High paying entry level jobs in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

These occupations in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA run 7.3% below the national average (2024), so a Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

OccupationMedian, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA · Employed

1Pharmacists$131,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,370 – $158,700170
2Dentists, General$128,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,720 – $295,85040
3Physician Assistants$125,050
Master's degree
$95,590 – $210,24060
4Nurse Practitioners$124,800
Master's degree
$102,570 – $154,490110
5Computer Occupations, All Other$112,820
Bachelor's degree
$54,810 – $167,68090
6Software Developers$111,630
Bachelor's degree
$67,560 – $179,660590
7Engineers, All Other$108,810
Bachelor's degree
$72,430 – $144,640110
8Lawyers$106,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,790 – $213,270130
9Veterinarians$105,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,930 – $204,55060
10Physical Therapists$101,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,100 – $117,840120
11Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$101,510
Bachelor's degree
$64,190 – $131,78060
12Electrical Engineers$100,900
Bachelor's degree
$65,700 – $150,020130
13Occupational Therapists$98,800
Master's degree
$63,760 – $141,99050
14Industrial Engineers$98,480
Bachelor's degree
$70,290 – $131,150420
15Mechanical Engineers$98,400
Bachelor's degree
$56,200 – $132,600170
16Computer Systems Analysts$96,830
Bachelor's degree
$64,370 – $160,630160
17Chemists$96,650
Bachelor's degree
$56,610 – $153,81080
18Dental Hygienists$90,550
Associate's degree
$63,980 – $104,31070
19Data Scientists$89,070
Bachelor's degree
$69,830 – $149,51060
20Network and Computer Systems Administrators$88,390
Bachelor's degree
$60,120 – $124,660140
21Computer Programmers$87,100
Bachelor's degree
$53,700 – $154,41030
22Web Developers$86,680
Bachelor's degree
$55,960 – $131,35050
23Logisticians$86,120
Bachelor's degree
$63,480 – $112,990110
24Financial and Investment Analysts$86,100
Bachelor's degree
$61,360 – $140,27060
25Project Management Specialists$85,070
Bachelor's degree
$59,560 – $147,890380
26Database Administrators$82,320
Bachelor's degree
$51,140 – $147,05050
27Registered Nurses$81,230
Bachelor's degree
$64,660 – $95,3301,330
28Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$81,120
Bachelor's degree
$51,470 – $119,44060
29Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$78,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,140 – $132,420110
30Fundraisers$78,200
Bachelor's degree
$48,720 – $112,020120
31Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,110
Associate's degree
$53,300 – $95,390110
32Accountants and Auditors$74,800
Bachelor's degree
$49,690 – $124,910490
33Commercial and Industrial Designers$74,640
Bachelor's degree
$62,720 – $105,31040
34Physical Therapist Assistants$73,000
Associate's degree
$52,160 – $101,24050
35Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$70,820
Bachelor's degree
$50,070 – $117,41040
36Human Resources Specialists$69,880
Bachelor's degree
$47,170 – $106,550360
37Conservation Scientists$68,560
Bachelor's degree
$55,770 – $102,87030
38Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$66,710
Bachelor's degree
$50,240 – $104,360140
39Coaches and Scouts$65,270
Bachelor's degree
$30,070 – $226,650240
40Public Relations Specialists$65,170
Bachelor's degree
$44,380 – $83,970190
41Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,770
Associate's degree
$46,400 – $85,41030
42Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$62,790
Bachelor's degree
$38,130 – $112,220270
43Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$62,700
Bachelor's degree
$48,690 – $78,130260
44Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$61,580
Master's degree
$48,120 – $82,330340
45Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$61,460
Associate's degree
$48,000 – $81,100150
46Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$61,310
Associate's degree
$49,330 – $79,810150
47Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$61,100
Associate's degree
$46,850 – $76,49070
48Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,880
Bachelor's degree
$48,150 – $95,360480
49Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$60,600
Bachelor's degree
$48,240 – $78,150630
50Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$60,530
Bachelor's degree
$43,310 – $80,88080

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

#	Occupation	MedianBlacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$131,740	$106,370 – $158,700	170
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$128,140	$105,720 – $295,850	40
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$125,050	$95,590 – $210,240	60
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,800	$102,570 – $154,490	110
5	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$112,820	$54,810 – $167,680	90
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$111,630	$67,560 – $179,660	590
7	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$108,810	$72,430 – $144,640	110
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$106,500	$63,790 – $213,270	130
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$105,300	$81,930 – $204,550	60
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,750	$68,100 – $117,840	120
11	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$101,510	$64,190 – $131,780	60
12	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,900	$65,700 – $150,020	130
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,800	$63,760 – $141,990	50
14	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,480	$70,290 – $131,150	420
15	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,400	$56,200 – $132,600	170
16	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,830	$64,370 – $160,630	160
17	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$96,650	$56,610 – $153,810	80
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$90,550	$63,980 – $104,310	70
19	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$89,070	$69,830 – $149,510	60
20	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$88,390	$60,120 – $124,660	140
21	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$87,100	$53,700 – $154,410	30
22	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$86,680	$55,960 – $131,350	50
23	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$86,120	$63,480 – $112,990	110
24	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$86,100	$61,360 – $140,270	60
25	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,070	$59,560 – $147,890	380
26	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$82,320	$51,140 – $147,050	50
27	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,230	$64,660 – $95,330	1,330
28	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,120	$51,470 – $119,440	60
29	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$78,620	$65,140 – $132,420	110
30	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$78,200	$48,720 – $112,020	120
31	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,110	$53,300 – $95,390	110
32	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$74,800	$49,690 – $124,910	490
33	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$74,640	$62,720 – $105,310	40
34	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,000	$52,160 – $101,240	50
35	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$70,820	$50,070 – $117,410	40
36	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$69,880	$47,170 – $106,550	360
37	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$68,560	$55,770 – $102,870	30
38	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,710	$50,240 – $104,360	140
39	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$65,270	$30,070 – $226,650	240
40	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,170	$44,380 – $83,970	190
41	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,770	$46,400 – $85,410	30
42	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,790	$38,130 – $112,220	270
43	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$62,700	$48,690 – $78,130	260
44	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$61,580	$48,120 – $82,330	340
45	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,460	$48,000 – $81,100	150
46	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,310	$49,330 – $79,810	150
47	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$61,100	$46,850 – $76,490	70
48	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,880	$48,150 – $95,360	480
49	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$60,600	$48,240 – $78,150	630
50	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$60,530	$43,310 – $80,880	80

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA. 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

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