Manchester is the top university location for those interested in tech!

With the technology industry booming, it’s no surprise that some are choosing to pursue a career which could earn them an average of £62,5001 But where exactly are the top cities for students and grads who are interested in pursuing a career in tech?

To find out just this, the broadband experts at Comparethemarket have created an index ranking UK locations based on various metrics including average broadband speeds and costs, jobs available in tech, and free Wi-Fi spots.

The City of Manchester takes the top spot in the index, which comes as no surprise considering its first-place spot in the 2022 CBRE tech cities report2. Home to the University of Manchester, the Northern tech hub boasts high numbers of graduate tech jobs, a vast student and young professional population and the highest number of shared working spaces and free Wi-Fi spots.

In second is Reading, with the city holding the second highest number of graduate tech jobs, an advantage for those from the University of Reading who will seek work in the sector. In third is Bristol, thanks to the city having the second highest broadband speeds in our index (100 Mbps), meaning budding technopreneurs are unlikely to struggle with a slow connection.

Following closely behind in the fourth spot is Salford, which boasts the highest number of graduate tech job advertisements. And rounding out the top five is Cambridge, with students from the world-renowned university town able to take advantage of the third fastest broadband speeds from the findings (80 Mbps). There are also strong job prospects within the city, with the third highest number of tech positions available.

Commenting on the research, Liam Walker at Comparethemarket, says: “A speedy broadband connection is something all students and graduates should have whether that’s for studying, socialising, or unwinding after a long day. Having a strong and fast internet connection is also beneficial when there are multiple occupants in a house using it at the same time.

It’s equally important that this doesn’t come at a high cost, especially when you’re on a student budget. That’s why it’s best to shop round for a good deal so that you can get a package which is affordable and works for your needs.”