High paying entry level jobs in Appleton, WI

These occupations in Appleton, WI 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 Appleton, WI run 7.6% below the national average (2024), so a Appleton, WI salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Appleton, WI

OccupationMedian, Appleton, WI · Employed

1Dentists, General$206,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,410 – $293,050130
2Optometrists$150,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,610 – $208,39060
3Pharmacists$144,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,810 – $175,340190
4Nurse Practitioners$129,030
Master's degree
$103,710 – $166,400150
5Physician Assistants$128,270
Master's degree
$107,340 – $173,160120
6Lawyers$126,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,400 – $384,850250
7Environmental Engineers$107,170
Bachelor's degree
$74,320 – $164,25060
8Veterinarians$105,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,980 – $155,680100
9Data Scientists$103,210
Bachelor's degree
$76,030 – $151,27090
10Software Developers$102,970
Bachelor's degree
$67,410 – $164,080570
11Physical Therapists$101,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,530 – $121,420180
12Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$101,700
Associate's degree
$83,100 – $117,67080
13Electrical Engineers$101,670
Bachelor's degree
$73,270 – $129,940190
14Chiropractors$101,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,060 – $223,31060
15Computer Systems Analysts$101,360
Bachelor's degree
$73,630 – $127,940270
16Project Management Specialists$98,290
Bachelor's degree
$60,650 – $130,860970
17Business Teachers, Postsecondary$96,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,100 – $124,13070
18Dental Hygienists$96,350
Associate's degree
$80,820 – $101,250240
19Industrial Engineers$95,380
Bachelor's degree
$69,380 – $131,130440
20Financial and Investment Analysts$92,880
Bachelor's degree
$60,030 – $140,650180
21Civil Engineers$92,590
Bachelor's degree
$66,170 – $129,760350
22Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$91,560
Bachelor's degree
$63,660 – $123,95090
23Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$90,890
Bachelor's degree
$61,060 – $132,28040
24Occupational Therapists$90,310
Master's degree
$75,130 – $106,600140
25Registered Nurses$86,680
Bachelor's degree
$74,340 – $109,0302,310
26Mechanical Engineers$85,260
Bachelor's degree
$65,020 – $126,600460
27Respiratory Therapists$84,300
Associate's degree
$79,400 – $101,72060
28Computer Occupations, All Other$83,660
Bachelor's degree
$46,370 – $134,470140
29Network and Computer Systems Administrators$82,750
Bachelor's degree
$55,720 – $128,190280
30Accountants and Auditors$80,360
Bachelor's degree
$58,490 – $130,7401,020
31Computer Programmers$79,270
Bachelor's degree
$51,070 – $133,76050
32Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,040
Associate's degree
$52,420 – $80,38090
33Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,860
Associate's degree
$63,650 – $96,120190
34Health Education Specialists$76,170
Bachelor's degree
$39,970 – $96,98040
35Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$74,040
Associate's degree
$52,460 – $102,35040
36Operations Research Analysts$72,630
Bachelor's degree
$50,170 – $91,300100
37Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$70,200
Associate's degree
$50,030 – $94,32090
38Surgical Technologists$67,220
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,910 – $81,350100
39Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$66,300
Bachelor's degree
$47,410 – $101,48040
40Credit Analysts$65,680
Bachelor's degree
$38,430 – $124,55060
41Logisticians$65,370
Bachelor's degree
$46,610 – $100,510150
42Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,040 – $78,340370
43Business Operations Specialists, All Other$65,170
Bachelor's degree
$45,470 – $104,750260
44Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$65,110
Bachelor's degree
$40,890 – $104,080690
45Massage Therapists$64,360
Postsecondary nondegree award
$20,280 – $119,55060
46Mechanical Drafters$64,320
Associate's degree
$52,350 – $97,94080
47Physical Therapist Assistants$64,240
Associate's degree
$57,610 – $81,99050
48Human Resources Specialists$63,650
Bachelor's degree
$48,190 – $100,280720
49Medical Records Specialists$63,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,520 – $69,210100
50Financial Specialists, All Other$63,450
Bachelor's degree
$40,680 – $87,63040

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

#	Occupation	MedianAppleton, WI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$206,650	$122,410 – $293,050	130
2	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$150,060	$73,610 – $208,390	60
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$144,630	$107,810 – $175,340	190
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,030	$103,710 – $166,400	150
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$128,270	$107,340 – $173,160	120
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$126,390	$76,400 – $384,850	250
7	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,170	$74,320 – $164,250	60
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$105,800	$80,980 – $155,680	100
9	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$103,210	$76,030 – $151,270	90
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$102,970	$67,410 – $164,080	570
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,920	$78,530 – $121,420	180
12	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$101,700	$83,100 – $117,670	80
13	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,670	$73,270 – $129,940	190
14	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,410	$69,060 – $223,310	60
15	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,360	$73,630 – $127,940	270
16	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,290	$60,650 – $130,860	970
17	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$96,680	$83,100 – $124,130	70
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$96,350	$80,820 – $101,250	240
19	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,380	$69,380 – $131,130	440
20	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,880	$60,030 – $140,650	180
21	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$92,590	$66,170 – $129,760	350
22	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,560	$63,660 – $123,950	90
23	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$90,890	$61,060 – $132,280	40
24	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$90,310	$75,130 – $106,600	140
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$86,680	$74,340 – $109,030	2,310
26	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$85,260	$65,020 – $126,600	460
27	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$84,300	$79,400 – $101,720	60
28	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,660	$46,370 – $134,470	140
29	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$82,750	$55,720 – $128,190	280
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$80,360	$58,490 – $130,740	1,020
31	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$79,270	$51,070 – $133,760	50
32	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,040	$52,420 – $80,380	90
33	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,860	$63,650 – $96,120	190
34	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,170	$39,970 – $96,980	40
35	Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,040	$52,460 – $102,350	40
36	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$72,630	$50,170 – $91,300	100
37	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$70,200	$50,030 – $94,320	90
38	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,220	$56,910 – $81,350	100
39	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$66,300	$47,410 – $101,480	40
40	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$65,680	$38,430 – $124,550	60
41	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$65,370	$46,610 – $100,510	150
42	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,300	$50,040 – $78,340	370
43	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$65,170	$45,470 – $104,750	260
44	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,110	$40,890 – $104,080	690
45	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,360	$20,280 – $119,550	60
46	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$64,320	$52,350 – $97,940	80
47	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,240	$57,610 – $81,990	50
48	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,650	$48,190 – $100,280	720
49	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,510	$46,520 – $69,210	100
50	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$63,450	$40,680 – $87,630	40

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

High paying entry level jobs in Appleton, WI

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