St. Louis is One of the Best Cities in the U.S. to Start a Career

Part III

By Bishesh Poudel

UMSL degrees help students make connections and land jobs.

Now that we have discussed the diversity and affordability of St. Louis, our readers should also know how UMSL students can benefit from living here after graduating. In a report published by LinkedIn in 2020, St. Louis was ranked number one among the 15 top cities to start recent graduates’ careers. The report suggests that the annual gross pay for recent grads averages just over $60,000. Meanwhile, the biggest expense in St. Louis – housing – averages only $11,900 a year. LinkedIn reports that rent will eat up 39% of an entry-level worker’s income in San Francisco and 37% in New York. St. Louis’ affordable cost of living can allow recent UMSL graduates to live comfortably while they build savings and financial stability.

 Career opportunities in industries such as healthcare, biosciences, advanced manufacturing, financial services, information technology, transport, and logistics are among the fastest-growing in Missouri, with many companies’ operational bases and headquarters located in the St. Louis area. Nine Fortune 500 companies and 14 Fortune 1000 companies are located in St. Louis, including prominent names such as Anheuser-Busch, Emerson Electric, Energizer, Stifel Holdings Corp, Boeing, Bayer, IBM, and Deloitte.

St. Louis is also an excellent place for new businesses. The city was named “the new start-up frontier” in 2016 due to its fast-growing startup community. Recently, St. Louis was ranked as the top U.S. center for artificial intelligence expertise for the banking and financial industries. St Louis also has its own versions of Silicon Valley in the Cortex Innovation District and 39 North. These entire districts are dedicated to innovation, business, and start-ups. Meanwhile, the expanded headquarters of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on the city’s north side is expected to push the city forward in the technology and A.I. sector with the federal government’s support.

Internship & Job Fairs gives UMSL students a head start.

These developments are particularly advantageous to UMSL students. Not only are the students physically close to the innovation and economic activities of St. Louis, but UMSL also plays an active role in connecting its students to local career opportunities. UMSL regularly collaborates with local companies and employers to host job fairs, seminars, and webinars. Current international student Amulya Reddy Lakku reveals that he “attended UMSL career fairs three times and has met many notable employers,” despite only being in the second semester of his graduate studies. The frequency and accessibility of these career events demonstrate UMSL’s commitment to connecting its students with career opportunities, thus providing them a foundation for a successful life after graduation.