High paying entry level jobs in Bellingham, WA

These occupations in Bellingham, WA 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 Bellingham, WA run 3.3% above the national average (2024), so a Bellingham, WA salary is worth about 0.97× 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 Bellingham, WA

OccupationMedian, Bellingham, WA · Employed

1Dentists, General$168,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,390 – $335,93090
2Physician Assistants$161,260
Master's degree
$113,020 – $202,780120
3Pharmacists$156,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,960 – $204,210140
4Veterinarians$149,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,310 – $220,10080
5Nurse Practitioners$147,890
Master's degree
$106,600 – $169,230150
6Lawyers$131,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,240 – $167,160190
7Software Developers$128,250
Bachelor's degree
$70,110 – $202,090640
8Dental Hygienists$124,850
Associate's degree
$106,770 – $149,680150
9Computer Occupations, All Other$120,540
Bachelor's degree
$67,440 – $156,210140
10Data Scientists$120,180
Bachelor's degree
$71,540 – $195,91040
11Electrical Engineers$119,200
Bachelor's degree
$82,250 – $170,560110
12Database Administrators$111,990
Bachelor's degree
$63,510 – $140,31030
13Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$110,240
Associate's degree
$106,780 – $132,29060
14Civil Engineers$107,790
Bachelor's degree
$80,070 – $155,980220
15Mechanical Engineers$106,580
Bachelor's degree
$78,380 – $171,060180
16Computer Systems Analysts$105,920
Bachelor's degree
$79,910 – $175,810180
17Occupational Therapists$105,020
Master's degree
$75,890 – $128,420100
18Computer Programmers$104,240
Bachelor's degree
$59,260 – $126,23040
19Project Management Specialists$103,400
Bachelor's degree
$62,530 – $164,620660
20Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$103,280
Bachelor's degree
$81,190 – $139,070110
21Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$103,260
Bachelor's degree
$70,010 – $141,130110
22Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$102,160
Bachelor's degree
$64,440 – $128,930430
23Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$101,230
Bachelor's degree
$63,670 – $127,490790
24Special Education Teachers, Middle School$101,120
Bachelor's degree
$72,920 – $129,67050
25Industrial Engineers$100,820
Bachelor's degree
$69,950 – $131,84060
26Network and Computer Systems Administrators$100,520
Bachelor's degree
$67,330 – $130,570190
27Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$100,430
Bachelor's degree
$64,070 – $127,760330
28Urban and Regional Planners$100,050
Master's degree
$67,840 – $112,210110
29Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$98,460
Bachelor's degree
$67,660 – $125,400170
30Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$96,940
Bachelor's degree
$68,250 – $129,60070
31Physical Therapists$96,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,200 – $130,380160
32Business Teachers, Postsecondary$95,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,690 – $197,65080
33Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$95,610
Bachelor's degree
$66,490 – $125,090110
34Financial and Investment Analysts$95,330
Bachelor's degree
$62,280 – $210,70090
35Credit Analysts$92,900
Bachelor's degree
$56,440 – $184,97030
36Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$87,270
Bachelor's degree
$69,510 – $143,650110
37Accountants and Auditors$85,450
Bachelor's degree
$60,880 – $136,830870
38Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$83,810
Master's degree
$65,020 – $130,150100
39Massage Therapists$83,790
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,950 – $115,630140
40Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$82,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,790 – $120,60050
41Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$82,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,110 – $132,27050
42Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,790
Associate's degree
$58,160 – $102,75060
43Sales and Related Workers, All Other$81,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,500 – $106,29040
44English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$79,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,600 – $101,07060
45Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$78,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,550 – $127,30040
46Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$78,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$63,690 – $96,420220
47Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$78,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,800 – $119,60030
48Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$78,250
Bachelor's degree
$58,780 – $99,85040
49Human Resources Specialists$78,160
Bachelor's degree
$55,040 – $123,070430
50Conservation Scientists$77,600
Bachelor's degree
$56,140 – $106,71050

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

#	Occupation	MedianBellingham, WA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$168,030	$86,390 – $335,930	90
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$161,260	$113,020 – $202,780	120
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$156,490	$123,960 – $204,210	140
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$149,760	$103,310 – $220,100	80
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$147,890	$106,600 – $169,230	150
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,480	$81,240 – $167,160	190
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$128,250	$70,110 – $202,090	640
8	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$124,850	$106,770 – $149,680	150
9	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$120,540	$67,440 – $156,210	140
10	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$120,180	$71,540 – $195,910	40
11	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,200	$82,250 – $170,560	110
12	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$111,990	$63,510 – $140,310	30
13	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$110,240	$106,780 – $132,290	60
14	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,790	$80,070 – $155,980	220
15	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,580	$78,380 – $171,060	180
16	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,920	$79,910 – $175,810	180
17	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$105,020	$75,890 – $128,420	100
18	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$104,240	$59,260 – $126,230	40
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,400	$62,530 – $164,620	660
20	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$103,280	$81,190 – $139,070	110
21	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,260	$70,010 – $141,130	110
22	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$102,160	$64,440 – $128,930	430
23	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$101,230	$63,670 – $127,490	790
24	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$101,120	$72,920 – $129,670	50
25	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,820	$69,950 – $131,840	60
26	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$100,520	$67,330 – $130,570	190
27	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$100,430	$64,070 – $127,760	330
28	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$100,050	$67,840 – $112,210	110
29	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$98,460	$67,660 – $125,400	170
30	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$96,940	$68,250 – $129,600	70
31	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$96,450	$74,200 – $130,380	160
32	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$95,630	$48,690 – $197,650	80
33	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$95,610	$66,490 – $125,090	110
34	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,330	$62,280 – $210,700	90
35	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,900	$56,440 – $184,970	30
36	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$87,270	$69,510 – $143,650	110
37	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$85,450	$60,880 – $136,830	870
38	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$83,810	$65,020 – $130,150	100
39	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$83,790	$60,950 – $115,630	140
40	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,810	$62,790 – $120,600	50
41	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,560	$55,110 – $132,270	50
42	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,790	$58,160 – $102,750	60
43	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,120	$44,500 – $106,290	40
44	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,040	$58,600 – $101,070	60
45	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,820	$61,550 – $127,300	40
46	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,740	$63,690 – $96,420	220
47	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,420	$48,800 – $119,600	30
48	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$78,250	$58,780 – $99,850	40
49	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,160	$55,040 – $123,070	430
50	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$77,600	$56,140 – $106,710	50

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

High paying entry level jobs in Bellingham, WA

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