Report: Omaha Ranked #2 Best Large City for Recent College Grads to Live

For years, Omaha has been referred to as a diamond in the rough in the Midwest. But now, the city the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) calls home is getting the flowers we know it deserves.

➡️ What’s new: A new report published by Glassdoor and Redfin ranked the top 10 large, midsize, and small cities for college graduates to live and begin their careers in after turning the tassel. Among them: Omaha.

• In the top ten large cities, Omaha is ranked #2, only behind Washington D.C., and is celebrated for its job variety, job satisfaction, affordability, and being a winner in work-life balance.
• The report, which polled more than 1,800 professionals in early 2026, focused on three key factors, and generated metrics for the top cities.

🌆 Omaha’s metrics:

• Average early-career earnings: $59,123
• Price of typical starter home: $195,000
• Years to save for down payment: 3 years, 8 months
• Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 26%
• Monthly rent as % of income: 28%

💡 Why it matters: UNO plays a major role in the city of Omaha’s economic success as a majority of graduates stay local, becoming part of the city’s workforce and contributing to the thriving community.

📈 By the numbers:

• 81% of UNO graduates live in Nebraska one year after graduation, and 67% live in Nebraska atfter 5 years, the best in the state.
• A UNO report shows that 79,135 alumni lived in the City of Omaha in 2024
• 12,459 jobs in Omaha were supported by alumni earnings and spending in 2024
• UNO grads generated $2.44B in economic impact in 2024

🔎 Zoom in:

• In 2025, LinkedIn named Omaha the number 10 “City on the Rise”
• LinkedIn’s data points to the city’s growing job opportunities in healthcare, finance and insurance along with affordability and student experience
• Omaha beat out other growing metro areas like Kansas City, Austin, and Portland
• Programs like Career Connect, which connects UNO students to paid internships with more than 60 local employers, helps build impactful, real-life work experiences and ultimately helps further build the success of Omaha and surrounding workforce

🌎 The big picture: This report shows that UNO is achieving its goal of bettering the community we call our campus through excellence in education and workforce preparation. When UNO students are set up for success, that success translates into the community at large.