High paying entry level jobs in Cleveland, TN

These occupations in Cleveland, TN 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 Cleveland, TN run 11.9% below the national average (2024), so a Cleveland, TN salary is worth about 1.14× 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 Cleveland, TN

OccupationMedian, Cleveland, TN · Employed

1Lawyers$131,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,020 – $263,12060
2Pharmacists$124,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,400 – $152,130120
3Dentists, General$122,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,620 – $295,22040
4Nurse Practitioners$107,360
Master's degree
$58,290 – $135,630170
5Electrical Engineers$104,280
Bachelor's degree
$80,790 – $133,16070
6Software Developers$102,600
Bachelor's degree
$66,090 – $159,260110
7Industrial Engineers$96,360
Bachelor's degree
$73,700 – $125,900120
8Project Management Specialists$80,720
Bachelor's degree
$50,000 – $123,910130
9Dental Hygienists$79,880
Associate's degree
$69,770 – $92,70090
10Physical Therapists$79,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,640 – $120,76080
11Computer Systems Analysts$78,190
Bachelor's degree
$53,820 – $129,63050
12Business Operations Specialists, All Other$73,610
Bachelor's degree
$36,240 – $133,16070
13Registered Nurses$72,800
Bachelor's degree
$56,220 – $79,730630
14Accountants and Auditors$71,840
Bachelor's degree
$48,480 – $114,360180
15Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$70,400
Bachelor's degree
$46,630 – $105,75040
16Physical Therapist Assistants$64,290
Associate's degree
$47,200 – $80,43040
17Logisticians$63,600
Bachelor's degree
$45,370 – $95,53040
18Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,380
Bachelor's degree
$50,220 – $76,260280
19Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$63,280
Bachelor's degree
$50,760 – $77,88030
20Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$62,820
Master's degree
$32,390 – $77,900110
21Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$62,390
Master's degree
$38,430 – $78,94040
22Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,210
Bachelor's degree
$50,280 – $73,39060
23Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,760
Bachelor's degree
$47,960 – $76,800240
24Computer Occupations, All Other$61,600
Bachelor's degree
$38,230 – $118,270100
25Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$61,580
Bachelor's degree
$35,160 – $88,880130
26Human Resources Specialists$60,560
Bachelor's degree
$39,150 – $101,420200
27Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$59,330
Bachelor's degree
$49,780 – $74,730410
28Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$59,220
Bachelor's degree
$50,400 – $72,23070
29Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$58,240
Bachelor's degree
$37,630 – $58,24080
30Child, Family, and School Social Workers$58,020
Bachelor's degree
$40,670 – $77,34090
31Graphic Designers$57,290
Bachelor's degree
$41,200 – $85,65030
32Forest and Conservation Technicians$54,900
Associate's degree
$41,660 – $81,72030
33Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$52,350
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,140 – $61,410270
34Paralegals and Legal Assistants$48,640
Associate's degree
$37,950 – $63,13040
35Medical Records Specialists$45,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,350 – $70,26030
36Dental Assistants$45,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,240 – $59,120140
37Coaches and Scouts$44,090
Bachelor's degree
$29,350 – $61,350100
38Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$41,120
Associate's degree
$29,320 – $50,42030
39Rehabilitation Counselors$39,640
Master's degree
$39,640 – $54,25040
40Tutors$37,190
Some college, no degree
$18,810 – $65,19040
41Medical Assistants$37,170
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,590 – $45,930230
42Nursing Assistants$37,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,400 – $37,920440
43Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$30,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$19,750 – $62,61040
44Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$28,130
Associate's degree
$21,780 – $43,94070
45Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$26,590
Bachelor's degree
$22,520 – $26,590220
46Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$23,940
Some college, no degree
$22,750 – $36,470390

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

#	Occupation	MedianCleveland, TN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,980	$74,020 – $263,120	60
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$124,160	$62,400 – $152,130	120
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$122,910	$77,620 – $295,220	40
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$107,360	$58,290 – $135,630	170
5	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,280	$80,790 – $133,160	70
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$102,600	$66,090 – $159,260	110
7	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,360	$73,700 – $125,900	120
8	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,720	$50,000 – $123,910	130
9	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$79,880	$69,770 – $92,700	90
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$79,230	$68,640 – $120,760	80
11	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$78,190	$53,820 – $129,630	50
12	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,610	$36,240 – $133,160	70
13	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$72,800	$56,220 – $79,730	630
14	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$71,840	$48,480 – $114,360	180
15	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,400	$46,630 – $105,750	40
16	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,290	$47,200 – $80,430	40
17	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$63,600	$45,370 – $95,530	40
18	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,380	$50,220 – $76,260	280
19	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$63,280	$50,760 – $77,880	30
20	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$62,820	$32,390 – $77,900	110
21	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$62,390	$38,430 – $78,940	40
22	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,210	$50,280 – $73,390	60
23	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,760	$47,960 – $76,800	240
24	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$61,600	$38,230 – $118,270	100
25	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,580	$35,160 – $88,880	130
26	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$60,560	$39,150 – $101,420	200
27	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$59,330	$49,780 – $74,730	410
28	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$59,220	$50,400 – $72,230	70
29	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$58,240	$37,630 – $58,240	80
30	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$58,020	$40,670 – $77,340	90
31	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$57,290	$41,200 – $85,650	30
32	Forest and Conservation TechniciansAssociate's degree	$54,900	$41,660 – $81,720	30
33	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$52,350	$44,140 – $61,410	270
34	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$48,640	$37,950 – $63,130	40
35	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,760	$35,350 – $70,260	30
36	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,230	$36,240 – $59,120	140
37	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$44,090	$29,350 – $61,350	100
38	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$41,120	$29,320 – $50,420	30
39	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$39,640	$39,640 – $54,250	40
40	TutorsSome college, no degree	$37,190	$18,810 – $65,190	40
41	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$37,170	$31,590 – $45,930	230
42	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$37,130	$30,400 – $37,920	440
43	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$30,390	$19,750 – $62,610	40
44	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$28,130	$21,780 – $43,940	70
45	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$26,590	$22,520 – $26,590	220
46	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$23,940	$22,750 – $36,470	390

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

High paying entry level jobs in Cleveland, TN

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