There are ample job opportunities in one of the world's top cities for quality of life, especially if you work in government, health care or the nonprofit world. Boston has seen some of the fastest growth in job openings in the past year, according to Glassdoor's recent job market report. The report compares work and compensation data in September 2019 to September 2018.
The New England city saw an 8.4% boost in job listings on the career site across a variety of industries, with notable increases across public services sectors like government, nonprofit and health care and hospitals. Other industries like supermarkets, consulting and restaurants and bars also contributed thousands of job openings across the city.
This can mean less competition for job-seekers hoping to jump in on the diverse labor pool, Glassdoor senior economist Daniel Zhao told CNBC Make It.
"The opportunities in Boston seem to be growing very quickly, and that's a good sign for people looking to relocate for their next job," Zhao said, adding that "opportunities are available for pretty much any industry that people are interested in."
There were 152,683 open positions in Boston, according to the report. The median base pay in the city, where housing prices are catching up to those of the notoriously pricey New York City, is just shy of $62,000 per year.
The city with the highest median base pay, up by 3% from last year, is San Francisco, where residents bring in $73,861 annually. However, the Bay Area city experienced a net zero growth in job openings year over year in September, and actually saw a 14.2% decrease in tech listings. Slower job growth but moderate wage increases could signal that companies are paying workers more to keep up with the high cost of living, while simultaneously looking beyond city limits for talent.
"You're seeing companies based in the Bay Area opening offices or expanding hiring in other parts of the country, and a lot of that does have to do with how expensive it's getting to be a worker or a business in San Francisco," Zhao said.
"There's increased competition, but the fact of the matter is that businesses still need workers, and it's still a job-seeker's labor market," he added. "So even in highly competitive fields or metro areas, there's still opportunity for workers to negotiate for better pay or find a better job that suits them."
Here are the cities where job openings are growing fastest.
1. Boston
Job openings: 152,683
Year-over-year growth: 8.4%
Median base pay: $61,987 per year
Fastest-growing industries: government, supermarkets, nonprofit
2. Philadelphia
Job openings: 112,692
Year-over-year growth: 6.4%
Median base pay: $57,502 per year
Fastest-growing industries: government, media and publishing, restaurant and bars
3. Atlanta
Job openings: 122,889
Year-over-year growth: 5.5%
Median base pay: $56,059 per year
Fastest-growing industries: consulting, media and publishing, aerospace and defense
4. Washington, D.C.
Job openings: 192,174
Year-over-year growth: 5.2%
Median base pay: $62,258 per year
Fastest-growing industries: telecommunications, beauty and fitness, aerospace and defense
5. Seattle
Job openings: 112,634
Year-over-year growth: 4.8%
Median base pay: $63,980 per year
Fastest-growing industries: government, construction, wholesale
6. New York City
Job openings: 311,297
Year-over-year growth: 2.9%
Median base pay: $64,749 per year
Fastest-growing industries: beauty and fitness, restaurants and bars, real estate
7. Los Angeles
Job openings: 219,451
Year-over-year growth: 2.0%
Median base pay: $63,526 per year
Fastest-growing industries: aerospace and defense, media and publishing, beauty and fitness
8. Chicago
Job openings: 199,193
Year-over-year growth: 1.3%
Median base pay: $58,504 per year
Fastest-growing industries: aerospace and defense, wholesale, restaurants and bars
9. San Francisco
Job openings: 147,461
Year-over-year growth: 0.0%
Median base pay: $73,861 per year
Fastest-growing industries: restaurants and bars, government, manufacturing
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