Latest news with #WalletHub
CBS News
5 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Ann Arbor ranked America's most educated city in new survey
Ann Arbor has been ranked as the most educated city in America in a review that WalletHub did of nearly 150 metro areas. The website considered 11 data points among the nation's 150 largest metropolitan statistical areas. Taking into account factors such as the number of people who have a bachelor's degrees or higher, the quality of the public school system, and the gender education gap, Ann Arbor came out on top. The rankings of other Michigan metro areas on this chart include Lansing in 30th place, Grand Rapids in 69th, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn in 76th and Flint at 129th. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the more graduates earn, the more tax dollars they contribute over time, leading cities to want to appeal to highly educated workers. The study revealed that, in Ann Arbor, nearly 96% of adults 25 and older have their high school diploma, over 58% hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 31% have an advanced degree. "Higher education doesn't guarantee better financial opportunities in the future, but it certainly correlates with it. The most educated cities provide good learning opportunities from childhood all the way through the graduate level. In addition to overall education, it's also important to look at how well cities promote educational equality when it comes to race and gender," Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst, said in the report.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Gen Z is ditching college for ‘more secure' trade jobs—but building inspectors, electricians and plumbers actually have the worst unemployment
With AI coming for white collar work, Gen Z have been ditching college and corner office ambitions, in favor of taking up traditional trades like welding, plumbing, and carpentry. But they're in for a rude awakening: high unemployment rates, unhappiness and automation risks. Trade jobs are having a moment. Touted as the smarter, safer alternative to 'irrelevant' overpriced degrees and entry level white-collar jobs (which tech CEOs warn could soon to be swallowed by AI), traditional manual work is experiencing a resurgence among Gen Z. Around 78% of Americans say they've noticed a spike in young people turning to jobs like carpentry, electrical work and welding, according to a 2024 Harris Poll for Intuit Credit Karma. They're not wrong. Trade school enrollment really has been surging post-pandemic, even outpacing university enrollment. And it makes sense: six-figure salaries without student loans, the freedom to work for yourself, and hands-on, real-world skills that can't be outsourced to a chatbot. But new research suggests that the reality isn't as stable—or as future-proof—as it's being pitched. According to a new WalletHub study ranking the best and worst entry-level U.S. jobs in 2025, trade roles dominate the bottom of the list. Welders, automotive mechanics, boilermakers, and drafters all rank among the least promising career starters. Worse still, jobs like building inspectors, electricians, and plumbers are tied to the highest unemployment rate in the entire study at 7.2%—more than three times that of entry-level office jobs like budget analysts or financial analysts, which sit closer to 2.0%. Welder Computer Numeric Control Machine Programmer Mechanical Drafter Automotive Mechanic Boilermaker Emergency Dispatcher Architectural Drafter Telecommunications Technician Benefits Administrator Tool and Die Maker According to the researchers, these roles scored poorly due to limited job availability and weak growth potential, as well as their potentially hazardous nature. Plus, while you'd assume the physical nature of trade work makes them immune to automation, WalletHub's analyst Chip Lupo tells Fortune that the data shows they're also vulnerable. 'New technologies like prefabrication and robotics are starting to take over parts of the workload, which can reduce demand,' Lupo explained. Just like office workers who are experiencing mass layoffs and are at the mercy of recessions, rate hikes, and demand, so too are tradies. 'Trade jobs are closely tied to industries like construction and manufacturing, which means they are sensitive to changes in the economy. When these industries slow down, projects often get delayed or canceled, which can lead to job losses,' Lupo added. 'On top of that, some trade jobs are seasonal, which means that bad weather or off-peak months can dry up construction and maintenance work for several weeks.' But there is one trade job that stands out for its stability amid the chaos: Geotechnical engineers, mine engineers and drilling engineers have the longest median tenure with their employers—2.1 times higher than that of industrial designers, interior designers, PR specialists, technical writers, and web writers, which rank among the shortest. Of course, not everyone is becoming a tradie for the money. Gen Zers previously told Fortune that a key element is having the freedom to be their own boss and not be chained to a desk. But in reality, it might not actually make them happier than a nine-to-five office job. That's because those freedoms come at a cost: long hours and manual work. Another study ranked electricians as the least happy workers of all. According to the research, the physically demanding nature of the job and 40-plus hour workweeks weren't made up for by the just 'decent' salary. Construction workers, warehouse managers, and construction project managers also made the list of unhappiest jobs for having 'unpredictable hours,' topped with their roles being stressful and taxing. Alarmingly, not a single trade job made the list of happiest jobs. Have you gone down the traditional trade jobs route and now regret it? Fortune wants to hear from you. Get in touch: This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How much of Ohio's incomes go to child care
