High paying entry level jobs in Altoona, PA

These occupations in Altoona, PA 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 Altoona, PA run 10.5% below the national average (2024), so a Altoona, PA salary is worth about 1.12× 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 Altoona, PA

OccupationMedian, Altoona, PA · Employed

1Pharmacists$129,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,130 – $154,050120
2Physician Assistants$123,270
Master's degree
$101,230 – $153,170190
3Nurse Practitioners$119,930
Master's degree
$94,270 – $155,43080
4Dentists, General$117,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,250 – $294,01030
5Electrical Engineers$105,270
Bachelor's degree
$75,590 – $176,89050
6Software Developers$101,670
Bachelor's degree
$69,220 – $155,980180
7Computer Occupations, All Other$98,060
Bachelor's degree
$50,570 – $142,35070
8Physical Therapists$97,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,400 – $121,190150
9Civil Engineers$93,680
Bachelor's degree
$68,970 – $124,950220
10Computer Systems Analysts$92,880
Bachelor's degree
$61,110 – $122,42090
11Data Scientists$91,170
Bachelor's degree
$50,370 – $145,78050
12Project Management Specialists$87,660
Bachelor's degree
$56,630 – $128,490270
13Occupational Therapists$86,900
Master's degree
$54,980 – $115,590110
14Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$86,260
Bachelor's degree
$58,510 – $126,72040
15Lawyers$83,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,790 – $189,11090
16Registered Nurses$82,410
Bachelor's degree
$63,880 – $102,3601,390
17Industrial Engineers$80,260
Bachelor's degree
$62,600 – $119,60090
18Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,700
Associate's degree
$52,180 – $92,080110
19Mechanical Engineers$78,670
Bachelor's degree
$58,430 – $126,58070
20Network and Computer Systems Administrators$77,540
Bachelor's degree
$59,340 – $122,31060
21Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$75,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,870 – $78,00070
22Dental Hygienists$75,070
Associate's degree
$66,740 – $87,46090
23Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$74,730
Bachelor's degree
$51,080 – $94,410190
24Business Operations Specialists, All Other$71,650
Bachelor's degree
$47,580 – $105,990180
25Architectural and Civil Drafters$68,230
Associate's degree
$45,440 – $90,82050
26Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$67,410
Bachelor's degree
$51,100 – $104,54070
27Logisticians$66,820
Bachelor's degree
$45,790 – $91,32090
28Accountants and Auditors$65,690
Bachelor's degree
$42,490 – $102,490490
29Financial and Investment Analysts$64,780
Bachelor's degree
$46,350 – $107,76050
30Human Resources Specialists$63,910
Bachelor's degree
$45,290 – $108,180310
31Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$62,430
Bachelor's degree
$51,310 – $79,13050
32Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$62,060
Master's degree
$44,270 – $82,380100
33Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$62,050
Bachelor's degree
$50,850 – $80,390120
34Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$62,010
Associate's degree
$46,500 – $83,14040
35Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$61,920
Bachelor's degree
$49,220 – $80,500360
36Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$61,740
Bachelor's degree
$37,430 – $101,250150
37Physical Therapist Assistants$61,670
Associate's degree
$48,340 – $73,44080
38Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,770
Bachelor's degree
$48,790 – $78,260700
39Occupational Therapy Assistants$60,310
Associate's degree
$51,560 – $71,59040
40Respiratory Therapists$59,980
Associate's degree
$53,660 – $79,55040
41Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$59,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,590 – $71,840630
42Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$56,160
Bachelor's degree
$18,210 – $56,16040
43Public Relations Specialists$54,860
Bachelor's degree
$28,590 – $82,85050
44Surgical Technologists$52,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,650 – $62,04040
45Graphic Designers$50,530
Bachelor's degree
$35,730 – $76,74050
46Massage Therapists$50,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,210 – $105,84040
47Paralegals and Legal Assistants$49,110
Associate's degree
$38,220 – $74,80060
48Coaches and Scouts$46,730
Bachelor's degree
$19,250 – $103,00090
49Rehabilitation Counselors$46,610
Master's degree
$35,720 – $76,94080
50Dental Assistants$45,310
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,480 – $58,18090

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

#	Occupation	MedianAltoona, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$129,480	$102,130 – $154,050	120
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$123,270	$101,230 – $153,170	190
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$119,930	$94,270 – $155,430	80
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$117,110	$97,250 – $294,010	30
5	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,270	$75,590 – $176,890	50
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$101,670	$69,220 – $155,980	180
7	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$98,060	$50,570 – $142,350	70
8	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,710	$73,400 – $121,190	150
9	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,680	$68,970 – $124,950	220
10	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,880	$61,110 – $122,420	90
11	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$91,170	$50,370 – $145,780	50
12	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,660	$56,630 – $128,490	270
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$86,900	$54,980 – $115,590	110
14	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$86,260	$58,510 – $126,720	40
15	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$83,390	$62,790 – $189,110	90
16	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$82,410	$63,880 – $102,360	1,390
17	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$80,260	$62,600 – $119,600	90
18	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,700	$52,180 – $92,080	110
19	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$78,670	$58,430 – $126,580	70
20	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$77,540	$59,340 – $122,310	60
21	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$75,130	$54,870 – $78,000	70
22	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$75,070	$66,740 – $87,460	90
23	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$74,730	$51,080 – $94,410	190
24	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$71,650	$47,580 – $105,990	180
25	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$68,230	$45,440 – $90,820	50
26	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$67,410	$51,100 – $104,540	70
27	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$66,820	$45,790 – $91,320	90
28	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$65,690	$42,490 – $102,490	490
29	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$64,780	$46,350 – $107,760	50
30	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,910	$45,290 – $108,180	310
31	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,430	$51,310 – $79,130	50
32	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$62,060	$44,270 – $82,380	100
33	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,050	$50,850 – $80,390	120
34	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,010	$46,500 – $83,140	40
35	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$61,920	$49,220 – $80,500	360
36	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,740	$37,430 – $101,250	150
37	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,670	$48,340 – $73,440	80
38	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,770	$48,790 – $78,260	700
39	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$60,310	$51,560 – $71,590	40
40	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$59,980	$53,660 – $79,550	40
41	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,680	$44,590 – $71,840	630
42	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$56,160	$18,210 – $56,160	40
43	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$54,860	$28,590 – $82,850	50
44	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$52,060	$46,650 – $62,040	40
45	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$50,530	$35,730 – $76,740	50
46	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,480	$23,210 – $105,840	40
47	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$49,110	$38,220 – $74,800	60
48	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$46,730	$19,250 – $103,000	90
49	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$46,610	$35,720 – $76,940	80
50	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,310	$35,480 – $58,180	90

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Altoona, PA. 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 Altoona, PA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Altoona, PA

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