High paying entry level jobs in Charlottesville, VA

These occupations in Charlottesville, 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 Charlottesville, VA run 0.9% below the national average (2024), so a Charlottesville, VA salary is worth about 1.01× 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 Charlottesville, VA

OccupationMedian, Charlottesville, VA · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$241,460
Master's degree
$187,730 – $310,60060
2Dentists, General$162,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$121,330 – $293,190130
3Engineers, All Other$153,340
Bachelor's degree
$101,340 – $190,84050
4Lawyers$149,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,770 – $289,550390
5Physicists$148,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,920 – $229,57050
6Computer Occupations, All Other$144,580
Bachelor's degree
$67,850 – $185,950220
7Physical Scientists, All Other$144,580
Bachelor's degree
$98,520 – $185,950100
8Computer and Information Research Scientists$144,580
Master's degree
$93,190 – $220,32040
9Nurse Practitioners$142,950
Master's degree
$111,560 – $185,920480
10Pharmacists$142,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$130,800 – $182,400320
11Legal Support Workers, All Other$139,240
Associate's degree
$60,860 – $195,19040
12Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$135,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,130 – $219,130130
13Physician Assistants$133,540
Master's degree
$115,330 – $164,880130
14Software Developers$128,520
Bachelor's degree
$81,200 – $196,2401,390
15Veterinarians$127,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,620 – $220,28090
16Electrical Engineers$122,600
Bachelor's degree
$86,120 – $175,000110
17Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$119,430
Bachelor's degree
$66,240 – $149,430350
18Computer Hardware Engineers$113,510
Bachelor's degree
$87,210 – $177,81040
19Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$111,060
Bachelor's degree
$76,160 – $161,150130
20Computer Systems Analysts$110,290
Bachelor's degree
$68,740 – $133,940450
21Dental Hygienists$107,690
Associate's degree
$96,940 – $130,120120
22Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$106,980
Bachelor's degree
$72,330 – $170,850110
23Mechanical Engineers$106,130
Bachelor's degree
$67,660 – $166,480170
24Financial and Investment Analysts$105,210
Bachelor's degree
$74,560 – $177,500180
25Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$104,570
Master's degree
$56,490 – $132,440200
26Physical Therapists$102,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,310 – $132,050260
27Web Developers$101,210
Bachelor's degree
$69,030 – $154,010130
28Occupational Therapists$100,930
Master's degree
$79,650 – $129,180140
29Network and Computer Systems Administrators$100,270
Bachelor's degree
$63,250 – $159,140220
30Industrial Engineers$99,560
Bachelor's degree
$78,230 – $141,280120
31Registered Nurses$99,320
Bachelor's degree
$67,830 – $142,5603,040
32Project Management Specialists$97,680
Bachelor's degree
$62,880 – $162,9001,010
33Database Administrators$93,500
Bachelor's degree
$59,290 – $138,160100
34Operations Research Analysts$93,290
Bachelor's degree
$62,010 – $170,85040
35Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$88,700
Associate's degree
$68,820 – $138,450100
36Chemists$87,260
Bachelor's degree
$53,310 – $167,56090
37Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$87,080
Bachelor's degree
$70,260 – $135,62050
38Respiratory Therapists$86,720
Associate's degree
$67,860 – $99,820120
39Budget Analysts$86,390
Bachelor's degree
$65,340 – $126,44050
40Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$85,170
Bachelor's degree
$49,560 – $137,98080
41Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$84,430
Master's degree
$47,230 – $107,600250
42Financial Specialists, All Other$83,230
Bachelor's degree
$60,650 – $103,800200
43Human Resources Specialists$82,430
Bachelor's degree
$48,880 – $137,200610
44Accountants and Auditors$81,530
Bachelor's degree
$59,030 – $130,0001,100
45Occupational Therapy Assistants$79,770
Associate's degree
$62,450 – $84,09040
46Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,560
Associate's degree
$58,920 – $109,550200
47Logisticians$79,450
Bachelor's degree
$56,480 – $125,130100
48Urban and Regional Planners$78,780
Master's degree
$55,350 – $111,06060
49Fundraisers$78,610
Bachelor's degree
$46,950 – $123,680270
50Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$77,850
Bachelor's degree
$48,240 – $129,33060

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

#	Occupation	MedianCharlottesville, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$241,460	$187,730 – $310,600	60
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$162,400	$121,330 – $293,190	130
3	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$153,340	$101,340 – $190,840	50
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$149,430	$75,770 – $289,550	390
5	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$148,950	$86,920 – $229,570	50
6	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$144,580	$67,850 – $185,950	220
7	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$144,580	$98,520 – $185,950	100
8	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$144,580	$93,190 – $220,320	40
9	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$142,950	$111,560 – $185,920	480
10	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,220	$130,800 – $182,400	320
11	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$139,240	$60,860 – $195,190	40
12	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$135,930	$77,130 – $219,130	130
13	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,540	$115,330 – $164,880	130
14	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$128,520	$81,200 – $196,240	1,390
15	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$127,460	$57,620 – $220,280	90
16	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$122,600	$86,120 – $175,000	110
17	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$119,430	$66,240 – $149,430	350
18	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$113,510	$87,210 – $177,810	40
19	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$111,060	$76,160 – $161,150	130
20	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$110,290	$68,740 – $133,940	450
21	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$107,690	$96,940 – $130,120	120
22	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$106,980	$72,330 – $170,850	110
23	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,130	$67,660 – $166,480	170
24	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,210	$74,560 – $177,500	180
25	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$104,570	$56,490 – $132,440	200
26	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,400	$78,310 – $132,050	260
27	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$101,210	$69,030 – $154,010	130
28	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$100,930	$79,650 – $129,180	140
29	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$100,270	$63,250 – $159,140	220
30	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,560	$78,230 – $141,280	120
31	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$99,320	$67,830 – $142,560	3,040
32	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,680	$62,880 – $162,900	1,010
33	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$93,500	$59,290 – $138,160	100
34	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,290	$62,010 – $170,850	40
35	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$88,700	$68,820 – $138,450	100
36	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$87,260	$53,310 – $167,560	90
37	Bioengineers and Biomedical EngineersBachelor's degree	$87,080	$70,260 – $135,620	50
38	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$86,720	$67,860 – $99,820	120
39	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$86,390	$65,340 – $126,440	50
40	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,170	$49,560 – $137,980	80
41	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$84,430	$47,230 – $107,600	250
42	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,230	$60,650 – $103,800	200
43	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,430	$48,880 – $137,200	610
44	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$81,530	$59,030 – $130,000	1,100
45	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$79,770	$62,450 – $84,090	40
46	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,560	$58,920 – $109,550	200
47	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$79,450	$56,480 – $125,130	100
48	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$78,780	$55,350 – $111,060	60
49	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$78,610	$46,950 – $123,680	270
50	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$77,850	$48,240 – $129,330	60

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

High paying entry level jobs in Charlottesville, VA

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