High paying entry level jobs in Athens-Clarke County, GA

These occupations in Athens-Clarke County, GA 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 Athens-Clarke County, GA run 6.7% below the national average (2024), so a Athens-Clarke County, GA salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Athens-Clarke County, GA

OccupationMedian, Athens-Clarke County, GA · Employed

1Dentists, General$166,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,040 – $326,26040
2Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$134,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,310 – $172,26060
3Pharmacists$132,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,950 – $162,910330
4Nurse Practitioners$128,140
Master's degree
$90,470 – $162,130240
5Physician Assistants$125,460
Master's degree
$96,720 – $162,240160
6Veterinarians$123,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,630 – $208,940120
7Chemists$117,990
Bachelor's degree
$64,500 – $151,920110
8Microbiologists$112,440
Bachelor's degree
$91,210 – $185,87080
9Software Developers$106,870
Bachelor's degree
$65,400 – $160,670150
10English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$105,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,420 – $142,64060
11Lawyers$105,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,630 – $205,830240
12Physical Therapists$101,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,340 – $129,970150
13Occupational Therapists$101,080
Master's degree
$72,350 – $121,75090
14Electrical Engineers$99,490
Bachelor's degree
$73,300 – $128,87050
15Mechanical Engineers$98,970
Bachelor's degree
$68,820 – $128,27050
16Physical Scientists, All Other$96,820
Bachelor's degree
$40,030 – $170,37040
17Industrial Engineers$91,930
Bachelor's degree
$63,550 – $126,380170
18Database Administrators$91,360
Bachelor's degree
$63,230 – $151,12030
19Financial and Investment Analysts$89,430
Bachelor's degree
$61,270 – $129,99080
20Computer Occupations, All Other$88,610
Bachelor's degree
$47,920 – $152,650100
21Business Teachers, Postsecondary$84,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$39,560 – $139,97070
22Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$83,650
Bachelor's degree
$45,560 – $128,41060
23Biological Scientists, All Other$83,390
Bachelor's degree
$29,310 – $118,71050
24Project Management Specialists$82,430
Bachelor's degree
$46,190 – $134,450250
25Registered Nurses$82,200
Bachelor's degree
$69,310 – $101,2602,400
26Dental Hygienists$81,830
Associate's degree
$64,860 – $93,500130
27Respiratory Therapists$81,730
Associate's degree
$65,820 – $99,50090
28Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$80,820
Associate's degree
$42,910 – $98,80060
29Civil Engineers$76,650
Bachelor's degree
$56,580 – $125,940140
30Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$76,600
Bachelor's degree
$49,710 – $90,0701,360
31Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$76,200
Bachelor's degree
$48,820 – $129,61040
32Data Scientists$76,090
Bachelor's degree
$48,250 – $155,21030
33Accountants and Auditors$75,900
Bachelor's degree
$47,600 – $133,440570
34Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$75,720
Associate's degree
$55,250 – $95,21090
35Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,360
Associate's degree
$50,220 – $94,790210
36Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$75,350
Bachelor's degree
$47,770 – $84,620640
37Network and Computer Systems Administrators$73,430
Bachelor's degree
$57,640 – $116,470110
38Massage Therapists$73,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,880 – $77,88060
39Operations Research Analysts$66,000
Bachelor's degree
$35,390 – $84,28030
40Physical Therapist Assistants$65,910
Associate's degree
$42,420 – $90,24070
41Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$65,810
Bachelor's degree
$37,540 – $136,070420
42Fundraisers$65,500
Bachelor's degree
$41,500 – $85,390130
43Computer Systems Analysts$65,410
Bachelor's degree
$50,030 – $108,99080
44Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$65,210
Bachelor's degree
$46,070 – $80,120320
45Economics Teachers, Postsecondary$64,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$31,650 – $124,33040
46Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$64,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,310 – $91,710210
47Athletic Trainers$64,590
Master's degree
$33,020 – $170,700130
48Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$64,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$40,020 – $82,410100
49Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$64,550
Master's degree
$50,820 – $80,770120
50Biological Technicians$64,360
Bachelor's degree
$49,110 – $83,99060

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

#	Occupation	MedianAthens-Clarke County, GA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$166,440	$64,040 – $326,260	40
2	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$134,370	$83,310 – $172,260	60
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,230	$78,950 – $162,910	330
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,140	$90,470 – $162,130	240
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$125,460	$96,720 – $162,240	160
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$123,320	$61,630 – $208,940	120
7	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$117,990	$64,500 – $151,920	110
8	MicrobiologistsBachelor's degree	$112,440	$91,210 – $185,870	80
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$106,870	$65,400 – $160,670	150
10	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,970	$55,420 – $142,640	60
11	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$105,360	$52,630 – $205,830	240
12	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,570	$75,340 – $129,970	150
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$101,080	$72,350 – $121,750	90
14	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,490	$73,300 – $128,870	50
15	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,970	$68,820 – $128,270	50
16	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,820	$40,030 – $170,370	40
17	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$91,930	$63,550 – $126,380	170
18	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$91,360	$63,230 – $151,120	30
19	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$89,430	$61,270 – $129,990	80
20	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$88,610	$47,920 – $152,650	100
21	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,320	$39,560 – $139,970	70
22	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,650	$45,560 – $128,410	60
23	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,390	$29,310 – $118,710	50
24	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,430	$46,190 – $134,450	250
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$82,200	$69,310 – $101,260	2,400
26	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$81,830	$64,860 – $93,500	130
27	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,730	$65,820 – $99,500	90
28	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,820	$42,910 – $98,800	60
29	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$76,650	$56,580 – $125,940	140
30	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$76,600	$49,710 – $90,070	1,360
31	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$76,200	$48,820 – $129,610	40
32	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$76,090	$48,250 – $155,210	30
33	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,900	$47,600 – $133,440	570
34	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$75,720	$55,250 – $95,210	90
35	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,360	$50,220 – $94,790	210
36	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$75,350	$47,770 – $84,620	640
37	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$73,430	$57,640 – $116,470	110
38	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,330	$42,880 – $77,880	60
39	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$66,000	$35,390 – $84,280	30
40	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,910	$42,420 – $90,240	70
41	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,810	$37,540 – $136,070	420
42	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$65,500	$41,500 – $85,390	130
43	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$65,410	$50,030 – $108,990	80
44	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$65,210	$46,070 – $80,120	320
45	Economics Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$64,870	$31,650 – $124,330	40
46	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$64,650	$51,310 – $91,710	210
47	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$64,590	$33,020 – $170,700	130
48	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$64,580	$40,020 – $82,410	100
49	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$64,550	$50,820 – $80,770	120
50	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$64,360	$49,110 – $83,990	60

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Athens-Clarke County, GA. 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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Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Athens-Clarke County, GA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Athens-Clarke County, GA

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By field in Athens-Clarke County, GA

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