State secures top 10 spot thanks to cost of living, number of job opportunities

LANSING, Mich.-Today, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released a statement celebrating Michigan’s naming as the eighth best place in the country to start a career. The recent report by BestColleges.com  assessed all 50 U.S. states, ranking them from best to worst, in an effort to assist college graduates in their job search.

“I am proud that Michigan has been recognized as one of the top states in the nation to start a career, demonstrating the strength of our workforce, innovative companies, and growing economy,” said Gov. Whitmer. “Whether you are a lifelong Michigander, a recent college graduate, or deciding where to move next to start a career, business, or family, Michigan is a fantastic place to pursue your potential. Since I took office, I’ve been focused on the kitchen-table issues that matter most, and I am proud of this recognition of our ongoing efforts. Together, we will keep moving Michigan forward by creating jobs, attracting investment, and guaranteeing a great quality of life at a good cost of living.”

Using new, publicly available data, the study based its rankings on several factors, each weighed by level of importance:

• Average rent price.
• Cost of living.
• Average entry-level salary.
• Number of job openings.
• Racial/ethnic diversity.
• Percentage of young people between the ages of 25 and 34 years old.
• Women’s equality.
• Educational attainment.
• Level of fun.

Michigan secured a top spot on the list due to high scores in areas such as cost of living, number of job openings and average entry-level salary. The state also ranked in the top half for average rent price and women’s equality.

With investments from the recently passed bipartisan budget, Gov. Whitmer and the Legislature will continue to build on the state’s economic competitiveness, producing thousands of new jobs in key industries, lowering costs for the working and creating more vibrant, affordable communities.

“Thanks to Governor Whitmer’s leadership, we have made significant progress in the rebuilding of Michigan’s economy,” said Susan Corbin, Director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). “Our department is continuing to make long-term investments in programs and initiatives that help connect today’s talent with high-wage career opportunities in high-demand fields so that they can grow and thrive here.”

Michigan offers several tools that support career awareness and exploration for those interested in beginning a new career or a different path and different professional opportunity.

LEO is focused on connecting talent to businesses and providing employers with worker resources. Initiatives include:

• Tuition-Free Degrees and Certificates: Governor Whitmer launched a new, first in nation scholarship program that resulted in over 80,000 essential, frontline worker applicants on a tuition-free path. Whitmer also launched Michigan Reconnect so Michiganders 25 or older will have an opportunity to earn a tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate. To date, over 96,000 Michiganders have applied.
• Going PRO Talent Fund: Since the program’s 2014 launch, Going PRO Talent Fund has provided training for 150,000 Michigan workers at more than 3,200 small businesses. Due to the program’s popularity with employers, Governor Whitmer has shown strong support for the initiative by including robust funding for the program in her budget requests.
• Apprenticeship Expansion: Creating benefits for employers and career seekers through on-the-job learning focused on new industry sectors and increasing the diversity of participants by recruiting groups historically underrepresented. Federal grants will help Michigan create more than 6,000 new apprentices over the next few years.
• MI Tri-Share Child Care Program: This innovative public private partnership works to increase access to high-quality, affordable childcare for working families while helping retain and attract talent. Tri-Share now covers 52 counties in Michigan plus the City of Detroit.

“With a rapidly changing career landscape, we are working here in Michigan with a collective purpose of building opportunity by aligning development and growth in our workforce with unmet needs from employers,” said Kerry Ebersole Singh, Chief Talent Solutions Officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “Team Michigan is taking actions and implementing common-sense measures to boost job quality and strengthen Michigan’s industry leadership. We continue to position Michigan as a top place to not only start, but grow, a career and build a strong quality of life.”

MEDC is working to ensure Michigan’s workforce – both today and in the future – is prepared to capitalize on the current high-tech evolution happening across industries, including:

• Talent Action Team: MEDC is facilitating coordination across the public sector, industry and training institutions, with a commitment toward action-oriented solutions to support the talent transition in the EV and mobility sectors. The team’s goal is to train thousands of workers in the first year by delivering professional development programs that engage workers in improving their skills and competencies in line with in-demand roles.
• Michigan STEM Forward: matches students attending Michigan colleges and universities, and Michigan students attending out-of-state institutions, with internship opportunities at the state’s leading innovative companies. Each year, STEM Forward will place 425-450 STEM students into STEM-focused internships throughout Michigan.

MEDC also continues to make a strong case for Michigan as both a world-class business and leisure travel location through its Pure Opportunity business marketing campaign and Pure Michigan leisure travel campaign, while supporting key initiatives like the Mobility Innovation District at Michigan Central Station that will serve as a globally recognized hub for talent, mobility innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, affordable housing, small business opportunities and community engagement.

This new recognition comes on the heels of another great achievement, as the state was ranked in the Top 20 on CNBC’s 2022 list for America’s Top States for Business. In May, Detroit was also recognized as one of TIME’s World’s Greatest Places for 2022.

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