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Cambridge Named The Best UK City For New Graduates Seeking to Launch Their Careers
04 Jun 2026
Cambridge has been ranked the number one UK city for graduates starting their careers, according to new research by higher education specialist Edumentors, which evaluated wages, rents, job availability, cost of living, and future opportunity across more than 40 of the UK's largest cities.
The study arrives at a critical moment for the UK graduate jobs market. Vacancies at top employers have hit their lowest level since 2012, with employers now receiving around 140 applications per vacancy, more than triple the rate from two decades ago. Against this backdrop, Edumentors argue that a graduate's choice of city has become, in effect, their first career decision.
Cambridge stands out with 304 advertised graduate or entry-level positions per 1,000 residents, three times more than many other cities in the top 10. The city also leads on new economy job share, reflecting a workforce strongly oriented towards digital and knowledge-driven sectors, and is projected to grow its job market by 13% over the next decade.
Reading takes second place, posting the highest projected job growth in the entire study at 23.5%, 10 percentage points ahead of Cambridge. Weekly wages reach £917, rents come in below Cambridge at £715 per month, and residents retain an estimated £20,000 in disposable income annually.
Milton Keynes ranks third, offering rents below £700 per month and a route to homeownership at median market prices of £352,000, more than £200,000 less than in Cambridge. Edinburgh (4th) records one of the study's lowest unemployment rates at 2.5%, with workers keeping around £21,000 in disposable income. Aldershot rounds out the top five, offering the lowest rent of any top-five city at £684 per month alongside weekly wages of £834.
Beyond the top five, Warrington, Bristol, Aberdeen, Belfast, and Leeds complete the ranking. Belfast records the lowest unemployment rate of all cities studied, at just 1.5%, while Aberdeen offers the most affordable rents in the top 10 at £508 per month.
Top 10 UK cities for new graduates (2026)
# | City | Wage /wk | Rent /mo | Unemployment | Score /100 |
| 1 | Cambridge | £924.50 | £786 | 3.8% | 66.6 |
| 2 | Reading | £917.10 | £715 | 3.3% | 64.5 |
| 3 | Milton Keynes | £793.80 | £687 | 3.9% | 60.2 |
| 4 | Edinburgh | £865.40 | £770 | 2.5% | 59.5 |
| 5 | Aldershot | £834.10 | £684 | 3.0% | 59.0 |
| 6 | Warrington | £790.00 | £611 | 2.8% | 58.9 |
| 7 | Bristol | £808.60 | £736 | 3.9% | 56.6 |
| 8 | Aberdeen | £806.50 | £508 | 3.9% | 55.1 |
| 9 | Belfast | £728.10 | £588 | 1.5% | 53.9 |
| 10 | Leeds | £735.40 | £570 | 4.3% | 53.5 |
About the study
Edumentors analysed more than 40 of the UK's largest cities across a wide range of indicators: weekly wages, monthly rent, cost of living, unemployment rates, graduate and entry-level job availability (measured as positions per 1,000 residents), crime statistics, projected economic job growth, and future homebuying opportunity. Cities were scored and ranked on a weighted composite index to identify locations that are simultaneously affordable, safe, and rich in growing opportunities for recent graduates.
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Pedro Guarda
Always driven by curiosity and a passion for smart cities, Pedro Guarda is an aspiring SEO Copywriter & Analyst Intern for Ztudium, indeed, he is eager to merge creative writing with data-driven insights. Moreover, with a growing skill set in keyword research, content optimization, and performance analysis, they are forever driven in helping brands and companies such as Citiesabc to improve their online visibility and engage with their audience effectively.
