Omaha ranked No. 2 best large U.S. city for recent graduates
Students who choose Creighton University are also choosing one of the country’s top cities for launching a career.
CNBC ranked Omaha the No. 2 large U.S. city for recent college graduates in 2026, citing factors such as affordability, quality of life, workforce opportunities and employment growth. The ranking reflects what many Creighton students experience firsthand: a city that combines professional opportunity with accessibility and community.
“Omaha offers a diverse range of industries and opportunities in financial services, healthcare, business, technology, logistics, transportation, non-profit leadership, sports and entrepreneurship,” said Jeremy Fisher, MBA, PHR, senior director of the John P. Fahey Career Center. “It’s also an affordable city with strong work-life balance, which gives graduates a lot of possible career pathways.”
According to Fisher, Omaha’s relatively low unemployment rate and smaller concentration of universities compared to larger metropolitan areas can also create an advantage for young professionals entering the workforce.
Omaha as a Career Hub
For Creighton students, Omaha is more than the place they go to college. It is often where they begin building professional networks, gaining experience and finding their first career opportunities.
“Omaha is one of Creighton’s greatest strategic advantages,” Fisher said. “Students benefit from being located in the center of a thriving economic and healthcare hub, while still experiencing the close-knit environment of a midsized city.”
That advantage often extends beyond graduation. Although only about 20% of Creighton students come from Nebraska, Fisher said roughly 45–50% of graduates remain in Omaha after earning their degrees.
Creighton’s employer partnerships across healthcare, business, nonprofit, legal and civic organizations help connect students to experiential learning opportunities like internships, service-learning and research, and professional networking throughout their college experience. More than 80% of undergraduates complete at least one internship or research experience before graduation, supported by a network of more than 22,000 employers that actively recruit from Creighton.
Strong Industries and Professional Pathways
The city's strong employment landscape also aligns with many of Creighton's top career pathways. Some of the strongest industries for Creighton graduates include:
- Healthcare
- Financial services
- Insurance
- Accounting
- Education
- Technology
- Agricultural business
Omaha is also home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Berkshire Hathaway, Union Pacific, Kiewit and Mutual of Omaha.
Why Students Stay in Omaha
Beyond career opportunities, Omaha’s affordability, quality of life and job accessibility continue to attract students after graduation.
“What surprises many students and families is how connected Omaha’s business, healthcare, nonprofit, startup and civic communities are,” Fisher said. “Students build direct relationships with employers, alumni and community leaders while they are still in their first or second year of college.”
As Omaha gains national recognition as a destination for young professionals, Creighton students continue to benefit from the city’s unique combination of opportunity, affordability and connection. For many, those advantages begin during college and continue long after graduation.
