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Can’t go wrong with any of them as they are all well represented by the big 4. Keep in mind Denver will be a good bit more expensive than the other 2.
I'd go with Atlanta. Super strong and diverse economy, with tons of major companies.
Houston is a solid 2nd option, but pay might be lower in Houston, overall, depending.
Denver is a distant 3rd. Good options there, but not as strong of an economy as either Atlanta or Houston, more expensive, and smaller.
I'd add in Dallas (very similar to Atlanta, somewhat bigger), Charlotte (strong financial and accounting market), Austin (booming city with strong tech sector), or Nashville (booming city with very diverse economy) too, if you are open to other cities.
College grad heading to a big 4, you're look at ~$80k salary, maybe 5% pb bonus.
Denver is the most expensive, at least as far as I know. Not sure how the buying market translates to the rental market, but I'm sure if buying is that expensive, rent can't be far behind. $80k won't stretch far, and I'd never be willing to live paycheck to paycheck in Denver. NYC? Sure. I'm just not particularly impressed by Denver, certainly for the 22-28 year old crowd. Nightlife is modest. Not a ton of energy to be found in the city. It's not a music hub. Not a ton of open public space utilized for young professionals/daytime life to get together and have fun. Personally, I'd probably enjoy living in Denver in my late 20s or 30s, when I had the money and a bit more leeway to explore greater Colorado in all its glory. I just dont think that's as realistic - money and time - as an entry level Big 4 employee.
Houston most definitely has plenty of nightlife, a good food scene, and it's relatively affordable. But it's kind of blah (solely my opinion). Not an overly attractive city, ton of sprawl, and it's so dang quiet. I spent a few months split between Downtown and Midtown.. Just underwhelming. I found myself at the Buffalo Wild Wings on Gray St. on a few Sundays, because it was the best atmosphere to watch a game. Regardless of how I feel, you can certainly eat and drink well, especially in Midtown and Montrose, and will meet plenty of like-minded people in the process. And it's definitely a destination city for new grads in south/southwest, with more pop cultural relevance than ever.
Atlanta would be my choice. Love the east side neighborhoods, how the city utilizes the open space, the music scene. Plenty of options, like Houston, that offer a good location and updated space at an affordable price. The Beltline offers you an opportunity to walk from area to area, neighborhood to neighborhood, and hop around bars, restaurants, shops, and socialize. It's one of my favorite urban trails in the U.S., so much so, that it has a material impact about how I feel about the city. So that general area on the east side of town is where I'd focus, more than Buckhead. Of course, downtown and even Midtown ATL are plagued by some of the same issues as Houston.. It's not exactly buzzin. So you do miss out on the big city, high energy experience like you'd get in the Chicagos New Yorks San Franciscos of the world.
Big 4 accounting? I'd say Denver is last of these from what I've seen. Houston and Atlanta will be completely solid.
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