Other than a diploma, a proficiency in technology is one of the biggest assets today’s recent graduates are leaving college with. This is a huge advantage in today’s job market because all over the country, technology hubs are emerging everywhere, from North Dakota to Texas. And these hubs happen to be some of the best places for recent graduates to find jobs, especially in the technology sector.

With tech-geared programs offered in many of the home colleges, Syracuse University students are well-versed on the advantages that the current technology trend presents them with.

But there is another trend, more of a problem really, that SU students cannot seem to shake: Many of them desire employment in New York City, hindering their chances of even looking out West.

No one can deny New York City of its glory. Being one of the biggest technology hubs in the country, a home to many SU students and holding the title, “the city that never sleeps,” it is pretty clear where the infatuation comes from.
The unclear part is why SU students contemplate New York City as a realistic place to live.

The national unemployment rate has dropped to 7.3 percent recently, the lowest in nearly five years. However, this rate is highly over exaggerated, especially for recent SU alumni in New York City.

According to a September 2013 PayScale report, the typical starting salary after graduation for SU alumni is $47,000. New York City rent averages over $3,000 a month; meaning that in one year, you could spend $36,000 on rent.

Combining the rent price with the $1.2 trillion that students have accumulated in college debt, and the fact that you have to eat once in a while, you better hope that mom and dad have the platinum card ready.

This is why, contrary to the beliefs of many SU students, North Dakota and Texas are sound alternatives to New York City.

For example, North Dakota, the fourth least populated state in the United States, had a surplus during the heart of the financial recession two years ago. Then, with the oil boom in North Dakota, there was an increased demand for technology jobs, especially for petroleum engineers. All of the tech workers in North Dakota were making an average hourly wage of $47, according to CNN, and this was two years ago.

Now, most students at SU would blatantly tell you they would not work in North Dakota for $1 million a year. However, a place like Austin, Texas, with its sizzling barbecue might be more appealing.

According to the Austin Technology Council, one-third of the city’s jobs are tech-related. Bigger companies such as Dell, IBM, Amazon, Cisco, GM and Facebook have offices in the city. On top of this, Austin has tons of festivals every year showcasing the newest technologies and a booming entrepreneurial community.

Together, the people who got caught up in the dot-com bubble and the programmers and engineers emerging from major universities such as the University of Texas have revived the city. This combination of young talent and business experience has made Austin an ideal spot for young entrepreneurs.

Andy Sernovitz, CEO of SocialMedia.org said, “(Austin) is like where Silicon Valley was in 1998.” Throw in the fact that there is no individual income tax, a downtown with a reputation for some of the best bars and live music in the country and Austin starts to look like a pretty good option.

What SU seniors will first realize out of college is the enormity of the financial crisis. It has made New York City a vastly overpopulated and overpriced city where students are competing with twice as many people for jobs that can scarcely cover the cost of living.

Ultimately, the financial crisis has made New York City unsustainable. The rich could end up unintentionally pricing many people out of the city if the demand to live there stays the way it is.

So it might be a smart idea to think outside the box because a job is still a job – even in North Dakota.

Bram Berkowitz is a senior advertising and entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises major. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at [email protected].

Published on September 12, 2013 at 1:21 am