One of the most important competitive advantages and differentiators for the Raleigh metro is talent. The availability of highly skilled talent continues to be a top priority for both existing companies and those considering the metro for a relocation or expansion. With 12 colleges and universities and over 175,000 students enrolled in higher education and an additional 88,000 in the region’s community colleges, the Raleigh metro is one of the most educated metros in the United States. The Raleigh metro is propelled by a diverse economy of technology, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, clean technology and more. The metro offers a rare mix of culture and affordability. As a top millennial magnet with projected population growth over the next 10 years of 19% and 75% of the population with a post-secondary education, the region is home to some of the best talent in the world. People have more choices than ever when it comes to where they live and work. And the “how” and “why” people make these decisions are changing. To answer the growing need for talent, Wake County Economic Development launched one of the very first national talent attraction initiatives in 2012. The program was relaunched in 2022 to address the ever-changing talent attraction landscape. The Raleigh metro is taking a highly proactive approach to talent attraction, ensuring that we have both the homegrown pipeline and inbound talent migration necessary to meet the growing needs of our workforce.
#1 Most Promising Metro for Recent College Graduates (Raleigh, NC) ADP Research, July 2024
#3 Best City to Start a Career (Raleigh) Elevate Leadership, November, 2024
#8 Customized Workforce Training (North Carolina) Business Facilities, August 2024
This content first appeared in WCED’s 2025 Metro Comparisons (Volume 5). Read more here.
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