A few months after graduating from the Univ. of Arizona, I decided to move across the country to New York City. While I was excited to live in a new, exciting environment, I also faced challenges associated with adjusting to a new state.
Moving to a new city post-college graduation — whether to pursue an employment opportunity, graduate school, or to experience living somewhere new — is not uncommon. During the 2023–2024 academic year, on average, 77% of job applications submitted by new graduates were submitted out of state (1).
While reasons for moving vary, one common among new graduates is the difficulty of finding entry-level jobs. In September 2024, the unemployment rate for new college graduates (ages 22–27) was 5.3%, up from 3.9% in May 2022 (for all college graduates, the unemployment rate ranged from 2.0% in May 2022 to 2.5% in September 2024) (2).
Moving to a new city often brings adversities regardless of age or career level. Adapting to a new routine, commute, and community can be difficult and impact one’s mental health, possibly affecting one’s ability to perform well in a job or socialize with new people. Additionally, new graduates face the added challenge of working their first full-time job. While some of these factors are uncontrollable, certain steps can be taken to help ease this adjustment.
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