High paying entry level jobs in Asheville, NC

These occupations in Asheville, NC 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 Asheville, NC run 3.5% below the national average (2024), so a Asheville, NC salary is worth about 1.04× 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 Asheville, NC

OccupationMedian, Asheville, NC · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$223,630
Master's degree
$124,100 – $289,380150
2Dentists, General$202,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,490 – $326,970140
3Pharmacists$136,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,810 – $164,260520
4Software Developers$134,350
Bachelor's degree
$83,370 – $215,750780
5Physician Assistants$131,260
Master's degree
$102,420 – $174,370460
6Veterinarians$130,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,990 – $209,340190
7Nurse Practitioners$127,770
Master's degree
$102,000 – $161,030520
8Electrical Engineers$123,480
Bachelor's degree
$73,190 – $149,140300
9Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$114,510
Bachelor's degree
$64,230 – $163,440100
10Mechanical Engineers$108,630
Bachelor's degree
$77,510 – $217,230330
11Lawyers$105,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,270 – $227,540470
12Dental Hygienists$101,170
Associate's degree
$81,440 – $107,230300
13Physical Scientists, All Other$100,690
Bachelor's degree
$62,320 – $161,89070
14Industrial Engineers$100,490
Bachelor's degree
$76,120 – $126,060500
15Civil Engineers$100,170
Bachelor's degree
$70,050 – $157,990400
16Physical Therapists$99,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,540 – $127,300300
17Computer Occupations, All Other$99,350
Bachelor's degree
$45,710 – $162,580310
18Data Scientists$97,690
Bachelor's degree
$53,860 – $165,830130
19Project Management Specialists$97,470
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $136,270950
20Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$96,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,070 – $224,11060
21Network and Computer Systems Administrators$95,230
Bachelor's degree
$57,580 – $141,710370
22Social Workers, All Other$94,930
Bachelor's degree
$46,400 – $132,140130
23Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$91,240
Bachelor's degree
$77,650 – $121,790110
24Computer Systems Analysts$89,400
Bachelor's degree
$65,280 – $150,730300
25Occupational Therapists$83,660
Master's degree
$65,190 – $109,300210
26Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$81,920
Associate's degree
$66,700 – $99,930120
27Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$81,740
Bachelor's degree
$54,070 – $122,520140
28Registered Nurses$81,590
Bachelor's degree
$65,100 – $118,3304,680
29Respiratory Therapists$81,550
Associate's degree
$66,620 – $92,960150
30Web and Digital Interface Designers$80,530
Bachelor's degree
$55,060 – $175,57060
31Accountants and Auditors$80,400
Bachelor's degree
$51,740 – $130,8701,540
32Logisticians$79,700
Bachelor's degree
$53,400 – $115,210180
33Web Developers$79,530
Bachelor's degree
$53,190 – $120,30060
34Financial Specialists, All Other$78,790
Bachelor's degree
$62,360 – $119,430120
35Urban and Regional Planners$77,950
Master's degree
$62,290 – $105,39080
36Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$76,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$29,060 – $125,880110
37Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$72,960
Bachelor's degree
$51,960 – $133,470190
38Occupational Therapy Assistants$72,840
Associate's degree
$55,550 – $81,45070
39Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$72,680
Associate's degree
$58,860 – $93,120410
40Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$72,440
Associate's degree
$48,510 – $105,76070
41Human Resources Specialists$70,210
Bachelor's degree
$46,480 – $115,920910
42Business Operations Specialists, All Other$66,720
Bachelor's degree
$46,960 – $115,2101,170
43Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,280 – $75,070860
44Surgical Technologists$65,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,720 – $82,430160
45Fundraisers$65,440
Bachelor's degree
$47,700 – $108,850200
46Conservation Scientists$65,170
Bachelor's degree
$50,020 – $115,92060
47Business Teachers, Postsecondary$64,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$29,680 – $136,710130
48Physical Therapist Assistants$63,860
Associate's degree
$44,150 – $77,780140
49Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$63,760
Bachelor's degree
$42,680 – $121,390850
50Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,620
Associate's degree
$49,730 – $92,580130

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

#	Occupation	MedianAsheville, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$223,630	$124,100 – $289,380	150
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$202,630	$70,490 – $326,970	140
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,460	$110,810 – $164,260	520
4	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$134,350	$83,370 – $215,750	780
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,260	$102,420 – $174,370	460
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,330	$35,990 – $209,340	190
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,770	$102,000 – $161,030	520
8	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$123,480	$73,190 – $149,140	300
9	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$114,510	$64,230 – $163,440	100
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,630	$77,510 – $217,230	330
11	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$105,480	$67,270 – $227,540	470
12	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$101,170	$81,440 – $107,230	300
13	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,690	$62,320 – $161,890	70
14	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,490	$76,120 – $126,060	500
15	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,170	$70,050 – $157,990	400
16	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,480	$76,540 – $127,300	300
17	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,350	$45,710 – $162,580	310
18	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$97,690	$53,860 – $165,830	130
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,470	$59,990 – $136,270	950
20	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$96,510	$56,070 – $224,110	60
21	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$95,230	$57,580 – $141,710	370
22	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,930	$46,400 – $132,140	130
23	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$91,240	$77,650 – $121,790	110
24	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$89,400	$65,280 – $150,730	300
25	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$83,660	$65,190 – $109,300	210
26	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$81,920	$66,700 – $99,930	120
27	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,740	$54,070 – $122,520	140
28	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,590	$65,100 – $118,330	4,680
29	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,550	$66,620 – $92,960	150
30	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$80,530	$55,060 – $175,570	60
31	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$80,400	$51,740 – $130,870	1,540
32	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$79,700	$53,400 – $115,210	180
33	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$79,530	$53,190 – $120,300	60
34	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,790	$62,360 – $119,430	120
35	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$77,950	$62,290 – $105,390	80
36	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$76,230	$29,060 – $125,880	110
37	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$72,960	$51,960 – $133,470	190
38	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,840	$55,550 – $81,450	70
39	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,680	$58,860 – $93,120	410
40	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,440	$48,510 – $105,760	70
41	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,210	$46,480 – $115,920	910
42	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,720	$46,960 – $115,210	1,170
43	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,470	$50,280 – $75,070	860
44	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,450	$43,720 – $82,430	160
45	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$65,440	$47,700 – $108,850	200
46	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$65,170	$50,020 – $115,920	60
47	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$64,260	$29,680 – $136,710	130
48	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,860	$44,150 – $77,780	140
49	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,760	$42,680 – $121,390	850
50	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,620	$49,730 – $92,580	130

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

High paying entry level jobs in Asheville, NC

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