High paying entry level jobs in Boulder, CO

These occupations in Boulder, CO 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 Boulder, CO run 5.2% above the national average (2024), so a Boulder, CO salary is worth about 0.95× 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 Boulder, CO

OccupationMedian, Boulder, CO · Employed

1Dentists, General$180,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,480 – $224,410140
2Computer and Information Research Scientists$169,400
Master's degree
$121,850 – $215,09090
3Aerospace Engineers$167,160
Bachelor's degree
$103,320 – $210,410800
4Software Developers$164,560
Bachelor's degree
$102,880 – $235,6607,130
5Pharmacists$164,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$133,200 – $187,680250
6Computer Hardware Engineers$161,720
Bachelor's degree
$100,390 – $216,650650
7Optometrists$153,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,160 – $214,82060
8Materials Engineers$151,940
Bachelor's degree
$99,880 – $200,310210
9Computer Occupations, All Other$147,590
Bachelor's degree
$79,810 – $207,8101,120
10Statisticians$144,990
Master's degree
$79,310 – $180,500100
11Biochemists and Biophysicists$140,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,210 – $219,170390
12Web and Digital Interface Designers$139,900
Bachelor's degree
$75,850 – $209,470360
13Nurse Practitioners$138,820
Master's degree
$74,510 – $175,700300
14Engineers, All Other$137,530
Bachelor's degree
$85,030 – $211,080580
15Physician Assistants$136,540
Master's degree
$114,090 – $179,920270
16Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$136,410
Bachelor's degree
$84,450 – $194,110500
17Legal Support Workers, All Other$134,890
Associate's degree
$52,280 – $185,10090
18Data Scientists$134,040
Bachelor's degree
$74,640 – $222,940540
19Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$132,230
Bachelor's degree
$99,240 – $197,660590
20Veterinarians$132,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,960 – $215,320180
21Electrical Engineers$130,170
Bachelor's degree
$83,200 – $206,990530
22Dental Hygienists$130,000
Associate's degree
$93,600 – $133,460300
23Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$129,030
Bachelor's degree
$81,010 – $194,180120
24Materials Scientists$126,880
Bachelor's degree
$82,960 – $171,90060
25Chemical Engineers$125,800
Bachelor's degree
$81,780 – $195,190190
26Mechanical Engineers$124,360
Bachelor's degree
$79,480 – $196,7901,130
27Occupational Therapists$123,490
Master's degree
$85,910 – $174,790260
28Project Management Specialists$122,040
Bachelor's degree
$75,140 – $197,0402,920
29Atmospheric and Space Scientists$121,870
Bachelor's degree
$81,170 – $184,040620
30Industrial Engineers$117,160
Bachelor's degree
$83,050 – $164,590960
31Database Administrators$116,250
Bachelor's degree
$53,210 – $165,840110
32Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$114,620
Associate's degree
$99,980 – $136,660160
33Network and Computer Systems Administrators$109,790
Bachelor's degree
$81,070 – $166,050980
34Financial and Investment Analysts$108,080
Bachelor's degree
$64,970 – $161,260570
35Commercial and Industrial Designers$107,990
Bachelor's degree
$39,710 – $156,01080
36Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$107,860
Bachelor's degree
$71,490 – $201,15080
37Chemists$105,590
Bachelor's degree
$61,260 – $165,280500
38Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$104,750
Bachelor's degree
$64,360 – $168,880100
39Physicists$104,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,340 – $195,190860
40Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$103,720
Bachelor's degree
$69,140 – $165,900120
41Environmental Engineers$103,530
Bachelor's degree
$63,830 – $165,80090
42Registered Nurses$103,290
Bachelor's degree
$84,530 – $128,2603,140
43Budget Analysts$102,760
Bachelor's degree
$79,260 – $133,44090
44Mechanical Drafters$102,710
Associate's degree
$71,990 – $161,77060
45Physical Therapists$102,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,950 – $166,490480
46Teachers and Instructors, All Other$102,160
Bachelor's degree
$42,400 – $128,430130
47Urban and Regional Planners$101,710
Master's degree
$68,860 – $137,340110
48Conservation Scientists$101,380
Bachelor's degree
$71,440 – $137,67070
49Logisticians$100,680
Bachelor's degree
$62,700 – $163,530420
50Cartographers and Photogrammetrists$100,120
Bachelor's degree
$66,350 – $130,51080

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

#	Occupation	MedianBoulder, CO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$180,440	$86,480 – $224,410	140
2	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$169,400	$121,850 – $215,090	90
3	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$167,160	$103,320 – $210,410	800
4	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$164,560	$102,880 – $235,660	7,130
5	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$164,240	$133,200 – $187,680	250
6	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$161,720	$100,390 – $216,650	650
7	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$153,500	$85,160 – $214,820	60
8	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$151,940	$99,880 – $200,310	210
9	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$147,590	$79,810 – $207,810	1,120
10	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$144,990	$79,310 – $180,500	100
11	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,710	$84,210 – $219,170	390
12	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$139,900	$75,850 – $209,470	360
13	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$138,820	$74,510 – $175,700	300
14	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$137,530	$85,030 – $211,080	580
15	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$136,540	$114,090 – $179,920	270
16	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$136,410	$84,450 – $194,110	500
17	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$134,890	$52,280 – $185,100	90
18	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$134,040	$74,640 – $222,940	540
19	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$132,230	$99,240 – $197,660	590
20	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$132,020	$83,960 – $215,320	180
21	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,170	$83,200 – $206,990	530
22	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$130,000	$93,600 – $133,460	300
23	Bioengineers and Biomedical EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,030	$81,010 – $194,180	120
24	Materials ScientistsBachelor's degree	$126,880	$82,960 – $171,900	60
25	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$125,800	$81,780 – $195,190	190
26	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,360	$79,480 – $196,790	1,130
27	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$123,490	$85,910 – $174,790	260
28	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$122,040	$75,140 – $197,040	2,920
29	Atmospheric and Space ScientistsBachelor's degree	$121,870	$81,170 – $184,040	620
30	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,160	$83,050 – $164,590	960
31	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$116,250	$53,210 – $165,840	110
32	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$114,620	$99,980 – $136,660	160
33	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$109,790	$81,070 – $166,050	980
34	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$108,080	$64,970 – $161,260	570
35	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$107,990	$39,710 – $156,010	80
36	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$107,860	$71,490 – $201,150	80
37	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$105,590	$61,260 – $165,280	500
38	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,750	$64,360 – $168,880	100
39	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$104,580	$82,340 – $195,190	860
40	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,720	$69,140 – $165,900	120
41	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,530	$63,830 – $165,800	90
42	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$103,290	$84,530 – $128,260	3,140
43	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,760	$79,260 – $133,440	90
44	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$102,710	$71,990 – $161,770	60
45	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,430	$77,950 – $166,490	480
46	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$102,160	$42,400 – $128,430	130
47	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$101,710	$68,860 – $137,340	110
48	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$101,380	$71,440 – $137,670	70
49	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$100,680	$62,700 – $163,530	420
50	Cartographers and PhotogrammetristsBachelor's degree	$100,120	$66,350 – $130,510	80

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Boulder, CO. 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.

More for Boulder, CO

Other metro areas in CO

By field in Boulder, CO

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Boulder, CO to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Boulder, CO

More for Boulder, CO

Other metro areas in CO

By field in Boulder, CO

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state