The best city to start your career in each state 

Where you start your career can have a lasting impact on your professional trajectory. Geography can affect your opportunities, earnings potential and ability to save money.

But just because a city offers amazing opportunities doesn't mean it's the perfect fit for everyone or every young professional. Career services site Zippia combed through data from the American Community Survey as well as median income figures from the U.S. Census to find the best platform for young professionals.

The site analyzed 831 of the country's biggest cities based on factors such as unemployment, population, age and cost of living in order to determine which places were best for young people starting their careers. Surprisingly, it found that smaller, lower-profile cities offered the affordability and opportunity that could get new professionals the right jump start.

In its ranking, Zippia found Fargo, North Dakota, offered the best combination of professional opportunity, affordability and quality of life. The median monthly rent in Fargo is about $727 and the unemployment rate is just 2.2 percent.

The ranking also considered population — and the share of millennials living in each city. Unsurprisingly, several of the best cities for young people also had large student populations thanks to large state universities. For instance, Lawrence, Kansas, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Madison, Wisconsin, are all home to flagship state universities and have slots in the list's top 10.

Several major cities are noticeably missing, including New York and Los Angeles. While cities like these do have a large number of young people and often offer higher salaries, an equally high cost of living keeps them off the list.

Here are the best cities to kick-start your career in each state:

Huntsville

Median income: $51,441

Anchorage

Median income: $80,862

Tempe

Median income: $50,474

Conway

Median income: $47,190

Berkeley

Median income: $70,393

Fort Collins

Median income: $57,831

New Haven

Median income: $38,126

Wilmington

Median income: $40,065

Gainesville

Median income: $32,716

Sandy Springs

Median income: $68,629

Kalaoa

Median income: $65,922

Pocatello

Median income: $41,172

Normal

Median income: $54,496

Lafayette

Median income: $42,641

Cedar Rapids

Median income: $55,359

Lawrence

Median income: $47,938

Louisville

Median income: $46,881

Lafayette

Median income: $47,940

Portland

Median income: $48,259

Towson

Median income: $77,680

Cambridge

Median income: $83,122

Ann Arbor

Median income: $57,697

Duluth

Median income: $45,950

Jackson

Median income: $32,866

Columbia

Median income: $45,221

Billings

Median income: $52,944

Lincoln

Median income: $51,126

Reno

Median income: $48,815

Manchester

Median income: $54,899

Jersey City

Median income: $60,703

Albuquerque

Median income: $48,127

Cheektowaga

Median income: $48,994

Chapel Hill

Median income: $65,373

Fargo

Median income: $48,060

Columbus

Median income: $47,156

Norman

Median income: $52,484

Eugene

Median income: $44,859

Pittsburgh

Median income: $42,450

Providence

Median income: $37,366

Charleston

Median income: $57,603

Sioux Falls

Median income: $54,110

Nashville

Median income: $49,891

Midland

Median income: $71,500

Provo

Median income: $42,600

Burlington

Median income: $46,754

Arlington

Median income: $108,706

Seattle

Median income: $74,458

Charleston

Median income: $46,720

Madison

Median income: $56,464

Casper

Median income: $57,964

Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook

Don't miss:

• The 15 best-paying jobs for women in 2018
• How to tackle politics at work, according to Jemele Hill
• 30% of student loan borrowers can't keep up with debt after just six years