High paying entry level jobs in Chico, CA

These occupations in Chico, CA 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 Chico, CA run 1.2% above the national average (2024), so a Chico, CA salary is worth about 0.99× 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 Chico, CA

OccupationMedian, Chico, CA · Employed

1Nurse Practitioners$167,080
Master's degree
$131,730 – $203,910140
2Physician Assistants$164,780
Master's degree
$129,170 – $202,110130
3Dentists, General$163,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,490 – $258,99050
4Pharmacists$161,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,040 – $200,680160
5Veterinarians$160,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,600 – $247,75060
6Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$155,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,420 – $213,85070
7Optometrists$139,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,850 – $333,54030
8Physical Therapists$134,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,710 – $149,110180
9Lawyers$131,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,850 – $227,520140
10Engineers, All Other$131,660
Bachelor's degree
$65,630 – $159,18040
11Software Developers$131,360
Bachelor's degree
$77,750 – $188,330150
12Occupational Therapists$129,260
Master's degree
$101,900 – $143,68070
13Registered Nurses$127,360
Bachelor's degree
$103,400 – $160,1702,170
14Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$123,880
Associate's degree
$93,980 – $151,36080
15Dental Hygienists$118,800
Associate's degree
$100,650 – $128,180150
16Mechanical Engineers$109,210
Bachelor's degree
$75,680 – $202,98040
17Civil Engineers$107,350
Bachelor's degree
$71,400 – $162,610160
18Project Management Specialists$103,320
Bachelor's degree
$61,580 – $181,480320
19Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$103,000
Associate's degree
$48,900 – $133,060150
20Industrial Engineers$99,350
Bachelor's degree
$64,930 – $168,78040
21Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,210
Bachelor's degree
$65,590 – $121,980400
22Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$96,080
Master's degree
$45,850 – $128,140330
23Teachers and Instructors, All Other$95,420
Bachelor's degree
$59,040 – $119,600130
24Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$95,000
Bachelor's degree
$60,900 – $120,5601,120
25Computer Systems Analysts$93,720
Bachelor's degree
$64,060 – $122,300220
26Database Administrators$93,650
Bachelor's degree
$54,660 – $123,64030
27Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$91,510
Bachelor's degree
$62,240 – $114,200160
28Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$91,210
Bachelor's degree
$67,430 – $156,76060
29Financial and Investment Analysts$91,100
Bachelor's degree
$62,800 – $144,02070
30Network and Computer Systems Administrators$84,280
Bachelor's degree
$59,270 – $123,60090
31Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$84,010
Bachelor's degree
$57,600 – $129,72090
32Computer Occupations, All Other$82,730
Bachelor's degree
$44,660 – $158,400140
33Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$82,170
Bachelor's degree
$54,520 – $120,87070
34Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$80,840
Master's degree
$48,840 – $137,46070
35Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,300
Bachelor's degree
$61,560 – $120,050230
36Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$78,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$63,470 – $92,660380
37Business Operations Specialists, All Other$78,450
Bachelor's degree
$45,310 – $140,170400
38Surgical Technologists$78,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,860 – $100,31090
39Architectural and Civil Drafters$77,850
Associate's degree
$57,520 – $99,61070
40Accountants and Auditors$77,680
Bachelor's degree
$55,940 – $126,280420
41Physical Therapist Assistants$76,580
Associate's degree
$46,440 – $97,260100
42Fundraisers$75,970
Bachelor's degree
$54,120 – $127,08070
43Logisticians$75,760
Bachelor's degree
$53,650 – $169,54070
44Human Resources Specialists$73,910
Bachelor's degree
$47,820 – $120,770310
45Public Relations Specialists$73,890
Bachelor's degree
$43,630 – $105,200120
46Biological Scientists, All Other$72,240
Bachelor's degree
$51,240 – $131,59050
47Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$70,820
Bachelor's degree
$40,200 – $120,140320
48Massage Therapists$63,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,490 – $100,07040
49Child, Family, and School Social Workers$61,720
Bachelor's degree
$45,430 – $95,740290
50Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$61,030
Bachelor's degree
$47,240 – $98,580450

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

#	Occupation	MedianChico, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$167,080	$131,730 – $203,910	140
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$164,780	$129,170 – $202,110	130
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$163,520	$85,490 – $258,990	50
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$161,410	$123,040 – $200,680	160
5	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$160,180	$72,600 – $247,750	60
6	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$155,470	$103,420 – $213,850	70
7	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,890	$98,850 – $333,540	30
8	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,970	$89,710 – $149,110	180
9	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,710	$58,850 – $227,520	140
10	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$131,660	$65,630 – $159,180	40
11	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$131,360	$77,750 – $188,330	150
12	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$129,260	$101,900 – $143,680	70
13	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$127,360	$103,400 – $160,170	2,170
14	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$123,880	$93,980 – $151,360	80
15	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$118,800	$100,650 – $128,180	150
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,210	$75,680 – $202,980	40
17	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,350	$71,400 – $162,610	160
18	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,320	$61,580 – $181,480	320
19	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$103,000	$48,900 – $133,060	150
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,350	$64,930 – $168,780	40
21	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,210	$65,590 – $121,980	400
22	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$96,080	$45,850 – $128,140	330
23	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,420	$59,040 – $119,600	130
24	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$95,000	$60,900 – $120,560	1,120
25	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,720	$64,060 – $122,300	220
26	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$93,650	$54,660 – $123,640	30
27	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$91,510	$62,240 – $114,200	160
28	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$91,210	$67,430 – $156,760	60
29	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,100	$62,800 – $144,020	70
30	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$84,280	$59,270 – $123,600	90
31	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,010	$57,600 – $129,720	90
32	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,730	$44,660 – $158,400	140
33	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$82,170	$54,520 – $120,870	70
34	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$80,840	$48,840 – $137,460	70
35	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$79,300	$61,560 – $120,050	230
36	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,750	$63,470 – $92,660	380
37	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,450	$45,310 – $140,170	400
38	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,050	$48,860 – $100,310	90
39	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$77,850	$57,520 – $99,610	70
40	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,680	$55,940 – $126,280	420
41	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$76,580	$46,440 – $97,260	100
42	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$75,970	$54,120 – $127,080	70
43	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$75,760	$53,650 – $169,540	70
44	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$73,910	$47,820 – $120,770	310
45	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$73,890	$43,630 – $105,200	120
46	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$72,240	$51,240 – $131,590	50
47	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,820	$40,200 – $120,140	320
48	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,290	$43,490 – $100,070	40
49	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$61,720	$45,430 – $95,740	290
50	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$61,030	$47,240 – $98,580	450

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

High paying entry level jobs in Chico, CA

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