Forget the Big Apple - Penn students might want to give the City of Brotherly Love a chance after graduation, especially if they are seeking a job.
According to a recent survey from Careerbuilder.com, Philadelphia ranks 13th on its list of top 20 cities with the most job openings.
It is the only major East Coast city on the list, which ranks Jackson, Tenn., and Lafayette, Ind., at the top.
Laura Morsch, a career advisor for CBcampus.com, Careerbuilder.com's college-focused division, said the rankings were calculated by examining the site's job listings and determining the number of jobs in a given city per 100,000 residents.
"This prevented the largest cities from automatically dominating the list," she said.
She added that the list should be a "wake-up call" for college students and should encourage them to look beyond the traditional post-graduation hot spots like New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles.
Jon Herrmann, the executive director of Campus Philly - a group that works to keep students in Philadelphia after graduation - said he would have expected to see more major metropolitan cities on a list of top spots for jobs.
But he said he has noticed an increase in recent years in the number of Philadelphia college students who want to stay in the city after graduation, whether or not they actually do.
Several years ago, Philadelphia was "not seen as exciting or even as safe," he said, adding that Philadelphia is now home to more young people than ever before.
However, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the percentage of people between 20 and 29 in the city has actually fallen from 15.2 percent to 13.9 percent between 2000 and 2005.
Herrmann said the city is a great place to pursue certain careers, especially in non-profit work, arts and entertainment, advertising and health care.
But one area that does not offer many opportunities for graduates is the financial-services sector, Director of Penn Career Services Patricia Rose said.
A huge number of Penn graduates go into financial fields, and most of them head straight to New York City, she added.
But Rose also said she has seen a slight rise in the number of Penn students who chose to stay in Philadelphia after graduation over the past several years.
"Students find Philadelphia a good place to live," she said. "It has lots of clubs, restaurants, trendy neighborhoods and affordable housing."
She added that Career Services does not explicitly encourage students to remain in the area but rather helps them to achieve their individual goals.
"We all live in Philadelphia, and we're happy to help students find jobs here."
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.