Best Cities for Summer Jobs

With college classes over and Memorial Day this weekend, it’s time for a million students to get to work. The Daily Beast ranks the 25 best cities to land a summer job.

Don Heupel

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/portland-me_ad5ju7 — Labor force, ages 16-24: 41,337
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 13.9%
Summer employment bump: 56.7%
Minimum wage: $7.50
Corbis

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/momentum-cities---des-moines-west-des-moines-ia_vzxlkf — Labor force, ages 16-24: 47,005
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 10.5%
Summer employment bump: 21.1%
Minimum wage: $7.25

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/muslim-cities---knoxville_zmqxcq — Labor force, ages 16-24: 62,017
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 13.2%
Summer employment bump: 20.0%
Minimum wage: $7.25
iStock

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/vet-capitals---50-tulsa-oklahoma_vnmlqs — Labor force, ages 16-24: 67,544
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 13.6%
Summer employment bump: 14.4%
Minimum wage: $7.25

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/greenest-cities---madison_zvamoy — Labor force, ages 16-24: 71,626
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 12.0%
Summer employment bump: 8.9%
Minimum wage: $7.25

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/cities-start-over---omaha_l9b7ku — Labor force, ages 16-24: 75,663
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 13.3%
Summer employment bump: 8.9%
Minimum wage: $7.25

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/jewish-capitals---rochester_jevzcu — Labor force, ages 16-24: 88,516
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 16.0%
Summer employment bump: 25.6%
Minimum wage: $7.25

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/fast-food-capitals---colorado-springs_q4pct8 — Labor force, ages 16-24: 58,127
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 12.2%
Summer employment bump: 1.1%
Minimum wage: $7.36
iStock

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/americas-poorest-metro-areas---poughkeepsie-ny_mfv4wn — Labor force, ages 16-24: 54,923
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 14.8%
Summer employment bump: 7.8%
Minimum wage: $7.25
Mike Groll / AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/state-budgets---albany-new-york_qjrxbe — Labor force, ages 16-24: 75,776
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 15.9%
Summer employment bump: 11.1%
Minimum wage: $7.25
Daniel Barry

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/love-cities---seattle_zeqao7 — Labor force, ages 16-24: 244,432
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 18.5%
Summer employment bump: 20.0%
Minimum wage: $8.67
iStockphoto

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/cities-start-over---pittsburgh-pa_jbsipk — Labor force, ages 16-24: 164,538
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 16.5%
Summer employment bump: 13.3%
Minimum wage: $7.25

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/commute-cities---minneapolis_m11rsk — Labor force, ages 16-24: 263,940
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 16.7%
Summer employment bump: 12.2%
Minimum wage: $7.25
Jim Mone / AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/jewish-capitals---buffalo-niagara_dai6lp — Labor force, ages 16-24: 92,475
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 19.1%
Summer employment bump: 35.6%
Minimum wage: $7.25
Don Heupel

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/love-cities---providence_oau7xu — Labor force, ages 16-24: 131,702
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 18.6%
Summer employment bump: 23.3%
Minimum wage: $7.40
iStockphoto

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/vet-capitals---46-louisville-kentucky_awdha6 — Labor force, ages 16-24: 90,176
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 19.3%
Summer employment bump: 44.4%
Minimum wage: $7.25

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/jewish-capitals---denver_vopuqr — Labor force, ages 16-24: 182,969
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 18.7%
Summer employment bump: 16.7%
Minimum wage: $7.36

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/smartest-cities---raleigh_kxbqtn — Labor force, ages 16-24: 76,019
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 17.1%
Summer employment bump: 5.6%
Minimum wage: $7.25
Matej Krajcovic

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/best-health-care-cities---syracuse_kvwgkp — Labor force, ages 16-24: 50,771
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 19.7%
Summer employment bump: 27.8%
Minimum wage: $7.25

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/funniest-cities---kansas-city_sommq6 — Labor force, ages 16-24: 153,445
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 17.2%
Summer employment bump: 3.3%
Minimum wage: $7.25

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/bedbug-cities---dayton-oh_lrsyfi — Labor force, ages 16-24: 74,660
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 19.4%
Summer employment bump: 15.6%
Minimum wage: $7.40

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/worst-health-care-cities---greensboro_ttugff — Labor force, ages 16-24: 48,089
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 19.4%
Summer employment bump: 11.1%
Minimum wage: $7.25
Steve Minor / Flickr

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/cities---indianapolis_jgwvlf — Labor force, ages 16-24: 128,031
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 19.3%
Summer employment bump: 7.8%
Minimum wage: $7.25
iStockphoto

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/pot-smoking-cities---cincinnati_kicj4t — Labor force, ages 16-24: 162,374
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 19.8%
Summer employment bump: 10.0%
Minimum wage: $7.40

galleries/2011/05/17/best-cities-for-summer-jobs/summer-jocolumbus-ohio_fxebny — Labor force, ages 16-24: 130,413
Unemployment rate, ages 16-24: 19.2%
Summer employment bump: 3.3%
Minimum wage: $7.40

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