High paying entry level jobs in Bakersfield-Delano, CA

These occupations in Bakersfield-Delano, CA 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA run 0.9% above the national average (2024), so a Bakersfield-Delano, CA salary is worth about 0.99× 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA

OccupationMedian, Bakersfield-Delano, CA · Employed

1Physician Assistants$198,070
Master's degree
$126,200 – $219,990350
2Dentists, General$172,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,850 – $346,300220
3Nurse Practitioners$165,580
Master's degree
$106,710 – $205,450430
4Pharmacists$161,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$125,170 – $200,850600
5Lawyers$150,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,490 – $245,020610
6Petroleum Engineers$147,440
Bachelor's degree
$53,730 – $195,520160
7Engineers, All Other$139,980
Bachelor's degree
$53,440 – $195,190670
8Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$132,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,520 – $155,420190
9Software Developers$130,330
Bachelor's degree
$88,670 – $203,810740
10Registered Nurses$128,810
Bachelor's degree
$87,760 – $162,0205,620
11Aerospace Engineers$128,720
Bachelor's degree
$93,230 – $188,720700
12Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$127,340
Bachelor's degree
$100,340 – $178,380580
13Electrical Engineers$126,960
Bachelor's degree
$86,610 – $163,720460
14Computer Hardware Engineers$126,460
Bachelor's degree
$88,880 – $159,700160
15Physical Therapists$125,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,300 – $156,370310
16Occupational Therapists$123,200
Master's degree
$79,590 – $156,000170
17Mechanical Engineers$119,790
Bachelor's degree
$78,490 – $171,540560
18Computer and Information Research Scientists$116,650
Master's degree
$87,760 – $159,700490
19Dental Hygienists$114,380
Associate's degree
$97,090 – $121,280340
20Computer Occupations, All Other$110,180
Bachelor's degree
$58,100 – $159,7001,080
21Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$108,990
Associate's degree
$69,040 – $154,150180
22Industrial Engineers$104,700
Bachelor's degree
$71,320 – $155,100280
23Project Management Specialists$104,580
Bachelor's degree
$62,120 – $159,9701,410
24Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$103,170
Associate's degree
$77,710 – $138,360540
25Respiratory Therapists$102,760
Associate's degree
$69,810 – $125,770370
26Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$101,770
Associate's degree
$52,680 – $135,140610
27Financial and Investment Analysts$101,230
Bachelor's degree
$69,220 – $152,990190
28Network and Computer Systems Administrators$100,730
Bachelor's degree
$70,120 – $129,530330
29Computer Systems Analysts$100,400
Bachelor's degree
$63,040 – $150,540490
30Civil Engineers$99,300
Bachelor's degree
$75,580 – $163,180870
31Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$99,210
Associate's degree
$68,790 – $124,790450
32Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$99,150
Bachelor's degree
$63,350 – $125,1703,300
33Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$97,700
Master's degree
$49,870 – $129,030830
34Chemists$97,570
Bachelor's degree
$59,070 – $159,700190
35Teachers and Instructors, All Other$96,820
Bachelor's degree
$45,810 – $124,450510
36Logisticians$95,470
Bachelor's degree
$61,550 – $148,670520
37Business Operations Specialists, All Other$95,000
Bachelor's degree
$48,890 – $149,1602,740
38Financial Specialists, All Other$93,840
Bachelor's degree
$48,990 – $152,190360
39Data Scientists$92,200
Bachelor's degree
$65,840 – $158,350200
40Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$91,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,630 – $116,690710
41Budget Analysts$86,200
Bachelor's degree
$60,170 – $130,480110
42Physical Therapist Assistants$84,100
Associate's degree
$63,560 – $105,560150
43Urban and Regional Planners$83,410
Master's degree
$64,340 – $129,510110
44Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$83,290
Bachelor's degree
$48,900 – $162,050180
45Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$82,720
Bachelor's degree
$51,650 – $136,580490
46Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$80,640
Bachelor's degree
$46,500 – $143,330220
47Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$79,900
Bachelor's degree
$61,230 – $118,5804,540
48Accountants and Auditors$79,620
Bachelor's degree
$55,090 – $133,8101,870
49Social Workers, All Other$79,310
Bachelor's degree
$49,730 – $107,370150
50Surgical Technologists$78,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,730 – $94,270240

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

#	Occupation	MedianBakersfield-Delano, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$198,070	$126,200 – $219,990	350
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$172,120	$99,850 – $346,300	220
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$165,580	$106,710 – $205,450	430
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$161,930	$125,170 – $200,850	600
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$150,900	$77,490 – $245,020	610
6	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$147,440	$53,730 – $195,520	160
7	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$139,980	$53,440 – $195,190	670
8	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,110	$103,520 – $155,420	190
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$130,330	$88,670 – $203,810	740
10	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$128,810	$87,760 – $162,020	5,620
11	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,720	$93,230 – $188,720	700
12	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$127,340	$100,340 – $178,380	580
13	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$126,960	$86,610 – $163,720	460
14	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$126,460	$88,880 – $159,700	160
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$125,490	$98,300 – $156,370	310
16	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$123,200	$79,590 – $156,000	170
17	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,790	$78,490 – $171,540	560
18	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$116,650	$87,760 – $159,700	490
19	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$114,380	$97,090 – $121,280	340
20	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,180	$58,100 – $159,700	1,080
21	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$108,990	$69,040 – $154,150	180
22	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,700	$71,320 – $155,100	280
23	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,580	$62,120 – $159,970	1,410
24	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$103,170	$77,710 – $138,360	540
25	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$102,760	$69,810 – $125,770	370
26	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$101,770	$52,680 – $135,140	610
27	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,230	$69,220 – $152,990	190
28	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$100,730	$70,120 – $129,530	330
29	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$100,400	$63,040 – $150,540	490
30	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,300	$75,580 – $163,180	870
31	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$99,210	$68,790 – $124,790	450
32	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$99,150	$63,350 – $125,170	3,300
33	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$97,700	$49,870 – $129,030	830
34	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$97,570	$59,070 – $159,700	190
35	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,820	$45,810 – $124,450	510
36	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$95,470	$61,550 – $148,670	520
37	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,000	$48,890 – $149,160	2,740
38	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$93,840	$48,990 – $152,190	360
39	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$92,200	$65,840 – $158,350	200
40	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$91,750	$57,630 – $116,690	710
41	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$86,200	$60,170 – $130,480	110
42	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$84,100	$63,560 – $105,560	150
43	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$83,410	$64,340 – $129,510	110
44	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$83,290	$48,900 – $162,050	180
45	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,720	$51,650 – $136,580	490
46	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$80,640	$46,500 – $143,330	220
47	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,900	$61,230 – $118,580	4,540
48	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$79,620	$55,090 – $133,810	1,870
49	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,310	$49,730 – $107,370	150
50	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,470	$50,730 – $94,270	240

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA. 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Bakersfield-Delano, CA

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