Is Pittsburgh a nice city for a recent college graduate? (Erie: apartment, rent)

[marissa12233]

I graded from a college in Erie Pa but I am from Massachusetts. I thought Pittsburgh would be a good place to "start up" for a year or so right out of college. I'm close to Erie where I went to school and closer to friends. I would still be able to drive home to visit family in MA.

Despite living in Erie for 4 years, I've only made it down to explore Pittsburgh 1 time for about a week and a half. I thought it was fun and a pretty decent city. However, It was in the summer so the weather was nice and there was a lot of things going on.

Would you recommend Pittsburgh for a recent college graduate like myself? I am laid back and looking for a laid back fun city with lower living expenses. I also love being outdoors if this makes any difference.

So please any advice you have about the city would be great! Thanks! Also..any suburbs or certain areas that you think would be a good fit?

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Probably one of the best places to be for a recent college grad, good job market and a low cost of living. However, drastically lower your expectations about salary. Getting below $30k as a recent college grad is fairly common. You'll need a car here too.

As far as things to do are concerned, there's tons!

[TechieTransplant]

Did you graduate from Mercyhurst, Gannon, or Behrend? Congratulations either way. I am a life long Erieite who moved to Pittsburgh nearly 6 years ago. Lots more opportunities for career and lifestyle vs Erie.

[Geeo]

I also went to college in Erie and then moved to Pittsburgh (although this was 30 years ago). Compared to an Erie winter, Pittsburgh winters are pretty mild in comparison, so that would be a plus for you.

I had a great time and made friends right away when I moved here. Just jump into an interest that you may have - there are volunteer organizations for just about anything. Meet people through work or church or whatever.

There is a lot to do, great neighborhoods to live in with lots of young people. Pittsburgh has been attracting more and more young people in the last few years because its economy has generally fared better than other large cities. Another nice thing is that you can have the urban vibe and still be in the mountains for outdoor stuff in an hour. The city also has an extensive trail network and kayaks you can rent on the rivers.

[BrianTH]

Sounds to me like Pittsburgh is potentially a very good fit for you (relatively laid back, relatively low cost of living, and good access to the outdoors are all strengths of this area). If you describe your ideal neighborhood, we can be more specific on recommendations (we have a full range from fairly urban to rural and everything in between).

[ML North]

I think it's a good place for recent graduates. With the low cost of living, a young professional with a decent salary and few obligations will have the city at his or her fingertips.

My only advice would be to minimize your commute time and your rent.

[robrobrob]

I don't want to discourage you but my one bit of advice is if you think you want to live in a big city (NYC for example) you should do it right out of school in my opinion. Eventually, you will care about the size of your apartment etc. but right out of school it doesn't matter to you.

[Scruff McGruff]

You didn't say what your career field is so that makes it hard to recommend with certainty. Pittsburgh is definitely a quality place to live but I wonder if a recent college grad is squeezing the most out of his/her young career by starting here. The metro area has very low wages (and a low cost of living, I know), I would actually suggest looking at positions in other locations to build up your earning potential before looking here. But the area would seem to suit the qualities you have.

[BrianTH]

Of course there are many smaller and cheaper cities and towns than Pittsburgh, so depending on your standards Pittsburgh could count as a "big city".

[UKyank]

I think the answer completely depends on what your field of study/career plans are.