Pasadena is the No. 7 best city for graduate school in the U.S., according to a new study by online test-prep company Magoosh.
The study ranked 117 American cities according to their success in twelve metrics, which Magoosh experts determined to be key indicators of an area’s economic, social and academic strength for graduate students. Among the metrics measured:
- “Outing” options per capita (restaurants, bars, arts and entertainment options)
- Median salary for graduate degree holders
- Percent of population, aged 25+, with a bachelor’s degree or higher
- Average monthly expenses
- Research funding at nearby universities
- Walk score and crime rate
- Childcare costs
Magoosh ranked Pasadena as the seventh best city for graduate school in the nation, ahead of the second top 10 California city on the list, Berkeley, ranked at No. 8. Graduate degree holders who decide to live in Pasadena beyond graduation benefit from one of the highest median salaries—$77,470—compared to other cities on the list, and from childcare costs that are 10 percent below the national average. Students in Pasadena also benefit from the city’s proximity to downtown Los Angeles, which brings their total outing options to 26,483, meaning there are 20 outing options per every 10 thousand people.
Other great cities for grad school include Clemson, Boulder, and Ann Arbor. Read the full study online.
For more information about Magoosh, visit magoosh.com.
