cambridge, amounting to £715 monthly, and the cost of living is more affordable too, leaving residents with £20K in disposable income each year.

3. Milton Keynes

In third place is Milton Keynes, where rents stay below £700. The city also offers an easier path to homebuying, with market prices at £352K, over £200K less than in Cambridge. The job market in Milton Keynes looks strong, too, expected to grow by 16.8% in 10 years, and with weekly wages at £794. The city also has one of the lowest crime rates among the top 10, providing young people with a safe environment to work and live.

4. Edinburgh

The beautiful city of Edinburgh stands out with one of the lowest unemployment rates at 2.5%, highlighting an active job market. The employment opportunities are also expected to grow 16.8% in the next decade, similar to Milton Keynes, and with strong wages, workers keep £21K in disposable income on average. When it comes to entry-level jobs, around 10 residents are contenders for one opening, which is a smaller competition than in Aberdeen or Aldershot, which are also in the top 10.

5. Aldershot

In fifth place is Aldershot, with the lowest rent in the top 5, at £684, making it easier for new graduates to live independently. Wages are also quite strong in the city, with employees earning £834 a week, which already covers monthly rent. The job market grows steadily, too, with 9% expansion projected by 2036, and the city continues to increase the number of new economy jobs, which focus on knowledge and intellectual labour.

The Edumentors study goes on naming Warrington, Bristol, Aberdeen, Belfast, and Leeds as the next five cities to complete the top 10.

New graduates accommodation options

For clarification on the rent prices, you need to keep in mind the context, we are talking about recent graduates looking into entering the job market and what options for accommodation are available to them as grad students or new graduates. To secure affordable housing on an entry-level salary, most graduates look for house shares or rooms roughly £400 - £700+ per month commonly found on sites like SpareRoom, or post-graduation university accommodation.

The accommodation prices mentioned in the table above are within this context and include flat/house shares, spare room rentals, university-affiliated housing for graduates affiliated to a university, and colleges offering post-graduation accommodation.

Graduates affiliated withe the University of Cambridge can use the University of Cambridge Accommodation Service for dedicated rentals.

Colleges, such as Trinity Hall Cambridge, offering both undergraduate and postgraduate student accommodation offer rents ranging from roughly £140 to £300 per week depending on if it’s shared or self-contained for 2026-27.

In Cambridge, there are a huge number of student housing options either through the University of Cambridge, Anglia Ruskin University, or in the private rental market for new graduates with a bigger budget.

The University of Cambridge uses an academic college system, with in-college accommodation provided for undergraduates and postgraduates. Prices for a single room range from college to college. According to What a Uni you can expect to pay between £102 - £200 per week for shared facilities, and £150 - £210 for an en-suite room.

Anglia Ruskin University has a huge variety of options, from twin and single rooms, shared and en-suite facilities, and studio apartments in a range of sizes. Overall, What a Uni reports prices are between £114 and £227 per week, but within this there are bound to be options to suit your budget and living preferences.

If your budget allows it and your preference is to live beyond campus, there is a whole landscape of shared and solo housing available in Cambridge’s private rental sector. As an example and as a way of comparison, a studio flat costs around £1,350 per month in the city centre, and a three-bedroom flat costs £2,142 per month, which works out at around £714 per person when it is shared.