High paying entry level jobs in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

These occupations in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY run 0.4% below the national average (2024), so a Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY salary is worth about 1.00× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

OccupationMedian, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY · Employed

1Dentists, General$193,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$127,060 – $422,040320
2Computer and Information Research Scientists$181,990
Master's degree
$122,250 – $280,710200
3Physician Assistants$137,850
Master's degree
$116,990 – $161,720770
4Pharmacists$136,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,340 – $164,3301,050
5Nurse Practitioners$134,590
Master's degree
$108,680 – $163,900910
6Aerospace Engineers$133,840
Bachelor's degree
$97,360 – $220,790150
7Materials Scientists$132,650
Bachelor's degree
$90,420 – $176,870150
8Veterinarians$131,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,550 – $233,310280
9Lawyers$131,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,090 – $263,1303,180
10Engineers, All Other$130,810
Bachelor's degree
$81,590 – $175,780580
11Software Developers$127,910
Bachelor's degree
$80,800 – $178,1203,280
12Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$127,570
Bachelor's degree
$98,210 – $171,860240
13Financial Risk Specialists$120,570
Bachelor's degree
$68,810 – $186,800200
14Chemists$110,920
Bachelor's degree
$72,770 – $179,660400
15Project Management Specialists$109,850
Bachelor's degree
$69,420 – $166,5203,240
16Mechanical Engineers$108,310
Bachelor's degree
$76,270 – $165,360930
17Electrical Engineers$105,910
Bachelor's degree
$70,890 – $170,020720
18Industrial Engineers$104,170
Bachelor's degree
$82,410 – $160,7101,570
19Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$103,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,280 – $171,040260
20Civil Engineers$102,470
Bachelor's degree
$75,990 – $149,5201,470
21Database Administrators$102,160
Bachelor's degree
$58,940 – $130,880400
22Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$100,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,130 – $126,860170
23Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$100,690
Bachelor's degree
$64,140 – $136,490430
24Registered Nurses$99,970
Bachelor's degree
$77,150 – $130,97010,230
25Physical Scientists, All Other$99,460
Bachelor's degree
$64,990 – $144,960780
26Web and Digital Interface Designers$99,210
Bachelor's degree
$51,990 – $164,290310
27Data Scientists$98,940
Bachelor's degree
$64,450 – $160,460830
28Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$98,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,510 – $167,560330
29Dental Hygienists$98,030
Associate's degree
$79,920 – $103,990730
30Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$97,040
Associate's degree
$81,230 – $109,610290
31Environmental Engineers$96,540
Bachelor's degree
$64,990 – $137,410570
32Computer Occupations, All Other$95,920
Bachelor's degree
$56,350 – $160,100620
33Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$95,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,370 – $158,990410
34Network and Computer Systems Administrators$95,140
Bachelor's degree
$65,060 – $127,4201,060
35Physical Therapists$94,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,130 – $108,510790
36Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$93,660
Bachelor's degree
$65,280 – $127,610690
37Financial and Investment Analysts$91,270
Bachelor's degree
$58,530 – $160,3301,190
38Urban and Regional Planners$88,190
Master's degree
$56,680 – $184,160250
39Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$87,040
Bachelor's degree
$66,190 – $177,310240
40Computer Systems Analysts$86,890
Bachelor's degree
$64,990 – $117,8603,290
41Survey Researchers$86,890
Master's degree
$64,990 – $120,930210
42Occupational Therapists$85,990
Master's degree
$61,880 – $107,930550
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$85,590
Associate's degree
$65,530 – $101,680670
44Respiratory Therapists$85,250
Associate's degree
$72,900 – $100,520300
45Business Teachers, Postsecondary$84,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$40,470 – $135,030430
46Accountants and Auditors$84,660
Bachelor's degree
$59,530 – $133,6704,680
47Computer Programmers$84,140
Bachelor's degree
$64,990 – $113,1001,430
48Operations Research Analysts$84,140
Bachelor's degree
$54,210 – $126,420430
49Business Operations Specialists, All Other$83,910
Bachelor's degree
$52,190 – $132,3902,820
50Social Workers, All Other$83,910
Bachelor's degree
$58,900 – $106,440320

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianAlbany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$193,780	$127,060 – $422,040	320
2	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$181,990	$122,250 – $280,710	200
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$137,850	$116,990 – $161,720	770
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,720	$97,340 – $164,330	1,050
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$134,590	$108,680 – $163,900	910
6	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$133,840	$97,360 – $220,790	150
7	Materials ScientistsBachelor's degree	$132,650	$90,420 – $176,870	150
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$131,680	$97,550 – $233,310	280
9	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,310	$82,090 – $263,130	3,180
10	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$130,810	$81,590 – $175,780	580
11	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$127,910	$80,800 – $178,120	3,280
12	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$127,570	$98,210 – $171,860	240
13	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$120,570	$68,810 – $186,800	200
14	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$110,920	$72,770 – $179,660	400
15	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$109,850	$69,420 – $166,520	3,240
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,310	$76,270 – $165,360	930
17	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,910	$70,890 – $170,020	720
18	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,170	$82,410 – $160,710	1,570
19	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,550	$64,280 – $171,040	260
20	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,470	$75,990 – $149,520	1,470
21	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$102,160	$58,940 – $130,880	400
22	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,780	$62,130 – $126,860	170
23	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$100,690	$64,140 – $136,490	430
24	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$99,970	$77,150 – $130,970	10,230
25	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,460	$64,990 – $144,960	780
26	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$99,210	$51,990 – $164,290	310
27	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$98,940	$64,450 – $160,460	830
28	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$98,430	$60,510 – $167,560	330
29	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,030	$79,920 – $103,990	730
30	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$97,040	$81,230 – $109,610	290
31	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,540	$64,990 – $137,410	570
32	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,920	$56,350 – $160,100	620
33	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$95,800	$67,370 – $158,990	410
34	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$95,140	$65,060 – $127,420	1,060
35	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$94,020	$71,130 – $108,510	790
36	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,660	$65,280 – $127,610	690
37	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,270	$58,530 – $160,330	1,190
38	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$88,190	$56,680 – $184,160	250
39	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$87,040	$66,190 – $177,310	240
40	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$86,890	$64,990 – $117,860	3,290
41	Survey ResearchersMaster's degree	$86,890	$64,990 – $120,930	210
42	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$85,990	$61,880 – $107,930	550
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,590	$65,530 – $101,680	670
44	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$85,250	$72,900 – $100,520	300
45	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,980	$40,470 – $135,030	430
46	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$84,660	$59,530 – $133,670	4,680
47	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$84,140	$64,990 – $113,100	1,430
48	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,140	$54,210 – $126,420	430
49	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,910	$52,190 – $132,390	2,820
50	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,910	$58,900 – $106,440	320

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

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