WalletHub analyzed 109 of the most popular entry-level positions to see how these first jobs j stack up. The personal finance site assessed jobs based on 13 metrics (such as median annual salary, projected job growth and flexibility) in three categories — immediate opportunities, growth potential and job hazards.

As summer nears, students across the country are searching for their first "real" jobs, and as many will soon find out, not all entry-level jobs are created equal. Salary, long-term career opportunities and stability can vary greatly according to position and can shift year-by-year according to industry trends.

The job of welder ranked last on WalletHub's list due to a relatively high occurrence of occupational injuries and decreased demand for welders. Systems engineer, by contrast, was ranked the best entry-level job of 2018 thanks to a strong immediate growth ranking. Several other engineering roles cracked the top 10, including electrical engineer, hardware engineer and industrial engineer.

Elisabeth Giglio, Director of Career Development at Bard College, however, says that applicants need to go beyond analyzing starting salaries and job growth predictions and do some hands-on research of their own if they want to find the perfect first job.

"Some companies are explicit in their job descriptions regarding how they support their team members, such as offering trainings or management development programs," she tells WalletHub. "For many jobs, however, I think you may need to find out during the interview if it will be a good fit. In an interview ask about employee longevity at the organization, opportunities for growth and how the organization supports their employees."

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