Top 10 Cities for STEM Graduates

Tech hubs on both the West and East coasts dominate a list of 10 cities dubbed as good places for STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) graduates to find work.

NerdWallet's top 10 cities boast high salaries, high numbers of jobs posted per 1,000 people, and fairly affordable housing considering those salaries. Two California areas made the cut, with the San Jose area in Silicon Valley ranking No. 2 at an average salary of more than $110,000. Two Washington areas also made the list.

But Huntsville, Ala., took the top slot with its aerospace industry and research capabilities. Aerospace also factors into No. 3 city, Boulder, Colo., while North Carolina's Research Triangle Park combines with two research universities to pull Durham-Chapel Hill into the fourth slot. And the Seattle area has not only one of the highest average STEM salaries, but also a low number of employees for 1,000 STEM jobs, coming in at 121 employees.

Here's the full list of STEM cities: 

1. Huntsville, Ala.
2. San Jose, Calif.
3. Boulder, Colo.
4. Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C.
5. Seattle
6. Kennewick, Wash.
7. San Francisco
8. Washington, D.C.
9. Houston
10. Palm Bay, Fla.