Washington, Texas, or Pennsylvania?

Move Inquiry

Graduated school and I’m at a crossroads in picking a job. I’m 23 and am looking for a place to stay for the next 10+ years, I have no wife, children, or any commitments that would severely affect ability to move around. I have 3 job offers, one of which I started while I weight my other two options.

J1 (currently here): Located in Southwest Texas, $170k a year. 5 x 10 hour shifts, project is expected to be completed in mid 2028. By then, i’ll be moved to another site which will put me in a less desirable location, lesser paid project, or a combination of the both, however i’ll still be with the same company and won’t be laid off. Work barely involves my degree, if I choose to change jobs, i’ll have a harder time due to not really gaining the experience I would at another job. I’ve been living in Texas before starting here and i’m tired of the heat and want out, however I do have access to pretty areas around 2~ hours away that have much nicer temps and nature for weekend getaways.

J2: Located in Pennsylvania (1 hour west of Philadelphia), starts at $90k a year but lots of room for growth, 4 x 10 hour shifts (periods of heavy OT once a year). This job would look best on my resume, provide me with the most hands on experience and knowledge which will help me down the road. The city is located about 3 hours away from family which is another bonus. Weather is decent here with good access to nature, better than Texas at least. Least starting pay out of all 3.

J3: Located in Washington (1 hour west of Seattle) starts at $100k a year, 4 x 10 hour shifts, lots of time off, very secure job. I’m most interested in this job as Washington state is a top spot in the country for nature which is huge for me. Middle of the road when it comes to skill development in my field. I’ve heard of a lot of issues with Washington such as high COL, homelessness, traffic, gloomy weather, etc.

Money is less of a motivator as it is for others, quality of life, time outside of work, and being in nature are bigger factors in a decision for me.

Really struggling with making a decision as it’s irreversible. Anyone have advice of what they’d do in my position? Are there an alternatives that I haven’t considered?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Posted Sep 21, 2026, 6:18 PM UTC

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