High paying entry level jobs in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

These occupations in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY run 4.2% below the national average (2024), so a Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY salary is worth about 1.04× 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

OccupationMedian, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY · Employed

1Dentists, General$178,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,410 – $386,180270
2Pharmacists$137,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,200 – $176,5601,400
3Nurse Practitioners$132,220
Master's degree
$104,470 – $166,3001,190
4Lawyers$130,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,040 – $225,1002,930
5Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$128,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,790 – $213,570270
6Software Developers$127,850
Bachelor's degree
$79,080 – $172,7303,960
7Veterinarians$127,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$92,700 – $203,870230
8Physician Assistants$126,360
Master's degree
$98,820 – $160,8801,040
9Computer Occupations, All Other$104,700
Bachelor's degree
$58,940 – $161,600730
10Data Scientists$102,250
Bachelor's degree
$55,940 – $158,960840
11Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$101,880
Bachelor's degree
$54,990 – $160,980340
12Computer Systems Analysts$101,660
Bachelor's degree
$67,220 – $158,0401,170
13Business Teachers, Postsecondary$101,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,680 – $216,130380
14Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$101,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,240 – $177,090350
15Industrial Engineers$101,260
Bachelor's degree
$75,150 – $142,4201,580
16Project Management Specialists$101,180
Bachelor's degree
$57,260 – $162,8203,050
17Biological Scientists, All Other$100,510
Bachelor's degree
$63,900 – $164,700200
18Engineers, All Other$100,280
Bachelor's degree
$62,040 – $165,890430
19Web and Digital Interface Designers$99,990
Bachelor's degree
$52,240 – $166,980460
20Credit Analysts$99,640
Bachelor's degree
$61,710 – $160,970460
21Operations Research Analysts$99,560
Bachelor's degree
$64,850 – $163,980230
22Registered Nurses$99,060
Bachelor's degree
$78,490 – $117,98013,830
23Electrical Engineers$98,180
Bachelor's degree
$65,800 – $152,500550
24Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$97,310
Associate's degree
$76,280 – $103,700360
25Mechanical Engineers$97,200
Bachelor's degree
$65,460 – $133,170780
26Civil Engineers$97,060
Bachelor's degree
$72,020 – $150,300930
27Financial Risk Specialists$96,980
Bachelor's degree
$62,830 – $154,470470
28Financial and Investment Analysts$96,490
Bachelor's degree
$62,910 – $166,7801,060
29Physical Therapists$95,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,210 – $116,4201,410
30Environmental Engineers$95,740
Bachelor's degree
$64,990 – $141,800260
31Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$94,370
Bachelor's degree
$58,400 – $131,170430
32Computer Programmers$94,260
Bachelor's degree
$69,590 – $125,300430
33Network and Computer Systems Administrators$93,830
Bachelor's degree
$63,880 – $131,720970
34Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$93,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,990 – $167,540210
35Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$89,950
Bachelor's degree
$48,880 – $107,2502,870
36Respiratory Therapists$86,720
Associate's degree
$73,040 – $102,020510
37Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$84,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,660 – $160,760340
38Chemists$84,510
Bachelor's degree
$59,670 – $142,870320
39Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$83,090
Associate's degree
$62,800 – $101,8901,040
40Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$82,480
Master's degree
$52,370 – $167,390450
41Dental Hygienists$82,470
Associate's degree
$62,720 – $98,540760
42Accountants and Auditors$82,120
Bachelor's degree
$56,550 – $135,3704,870
43Occupational Therapists$81,560
Master's degree
$60,560 – $106,620970
44Social Workers, All Other$80,850
Bachelor's degree
$54,840 – $101,940210
45English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$80,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,130 – $173,020360
46Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$80,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,000 – $164,120240
47Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,280
Bachelor's degree
$48,550 – $109,2803,160
48Logisticians$79,060
Bachelor's degree
$59,030 – $117,190500
49Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,210
Associate's degree
$61,320 – $78,210360
50Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,100
Associate's degree
$53,730 – $78,1001,260

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

#	Occupation	MedianBuffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$178,260	$62,410 – $386,180	270
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$137,900	$71,200 – $176,560	1,400
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,220	$104,470 – $166,300	1,190
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$130,800	$72,040 – $225,100	2,930
5	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,920	$61,790 – $213,570	270
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$127,850	$79,080 – $172,730	3,960
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$127,500	$92,700 – $203,870	230
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$126,360	$98,820 – $160,880	1,040
9	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,700	$58,940 – $161,600	730
10	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$102,250	$55,940 – $158,960	840
11	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$101,880	$54,990 – $160,980	340
12	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,660	$67,220 – $158,040	1,170
13	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,430	$52,680 – $216,130	380
14	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,390	$67,240 – $177,090	350
15	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,260	$75,150 – $142,420	1,580
16	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,180	$57,260 – $162,820	3,050
17	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,510	$63,900 – $164,700	200
18	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,280	$62,040 – $165,890	430
19	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$99,990	$52,240 – $166,980	460
20	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,640	$61,710 – $160,970	460
21	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,560	$64,850 – $163,980	230
22	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$99,060	$78,490 – $117,980	13,830
23	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,180	$65,800 – $152,500	550
24	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$97,310	$76,280 – $103,700	360
25	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,200	$65,460 – $133,170	780
26	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,060	$72,020 – $150,300	930
27	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$96,980	$62,830 – $154,470	470
28	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,490	$62,910 – $166,780	1,060
29	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$95,800	$66,210 – $116,420	1,410
30	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,740	$64,990 – $141,800	260
31	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,370	$58,400 – $131,170	430
32	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$94,260	$69,590 – $125,300	430
33	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$93,830	$63,880 – $131,720	970
34	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,160	$52,990 – $167,540	210
35	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$89,950	$48,880 – $107,250	2,870
36	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$86,720	$73,040 – $102,020	510
37	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,660	$52,660 – $160,760	340
38	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$84,510	$59,670 – $142,870	320
39	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$83,090	$62,800 – $101,890	1,040
40	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$82,480	$52,370 – $167,390	450
41	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$82,470	$62,720 – $98,540	760
42	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$82,120	$56,550 – $135,370	4,870
43	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$81,560	$60,560 – $106,620	970
44	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,850	$54,840 – $101,940	210
45	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,680	$52,130 – $173,020	360
46	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,200	$52,000 – $164,120	240
47	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$79,280	$48,550 – $109,280	3,160
48	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$79,060	$59,030 – $117,190	500
49	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,210	$61,320 – $78,210	360
50	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,100	$53,730 – $78,100	1,260

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY. 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

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