High paying entry level jobs in Burlington, NC

These occupations in Burlington, NC 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 Burlington, NC run 6.8% below the national average (2024), so a Burlington, NC salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Burlington, NC

OccupationMedian, Burlington, NC · Employed

1Dentists, General$166,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,600 – $318,38060
2Nurse Practitioners$131,980
Master's degree
$106,960 – $163,10080
3Pharmacists$130,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,970 – $165,690120
4Veterinarians$129,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,720 – $205,87040
5Software Developers$127,570
Bachelor's degree
$80,680 – $171,700270
6Electrical Engineers$119,650
Bachelor's degree
$77,640 – $170,91030
7Computer Systems Analysts$118,590
Bachelor's degree
$72,600 – $157,520100
8Physician Assistants$113,200
Master's degree
$102,240 – $137,06050
9Lawyers$102,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,710 – $212,790100
10Physical Therapists$101,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,980 – $129,370100
11Civil Engineers$100,220
Bachelor's degree
$65,920 – $153,64040
12Dental Hygienists$97,210
Associate's degree
$80,100 – $102,800100
13Data Scientists$96,300
Bachelor's degree
$55,010 – $160,41080
14Industrial Engineers$95,870
Bachelor's degree
$65,410 – $126,920190
15Mechanical Engineers$95,870
Bachelor's degree
$67,960 – $128,72080
16Network and Computer Systems Administrators$87,660
Bachelor's degree
$58,240 – $140,69080
17Registered Nurses$84,180
Bachelor's degree
$67,710 – $124,0501,080
18Computer Occupations, All Other$84,030
Bachelor's degree
$49,090 – $153,540100
19Project Management Specialists$83,370
Bachelor's degree
$55,090 – $148,580250
20Occupational Therapists$82,640
Master's degree
$49,290 – $115,27080
21Financial and Investment Analysts$82,530
Bachelor's degree
$49,070 – $125,27080
22Accountants and Auditors$80,320
Bachelor's degree
$51,830 – $130,460430
23Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,550
Associate's degree
$48,620 – $94,220120
24Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$79,430
Bachelor's degree
$53,620 – $121,47060
25Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$77,860
Bachelor's degree
$42,490 – $129,690300
26Interior Designers$77,590
Bachelor's degree
$32,060 – $90,19030
27Physical Therapist Assistants$76,010
Associate's degree
$60,130 – $81,86040
28Logisticians$75,500
Bachelor's degree
$50,000 – $129,58070
29Business Operations Specialists, All Other$74,820
Bachelor's degree
$47,960 – $124,950290
30Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$73,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,080 – $152,830120
31Human Resources Specialists$69,500
Bachelor's degree
$47,930 – $123,640280
32Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,740
Associate's degree
$49,100 – $90,63030
33Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,580 – $77,970260
34Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$61,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,100 – $78,17030
35Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$61,210
Master's degree
$46,140 – $79,90060
36Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$59,190
Master's degree
$37,750 – $73,680190
37Public Relations Specialists$59,150
Bachelor's degree
$34,610 – $97,81090
38Special Education Teachers, Middle School$58,970
Bachelor's degree
$45,590 – $63,53070
39Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$58,310
Associate's degree
$41,600 – $71,47040
40Fundraisers$57,990
Bachelor's degree
$46,360 – $97,94060
41Graphic Designers$56,990
Bachelor's degree
$39,780 – $92,38070
42Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners$56,820
Bachelor's degree
$31,310 – $88,76050
43Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$56,740
Bachelor's degree
$46,490 – $61,630670
44Child, Family, and School Social Workers$56,480
Bachelor's degree
$43,750 – $66,920150
45Biological Technicians$53,980
Bachelor's degree
$39,050 – $80,10050
46Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$53,920
Bachelor's degree
$43,780 – $61,43070
47Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$52,460
Bachelor's degree
$39,570 – $61,49050
48Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$51,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,010 – $73,76050
49Paralegals and Legal Assistants$51,620
Associate's degree
$37,440 – $71,240110
50Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$51,000
Bachelor's degree
$36,540 – $80,9101,820

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

#	Occupation	MedianBurlington, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$166,330	$111,600 – $318,380	60
2	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$131,980	$106,960 – $163,100	80
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$130,730	$65,970 – $165,690	120
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$129,800	$70,720 – $205,870	40
5	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$127,570	$80,680 – $171,700	270
6	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,650	$77,640 – $170,910	30
7	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$118,590	$72,600 – $157,520	100
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$113,200	$102,240 – $137,060	50
9	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$102,120	$49,710 – $212,790	100
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,120	$74,980 – $129,370	100
11	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,220	$65,920 – $153,640	40
12	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$97,210	$80,100 – $102,800	100
13	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$96,300	$55,010 – $160,410	80
14	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,870	$65,410 – $126,920	190
15	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,870	$67,960 – $128,720	80
16	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$87,660	$58,240 – $140,690	80
17	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$84,180	$67,710 – $124,050	1,080
18	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,030	$49,090 – $153,540	100
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,370	$55,090 – $148,580	250
20	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$82,640	$49,290 – $115,270	80
21	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,530	$49,070 – $125,270	80
22	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$80,320	$51,830 – $130,460	430
23	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,550	$48,620 – $94,220	120
24	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,430	$53,620 – $121,470	60
25	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,860	$42,490 – $129,690	300
26	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$77,590	$32,060 – $90,190	30
27	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$76,010	$60,130 – $81,860	40
28	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$75,500	$50,000 – $129,580	70
29	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$74,820	$47,960 – $124,950	290
30	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$73,650	$54,080 – $152,830	120
31	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$69,500	$47,930 – $123,640	280
32	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,740	$49,100 – $90,630	30
33	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,450	$56,580 – $77,970	260
34	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$61,980	$50,100 – $78,170	30
35	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$61,210	$46,140 – $79,900	60
36	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$59,190	$37,750 – $73,680	190
37	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$59,150	$34,610 – $97,810	90
38	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$58,970	$45,590 – $63,530	70
39	Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$58,310	$41,600 – $71,470	40
40	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$57,990	$46,360 – $97,940	60
41	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$56,990	$39,780 – $92,380	70
42	Meeting, Convention, and Event PlannersBachelor's degree	$56,820	$31,310 – $88,760	50
43	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$56,740	$46,490 – $61,630	670
44	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$56,480	$43,750 – $66,920	150
45	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$53,980	$39,050 – $80,100	50
46	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$53,920	$43,780 – $61,430	70
47	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$52,460	$39,570 – $61,490	50
48	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,640	$39,010 – $73,760	50
49	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$51,620	$37,440 – $71,240	110
50	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$51,000	$36,540 – $80,910	1,820

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

High paying entry level jobs in Burlington, NC

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