High paying entry level jobs in Cedar Rapids, IA

These occupations in Cedar Rapids, IA 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 Cedar Rapids, IA run 11.0% below the national average (2024), so a Cedar Rapids, IA salary is worth about 1.12× 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 Cedar Rapids, IA

OccupationMedian, Cedar Rapids, IA · Employed

1Dentists, General$175,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$92,960 – $258,760130
2Computer Hardware Engineers$161,160
Bachelor's degree
$70,320 – $267,70060
3Lawyers$137,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,110 – $274,470330
4Pharmacists$133,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,260 – $165,360240
5Nurse Practitioners$129,890
Master's degree
$112,250 – $158,800240
6Physician Assistants$129,680
Master's degree
$102,990 – $196,60080
7Veterinarians$127,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,110 – $168,210100
8Software Developers$114,340
Bachelor's degree
$70,070 – $161,8101,250
9Engineers, All Other$111,080
Bachelor's degree
$54,190 – $201,23050
10Computer Occupations, All Other$106,750
Bachelor's degree
$59,910 – $169,310360
11Electrical Engineers$104,360
Bachelor's degree
$77,030 – $146,760390
12Optometrists$102,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,040 – $166,57050
13Industrial Engineers$99,570
Bachelor's degree
$76,050 – $135,450330
14Data Scientists$99,410
Bachelor's degree
$61,860 – $147,200180
15Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$98,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,220 – $159,13050
16Civil Engineers$95,540
Bachelor's degree
$63,700 – $130,200290
17Physical Therapists$94,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,040 – $121,150220
18Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$94,010
Bachelor's degree
$64,270 – $127,910120
19Project Management Specialists$93,760
Bachelor's degree
$62,400 – $145,250850
20Network and Computer Systems Administrators$93,480
Bachelor's degree
$61,530 – $122,740360
21Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$90,490
Bachelor's degree
$57,670 – $146,68060
22Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$86,800
Bachelor's degree
$55,310 – $133,67050
23Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$86,480
Associate's degree
$79,260 – $106,22070
24Mechanical Engineers$84,630
Bachelor's degree
$68,070 – $134,980350
25Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$84,270
Bachelor's degree
$56,360 – $126,290110
26Financial and Investment Analysts$82,840
Bachelor's degree
$50,630 – $121,220210
27Dental Hygienists$82,270
Associate's degree
$78,350 – $93,010200
28Logisticians$81,810
Bachelor's degree
$60,730 – $122,520270
29Computer Systems Analysts$81,510
Bachelor's degree
$61,360 – $125,440440
30Business Teachers, Postsecondary$81,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,600 – $99,79060
31Chemists$80,510
Bachelor's degree
$66,210 – $147,63070
32Occupational Therapists$79,690
Master's degree
$74,900 – $120,560110
33Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$78,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,920 – $78,830330
34Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$78,500
Master's degree
$46,920 – $97,76070
35Registered Nurses$78,370
Bachelor's degree
$61,940 – $102,2502,880
36Chiropractors$77,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,170 – $96,770130
37Financial Specialists, All Other$77,240
Bachelor's degree
$49,670 – $122,070100
38Accountants and Auditors$77,180
Bachelor's degree
$53,070 – $124,6101,190
39Computer Programmers$76,530
Bachelor's degree
$52,180 – $110,20090
40Web and Digital Interface Designers$74,440
Bachelor's degree
$47,490 – $108,16060
41Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,340
Associate's degree
$47,540 – $92,520120
42Credit Analysts$73,590
Bachelor's degree
$66,530 – $94,88080
43Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$73,550
Associate's degree
$47,670 – $96,940130
44Business Operations Specialists, All Other$72,740
Bachelor's degree
$46,390 – $119,720710
45Respiratory Therapists$66,830
Associate's degree
$62,600 – $80,96070
46Commercial and Industrial Designers$66,400
Bachelor's degree
$51,990 – $91,39050
47Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$64,880
Associate's degree
$53,240 – $83,060230
48Public Relations Specialists$64,620
Bachelor's degree
$42,030 – $108,980220
49Special Education Teachers, Middle School$64,100
Bachelor's degree
$45,460 – $95,080200
50Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$63,630
Bachelor's degree
$39,910 – $122,910960

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

#	Occupation	MedianCedar Rapids, IA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$175,420	$92,960 – $258,760	130
2	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$161,160	$70,320 – $267,700	60
3	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$137,570	$75,110 – $274,470	330
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,520	$122,260 – $165,360	240
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,890	$112,250 – $158,800	240
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$129,680	$102,990 – $196,600	80
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$127,160	$76,110 – $168,210	100
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$114,340	$70,070 – $161,810	1,250
9	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$111,080	$54,190 – $201,230	50
10	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,750	$59,910 – $169,310	360
11	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,360	$77,030 – $146,760	390
12	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,860	$79,040 – $166,570	50
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,570	$76,050 – $135,450	330
14	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$99,410	$61,860 – $147,200	180
15	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,920	$69,220 – $159,130	50
16	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,540	$63,700 – $130,200	290
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$94,520	$65,040 – $121,150	220
18	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,010	$64,270 – $127,910	120
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,760	$62,400 – $145,250	850
20	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$93,480	$61,530 – $122,740	360
21	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$90,490	$57,670 – $146,680	60
22	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$86,800	$55,310 – $133,670	50
23	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$86,480	$79,260 – $106,220	70
24	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,630	$68,070 – $134,980	350
25	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$84,270	$56,360 – $126,290	110
26	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,840	$50,630 – $121,220	210
27	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$82,270	$78,350 – $93,010	200
28	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$81,810	$60,730 – $122,520	270
29	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$81,510	$61,360 – $125,440	440
30	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$81,390	$47,600 – $99,790	60
31	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$80,510	$66,210 – $147,630	70
32	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$79,690	$74,900 – $120,560	110
33	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$78,830	$62,920 – $78,830	330
34	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$78,500	$46,920 – $97,760	70
35	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$78,370	$61,940 – $102,250	2,880
36	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$77,460	$37,170 – $96,770	130
37	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,240	$49,670 – $122,070	100
38	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,180	$53,070 – $124,610	1,190
39	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$76,530	$52,180 – $110,200	90
40	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$74,440	$47,490 – $108,160	60
41	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,340	$47,540 – $92,520	120
42	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$73,590	$66,530 – $94,880	80
43	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,550	$47,670 – $96,940	130
44	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$72,740	$46,390 – $119,720	710
45	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$66,830	$62,600 – $80,960	70
46	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$66,400	$51,990 – $91,390	50
47	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,880	$53,240 – $83,060	230
48	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,620	$42,030 – $108,980	220
49	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,100	$45,460 – $95,080	200
50	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,630	$39,910 – $122,910	960

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Cedar Rapids, IA. 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 Cedar Rapids, IA

Other metro areas in IA

By field in Cedar Rapids, IA

Without a degree

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

High paying entry level jobs in Cedar Rapids, IA

More for Cedar Rapids, IA

Other metro areas in IA

By field in Cedar Rapids, IA

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state