High paying entry level jobs in Columbia, MO

These occupations in Columbia, MO 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 Columbia, MO run 10.6% below the national average (2024), so a Columbia, MO 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 Columbia, MO

OccupationMedian, Columbia, MO · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$310,170
Master's degree
$215,420 – $310,17090
2Dentists, General$207,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$88,610 – $352,76060
3Pharmacists$139,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$115,650 – $173,310280
4Physician Assistants$132,220
Master's degree
$107,340 – $161,670140
5Nurse Practitioners$128,930
Master's degree
$108,840 – $155,990330
6Business Teachers, Postsecondary$120,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,640 – $294,100130
7Lawyers$107,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,990 – $217,540400
8Engineers, All Other$104,760
Bachelor's degree
$63,170 – $148,31060
9Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$102,540
Master's degree
$81,330 – $175,76050
10Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$102,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,110 – $210,26080
11Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$101,800
Bachelor's degree
$59,700 – $128,05050
12Financial Risk Specialists$101,570
Bachelor's degree
$61,420 – $173,310140
13Industrial Engineers$101,130
Bachelor's degree
$70,770 – $141,420140
14Software Developers$101,020
Bachelor's degree
$72,850 – $155,760530
15Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,290 – $121,82080
16Veterinarians$99,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,180 – $186,870140
17Occupational Therapists$98,550
Master's degree
$71,620 – $129,360160
18Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$95,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,000 – $120,75040
19Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$88,540
Associate's degree
$64,590 – $97,96050
20Chemists$87,000
Bachelor's degree
$44,760 – $105,55090
21Dental Hygienists$86,300
Associate's degree
$53,020 – $97,850140
22Financial and Investment Analysts$85,130
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $118,990100
23Radiation Therapists$84,980
Associate's degree
$70,340 – $103,23060
24Registered Nurses$84,330
Bachelor's degree
$63,080 – $105,7903,680
25Civil Engineers$83,950
Bachelor's degree
$66,350 – $133,240130
26Physical Therapists$83,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,120 – $120,830280
27Mechanical Engineers$82,200
Bachelor's degree
$61,330 – $122,54080
28Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary$82,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,020 – $169,17060
29Financial Specialists, All Other$81,600
Bachelor's degree
$36,260 – $123,460170
30Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other$81,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,040 – $125,58070
31Data Scientists$80,980
Bachelor's degree
$57,610 – $124,650190
32Project Management Specialists$80,870
Bachelor's degree
$51,500 – $129,560580
33Computer Occupations, All Other$80,330
Bachelor's degree
$50,880 – $126,750470
34Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$80,250
Bachelor's degree
$55,870 – $127,33070
35English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$80,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,460 – $109,45070
36Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$79,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,710 – $164,080160
37Database Administrators$79,240
Bachelor's degree
$39,170 – $134,07080
38Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$78,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,690 – $159,26060
39Network and Computer Systems Administrators$78,610
Bachelor's degree
$56,580 – $116,040240
40Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$78,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,170 – $98,530120
41Computer Systems Analysts$77,760
Bachelor's degree
$59,230 – $126,560180
42Biological Scientists, All Other$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$54,950 – $109,30070
43Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$75,810
Master's degree
$47,300 – $126,37080
44Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$75,520
Bachelor's degree
$48,380 – $111,12070
45Accountants and Auditors$73,070
Bachelor's degree
$48,820 – $107,690930
46Logisticians$72,180
Bachelor's degree
$50,290 – $106,400120
47Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$71,560
Associate's degree
$49,650 – $97,47050
48Respiratory Therapists$69,400
Associate's degree
$55,450 – $83,780150
49Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$69,170
Associate's degree
$55,510 – $91,790230
50Interior Designers$67,780
Bachelor's degree
$44,150 – $74,29080

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

#	Occupation	MedianColumbia, MO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$310,170	$215,420 – $310,170	90
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,450	$88,610 – $352,760	60
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,430	$115,650 – $173,310	280
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$132,220	$107,340 – $161,670	140
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,930	$108,840 – $155,990	330
6	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$120,590	$50,640 – $294,100	130
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$107,890	$61,990 – $217,540	400
8	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,760	$63,170 – $148,310	60
9	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$102,540	$81,330 – $175,760	50
10	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,400	$50,110 – $210,260	80
11	Bioengineers and Biomedical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,800	$59,700 – $128,050	50
12	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,570	$61,420 – $173,310	140
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,130	$70,770 – $141,420	140
14	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$101,020	$72,850 – $155,760	530
15	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,800	$48,290 – $121,820	80
16	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$99,620	$38,180 – $186,870	140
17	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,550	$71,620 – $129,360	160
18	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$95,990	$56,000 – $120,750	40
19	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$88,540	$64,590 – $97,960	50
20	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$87,000	$44,760 – $105,550	90
21	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$86,300	$53,020 – $97,850	140
22	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$85,130	$52,000 – $118,990	100
23	Radiation TherapistsAssociate's degree	$84,980	$70,340 – $103,230	60
24	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$84,330	$63,080 – $105,790	3,680
25	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$83,950	$66,350 – $133,240	130
26	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$83,320	$74,120 – $120,830	280
27	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$82,200	$61,330 – $122,540	80
28	Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,000	$57,020 – $169,170	60
29	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,600	$36,260 – $123,460	170
30	Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$81,240	$49,040 – $125,580	70
31	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$80,980	$57,610 – $124,650	190
32	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,870	$51,500 – $129,560	580
33	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,330	$50,880 – $126,750	470
34	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,250	$55,870 – $127,330	70
35	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,250	$46,460 – $109,450	70
36	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,290	$50,710 – $164,080	160
37	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$79,240	$39,170 – $134,070	80
38	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,980	$50,690 – $159,260	60
39	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$78,610	$56,580 – $116,040	240
40	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,270	$64,170 – $98,530	120
41	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$77,760	$59,230 – $126,560	180
42	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,400	$54,950 – $109,300	70
43	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$75,810	$47,300 – $126,370	80
44	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$75,520	$48,380 – $111,120	70
45	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$73,070	$48,820 – $107,690	930
46	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$72,180	$50,290 – $106,400	120
47	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$71,560	$49,650 – $97,470	50
48	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$69,400	$55,450 – $83,780	150
49	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,170	$55,510 – $91,790	230
50	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$67,780	$44,150 – $74,290	80

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

High paying entry level jobs in Columbia, MO

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