[WATCH: In the video player above, learn about the cost of raising a child. ] (WJW) — Ask almost any working parent, and they'll tell you — child care isn't cheap! According to the personal-finance website WalletHub, in more than two-thirds of families with children, both parents are working. The company found that a married couple could spend more than 13% of their income on child care, while a single parent could fork out more than half of their income. Giant Eagle's GetGo has been sold — what that means for the myPerks loyalty program The company is now spotlighting where the cost of child care puts the biggest strain on family finances. To find out which states are shelling out the largest chunk of their income, WalletHub said they analyzed the prices of family-based and center-based child care and then adjusted the price by the median income for both married couples and single parents. The study found that a married Ohio couple pays more than 7% (7.01%) of their income for family-based child care and nearly 9% (8.92%) for center-based child care. Single parents paid more than 26% (26.20%) of their income for family-based care and one-third of their income (33.31%) for center-based care. Ohio-made chocolate recalled Here's how Ohio compares to families (married and single) paying the most towards child care: Overall Rank State Total Score Cost of Family-Based Child Care (% of Median Annual Married-Couple Family Income) Cost of Center-Based Child Care (% of Median Annual Married-Couple Family Income) 1 New York 91.02 11.03% 12.84% 2 New Mexico 82.95 11.61% 11.14% 3 Washington 81.66 10.01% 12.61% 4 Oregon 80.37 9.61% 12.85% 5 Vermont 79.35 9.17% 13.17% 6 California 78.57 9.89% 12.32% 7 Rhode Island 76.23 10.42% 11.45% 8 Hawaii 73.74 8.15% 13.46% 9 Colorado 66.81 8.87% 11.77% 10 Massachusetts 66.33 8.22% 12.38% Overall Rank* State Total Score Cost of Family-Based Child Care (% of Median Annual Single-Parent Family Income) Cost of Center-Based Child Care (% of Median Annual Single-Parent Family Income) 1 District of Columbia 100.00 44.59% 51.18% 2 New York 78.74 38.42% 44.71% 3 Massachusetts 74.20 32.19% 48.51% 4 Vermont 64.15 30.65% 44.00% 5 Rhode Island 62.93 35.10% 38.58% 6 Washington 62.71 32.59% 41.08% 7 New Mexico 59.01 36.34% 34.88% 8 Oregon 55.25 29.65% 39.63% 9 California 53.96 30.49% 37.96% 10 New Jersey 53.54 25.86% 42.57% Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time Out
2 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
NYC among the worst-run cities in the country, says new study
According to a new WalletHub study ranking the best- and worst-run cities in the U.S., the Big Apple landed a less-than-apple-pie-sweet 145th out of 148 cities. That's right: Despite its cultural clout and global stature, New York City is officially one of the least efficiently run cities in the country. The study analyzed 36 key metrics—from public safety and health to infrastructure and education—and then weighed those against each city's per-capita budget. While New York fared decently in many service categories (16th in health, 21st in education and 24th in infrastructure and pollution), it fell hard on financial efficiency. Thanks to its famously bloated budget—the second-highest per capita in the country—New York's ranking plunged, earning it a spot just above Philadelphia, Oakland, Detroit and dead-last San Francisco. Here's the kicker: New York actually ranks 23rd in quality of services. Not bad, right? But WalletHub's methodology compares that service score against spending and Gotham's staggering costs knocked it more than 120 spots down the leaderboard. In short: great services, terrible value. 'The best‑run cities in America use their budgets most effectively to provide high‑quality financial security, education, health, safety and transportation to their residents,' said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. To put it in perspective, Provo, Utah—ranked No. 1 overall—came in 5th for service quality and 2nd for budget efficiency. That's a city with clean streets, rising income and a high school graduation rate above 90%, all delivered on a relative shoestring. Meanwhile, NYC's long-term debt per capita ranks among the highest in the country, making it even harder to stretch taxpayer dollars effectively. Sure, we've got world-class transit, hospitals and public schools, but we're paying dearly for them. Of course, New Yorkers aren't exactly known for suffering poor governance in silence. Consider this another item on the long list of things to kvetch about, right after rent, traffic and the MTA's weekend schedule.
Time Out
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time Out
How patriotic is New York? Here's how it ranks among other U.S. states
As fireworks stands pop up across the tri-state and red, white and blue takes over bodegas and bagel shops, one question lingers: Just how patriotic is New York? Spoiler alert—per a new study, it's not. In fact, it's nearly dead last. According to a new report from WalletHub that ranks all 50 states by patriotism, New York landed at an unimpressive 49th place. Only Arkansas scored lower. The study crunched data from 13 metrics, including military enlistment, veteran population, voting rates and community volunteerism. Turns out, for all our skyline views and Lady Liberty pride, New Yorkers aren't exactly flag-waving overachievers. Start with military service: New York has the fewest veterans per capita in the country—three times fewer than Alaska, the leader in that category. And while we may show up to protest with flair (see: anti-Trump flag art and marches in Washington Square Park), civic engagement doesn't exactly run deep. The state ranked 44th in voter turnout for the 2024 presidential election. Even more sobering: New York came in last in voter turnout and near the bottom in overall civic engagement, a category that includes volunteering and jury service. While places like Virginia (No. 1 overall) and Montana (No. 2) boasted high civic participation and, in Virginia's case, strong military ties as well, New York lagged behind across the board. Virginia, in particular, earned its top spot thanks to a potent combo of military infrastructure (hello, Pentagon) and strong voter turnout. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo told the New York Post: 'Virginians love to think that they're basically the bedrock of the country as we know it.' Back in New York, some might argue patriotism here just looks a little different. Maybe it's less about uniforms and ballots and more about rallying in the streets, fighting for civil rights or keeping the wheels of American culture turning. Still, with July 4th on the horizon, WalletHub's list is a reminder that patriotism isn't just about popping sparklers and queuing up Springsteen. It's about service, engagement and showing up for your community. While the rest of the country salutes Old Glory this week, New Yorkers might want to consider a little extra effort—at the polls, in the neighborhood or, yes, even at the ballot box next time around.
