Although the East and West Coasts of the U.S. are home to some of the nation's biggest cities, business degree seekers may be interested to learn that North Carolina is where many of the jobs are located, according to Forbes.

Based on the news source's 13th annual list of the Best Places for Business and Careers, the middle of the country is home to 80 percent of the list's 25 top regions. In addition, many of these locations are home to one or two strong universities, which help to fuel job creation. Increased employment opportunities provide graduates with a reason to stay in the area.

Placing first on the news outlet's list was the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. The capital city, along with Durham, which ranked 31, both benefit from having Duke University, North Carolina State and the University of North Carolina located within the region.

Raleigh is also home to business costs that are 18 percent below the national average and an educated workforce, 42 percent of whom hold college degrees, states the news source.

The city also benefits from the North Carolina Department of Commerce's economic developers, who work to attract new industries to the state, according to the department's website.