It makes Forbes' top-10 list for "Best Cities for Jobs."

When it comes to the job market, Tulsa is No. 6.

With a bullet.

Forbes.com announced late Friday that Tulsa trails only five other U.S. cities in the business publication's latest ranking of the "Best Cities for Jobs."

Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Metro Chamber, said Saturday that his organization is "obviously delighted by this news. However, we're not surprised."

Mayor Kathy Taylor said the designation by Forbes.com demonstrates "the great energy we have here" and shows the city is continuing to move forward.

Tulsa ranked 35th in a similar poll by the publication two years ago.

Forbes ranked the nation's largest 100 metropolitan areas using data compiled by Moody's Economy.com.

While the study does not measure job quality or stability, it takes into account a variety of factors in quantifying job-market strength.

For example, Tulsa ranked seventh in income growth, 10th in cost of living, 18th in job growth and 23rd in low unemployment.

Taylor said the overall ranking shows the strength of the city's expanding "industry clusters" in fields such as aerospace, energy and manufacturing.

Neal was interviewed Saturday while he was on his way to board a flight to San Diego to attend the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Committee of 100 meeting.

He said these sorts of flattering national rankings are extremely valuable

He said such studies "provide expert outside validation of our quality of life and the good things that are happening here."

Tulsa was not the only city new to the top 10. Albuquerque, N.M.; Wichita, Kan.; and Oklahoma City also made the list.

Oklahoma City was 10th in the rankings. While there may be a rivalry between the cities, Taylor said Tulsa and Oklahoma City work together to form the twin engines of the state's economic development efforts.

Neal said for "Oklahoma to have two cities in the Top Ten is extraordinary for our state."

Still, there is room for improvement in one of the categories analyzed by Forbes.com. Tulsa ranked 93rd in median household income. Oklahoma City was 90th.

The Tulsa metropolitan area's median household income was $41,649 in 2006, while Oklahoma City's was $42,036, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released this summer.

Taylor said improving the median income ranking "is the hardest needle to move."

However, the mayor expressed optimism that educational programs such as Tulsa Community College's Tulsa Achieves scholarship initiative will help the city move up in the median household income category over the next decade.

The Tulsa Achieves program essentially makes two-year degrees free for new high school graduates who live in Tulsa County. More than 1,500 students make up the inaugural Achieves class this fall.

Tulsa Technology Center has started a similar program called Pathways.

Neal said that not only creating jobs, but creating good-paying jobs, is the inspiration behind the chamber's Tulsa's Future effort.

In April, the chamber announced the Tulsa's Future initiative contributed 4,422 of the city's 10,500 net jobs created in 2006.

Tulsa's Future was created in 2005 with a five-year goal to create 26,000 jobs in Tulsa. Of those, the goal is for 10,000 to carry minimum salaries of $45,500.

Of the jobs created by Tulsa's Future in 2006, organizers said 1,592 equaled or exceeded the $45,500 salary mark.

Neal said he needed some good news in a week that saw voters turn down a ballot question concerning Arkansas River development.

Proponents claimed that passing the measure would have created close to 10,000 new jobs.

List announced

Forbes.com Top 10 Cities for Jobs

1. Salt Lake City
2. Raleigh, N.C.
3. Phoenix
4. Jacksonville, Fla.
5. Orlando, Fla.
6. Tulsa
7. Austin, Texas
8. Albuquerque, N.M.
9. Wichita, Kan.
10. Oklahoma City

David Harper 581-8359
david.harper@tulsaworld.com