Top 9 cities for new college grads

New college grads are packing up their belongings and heading off to start their new careers. The problem is, many of them will overlook cities that combine affordability and job opportunities and instead head to bigger and more expensive cities.

For example, New York and Los Angeles remain the two most popular locations for college grads, according to a recent survey of college seniors by job site Indeed.com.

While both cities offer plenty of job opportunities, their cost of living can quickly eat up a young grad's starting salary. New York's median two-bedroom apartment rent stands at more than $3,800 per month and Los Angeles' at $2,282 per month.

The average starting salary for the class of 2015 was $50,219, an increase of 4.3 percent from a year earlier, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. But many grads will be juggling paying off their student loans while getting their career footing, which means moving to an affordable city can make a difference in their ability to enjoy a good quality of life -- and start saving money.

Look beyond the hottest metropolitan areas to find cities that offer a combination of strong jobs for recent jobs and affordability, according to a new analysis from career site LinkedIn (LNKD) and real estate data site Trulia.

One rule of thumb: Avoid moving to California. Eight of 10 of the weakest markets for college grads are located in the Golden State, according to the analysis. The reason? A lack of affordable homes for recent grads in California cities ranging from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Two other poor choices for new grads are Miami, which doesn't have as many job opportunities for young professionals as other cities, and Portland, Oregon, which lacks affordability.

"The lesson here for recent grads is that although it may be tempting to seek out places with the highest wages, doing so may not necessarily lead to a better quality of life," wrote Trulia chief economist Ralph McLaughlin in the study. "Recent grads need to balance wages, rents and job availability."

Read on to learn about the top 9 cities that make the grade by those measures.

9. Chicago

Chicago made the cut because it scores well for job opportunities and affordability. On top of that, new grads account for 5.6 percent of the city's population.

The median two-bedroom apartment rent is $1,125 per month, according to NerdWallet. Companies such as Liberty Mutual Insurance and Unilever (UL) are among those currently hiring, according to employment site Glassdoor.

8. Philadelphia

The City of Brotherly Love includes affordability, lots of jobs for new grads and a fair share of recent grads living within its borders. About 5.6 percent of its residents are recent college grads, according to the study.

The median two-bedroom apartment in Philadelphia costs $1,289 per month, according to NerdWallet. Top jobs in the city include marketing and human resources jobs, with the top hirers ranging from Verizon Wireless (VZ) to Zodiac Healthcare, according to Glassdoor.

7. Nashville

This Tennessee city has a slightly lower share of new grads than either Philadelphia or Chicago, but it scores high for jobs for them.

Top jobs in the city range from graphic designer to staff accountant, according to Glassdoor. Companies ranging from the chocolate maker Mars to financial company BNY Mellon (BK) are currently hiring.

6. Montgomery, Bucks and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania

Montgomery, Bucks and Chester counties aren't cities in their own right, but as neighboring counties to Philadelphia they offer their own job opportunities and affordable housing options.

About 4.9 percent of the population of the three counties are recent grads. Several towns within their borderss, such as Narberth and Lower Merion Township, rank among Pennsylvania's top suburbs, according to ranking site Niche.com.

5. Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio, scores when it comes to job opportunities for new college grads and affordability. About 4.9 percent of its population are young college graduates, the survey found.

Rent is especially affordable in this city, given that the median two-bedroom apartment costs $832 per month, according to NerdWallet. The city's biggest employers include JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Nationwide.

4. Minneapolis-St. Paul

The Twin Cities may be chilly, but its job market is sizzling. Minnesota is home to 17 Fortune 500 companies, including Target (TGT) and Land O' Lakes, and the metropolitan area is attracting young grads: They make up 5.5 percent of the population.

The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Minneapolis is $1,438, according to RentJungle. The biggest employers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region include UnitedHealth Group (UNH), US Bancorp (USB) and 3M (MMM).

3. Kansas City, Missouri

While young college grads make up only 4.1 percent of Kansas City's population, the Missouri city scores well on affordability and job opportunity. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $884, according to RentJungle. More than 25,000 jobs are listed in the region, where big employers including H&R Block (HRB) and Hallmark Cards are located.

2. Indianapolis

Indianapolis is both affordable and a good place to find a job right out of college, according to LinkedIn and Trulia. About 4.3 percent of its residents are recent college grads.

The median rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $895 per month, according to Nerdwallet. The metropolitan region has more than 23,000 jobs openings listed on Glassdoor. The biggest employers include Indiana University and Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY).

1. Pittsburgh

Coming in at the top is the former steelmaking hub of Pittsburgh, which has transformed into a lively city with plenty of cultural offerings, an affordable cost of living -- and good jobs.

Thanks to the science-focused Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh has a growing tech sector and has attracted employers such as Google (GOOG) and Apple (AAPL), both of which have opened offices in Pittsburgh.

While that alone may be attractive to young grads, the reasonable cost of living is also a draw. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,116, while homes in hip neighborhoods like Lawrenceville can be found for less than $200,000.

The city is also garnering acclaim for its restaurant scene. Zagat calls it the country's top food city of 2015.