High paying entry level jobs in Chattanooga, TN-GA

These occupations in Chattanooga, TN-GA 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA run 8.5% below the national average (2024), so a Chattanooga, TN-GA salary is worth about 1.09× 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA

OccupationMedian, Chattanooga, TN-GA · Employed

1Dentists, General$160,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,650 – $299,990190
2Lawyers$147,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,000 – $355,460740
3Nuclear Engineers$146,850
Bachelor's degree
$112,760 – $280,220100
4Pharmacists$132,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,520 – $168,280750
5Veterinarians$125,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,630 – $171,480190
6Electrical Engineers$123,840
Bachelor's degree
$81,120 – $163,280440
7Physician Assistants$121,600
Master's degree
$99,530 – $140,790180
8Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$119,180
Bachelor's degree
$97,390 – $145,890110
9Nurse Practitioners$116,480
Master's degree
$96,480 – $132,4001,000
10Software Developers$106,750
Bachelor's degree
$64,230 – $163,130990
11Mechanical Engineers$106,660
Bachelor's degree
$75,880 – $157,030510
12Engineers, All Other$101,200
Bachelor's degree
$52,210 – $165,630320
13Industrial Engineers$99,410
Bachelor's degree
$75,380 – $143,000930
14Physical Therapists$99,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,210 – $125,410520
15Business Teachers, Postsecondary$97,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$36,300 – $209,090100
16Occupational Therapists$95,960
Master's degree
$58,450 – $114,340290
17Civil Engineers$95,630
Bachelor's degree
$64,290 – $162,550670
18Computer Systems Analysts$93,350
Bachelor's degree
$59,530 – $142,040710
19Network and Computer Systems Administrators$92,550
Bachelor's degree
$58,500 – $135,220330
20Data Scientists$91,340
Bachelor's degree
$58,960 – $134,480200
21Financial and Investment Analysts$90,320
Bachelor's degree
$48,010 – $143,430310
22Project Management Specialists$87,240
Bachelor's degree
$56,450 – $149,4301,750
23Dental Hygienists$83,460
Associate's degree
$62,780 – $97,510460
24Database Administrators$83,260
Bachelor's degree
$55,140 – $147,390110
25Budget Analysts$81,880
Bachelor's degree
$65,710 – $123,59090
26Registered Nurses$79,770
Bachelor's degree
$65,150 – $102,9306,460
27Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$78,670
Associate's degree
$63,620 – $99,350190
28Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$77,700
Associate's degree
$39,200 – $99,470110
29Surgical Assistants$77,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,500 – $109,580110
30Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$76,840
Bachelor's degree
$50,900 – $133,18090
31Accountants and Auditors$76,680
Bachelor's degree
$50,220 – $125,0501,940
32Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$74,470
Bachelor's degree
$47,020 – $115,270230
33Financial Specialists, All Other$74,360
Bachelor's degree
$43,650 – $157,850150
34Respiratory Therapists$74,350
Associate's degree
$63,480 – $81,230370
35Logisticians$73,680
Bachelor's degree
$44,500 – $125,890370
36Business Operations Specialists, All Other$69,240
Bachelor's degree
$42,950 – $135,000980
37Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,480
Associate's degree
$36,710 – $98,550170
38Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$66,460
Bachelor's degree
$38,310 – $123,440990
39Public Relations Specialists$66,370
Bachelor's degree
$38,250 – $99,260330
40Computer Occupations, All Other$65,230
Bachelor's degree
$45,130 – $122,240860
41Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$65,100
Bachelor's degree
$47,880 – $82,0601,790
42Teachers and Instructors, All Other$63,770
Bachelor's degree
$35,360 – $101,780120
43Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,500
Associate's degree
$46,530 – $83,580180
44Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$63,220
Bachelor's degree
$48,240 – $77,310580
45Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,030
Bachelor's degree
$48,800 – $76,2001,060
46Interior Designers$62,790
Bachelor's degree
$38,290 – $99,350100
47Physical Therapist Assistants$62,360
Associate's degree
$48,960 – $79,040340
48Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$62,150
Master's degree
$39,350 – $89,280110
49Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$62,130
Bachelor's degree
$47,790 – $78,770220
50Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$62,090
Associate's degree
$50,080 – $84,020350

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

#	Occupation	MedianChattanooga, TN-GA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$160,620	$85,650 – $299,990	190
2	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$147,640	$65,000 – $355,460	740
3	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$146,850	$112,760 – $280,220	100
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,240	$86,520 – $168,280	750
5	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$125,790	$97,630 – $171,480	190
6	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$123,840	$81,120 – $163,280	440
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$121,600	$99,530 – $140,790	180
8	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$119,180	$97,390 – $145,890	110
9	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$116,480	$96,480 – $132,400	1,000
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$106,750	$64,230 – $163,130	990
11	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,660	$75,880 – $157,030	510
12	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$101,200	$52,210 – $165,630	320
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,410	$75,380 – $143,000	930
14	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,120	$73,210 – $125,410	520
15	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,640	$36,300 – $209,090	100
16	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$95,960	$58,450 – $114,340	290
17	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,630	$64,290 – $162,550	670
18	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,350	$59,530 – $142,040	710
19	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$92,550	$58,500 – $135,220	330
20	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$91,340	$58,960 – $134,480	200
21	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,320	$48,010 – $143,430	310
22	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,240	$56,450 – $149,430	1,750
23	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$83,460	$62,780 – $97,510	460
24	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$83,260	$55,140 – $147,390	110
25	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$81,880	$65,710 – $123,590	90
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,770	$65,150 – $102,930	6,460
27	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$78,670	$63,620 – $99,350	190
28	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,700	$39,200 – $99,470	110
29	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,570	$61,500 – $109,580	110
30	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$76,840	$50,900 – $133,180	90
31	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,680	$50,220 – $125,050	1,940
32	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,470	$47,020 – $115,270	230
33	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$74,360	$43,650 – $157,850	150
34	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$74,350	$63,480 – $81,230	370
35	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$73,680	$44,500 – $125,890	370
36	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$69,240	$42,950 – $135,000	980
37	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,480	$36,710 – $98,550	170
38	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$66,460	$38,310 – $123,440	990
39	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$66,370	$38,250 – $99,260	330
40	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$65,230	$45,130 – $122,240	860
41	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$65,100	$47,880 – $82,060	1,790
42	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$63,770	$35,360 – $101,780	120
43	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,500	$46,530 – $83,580	180
44	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$63,220	$48,240 – $77,310	580
45	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,030	$48,800 – $76,200	1,060
46	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$62,790	$38,290 – $99,350	100
47	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,360	$48,960 – $79,040	340
48	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$62,150	$39,350 – $89,280	110
49	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,130	$47,790 – $78,770	220
50	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,090	$50,080 – $84,020	350

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA. 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Chattanooga, TN-GA

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