High paying entry level jobs in Columbia, SC

These occupations in Columbia, SC 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, SC run 6.3% below the national average (2024), so a Columbia, SC salary is worth about 1.07× 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, SC

OccupationMedian, Columbia, SC · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$271,350
Master's degree
$214,000 – $333,030210
2Dentists, General$228,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,860 – $310,840480
3Pharmacists$133,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,390 – $169,5401,050
4Veterinarians$129,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,510 – $220,150210
5Business Teachers, Postsecondary$129,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,180 – $211,950230
6Software Developers$123,380
Bachelor's degree
$70,950 – $172,4602,070
7Nurse Practitioners$118,470
Master's degree
$97,010 – $150,700920
8Physician Assistants$115,840
Master's degree
$91,980 – $155,600400
9Engineers, All Other$114,560
Bachelor's degree
$63,280 – $173,310130
10Lawyers$105,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,030 – $293,3401,950
11Occupational Therapists$102,650
Master's degree
$77,060 – $112,260280
12Mechanical Engineers$102,280
Bachelor's degree
$72,120 – $150,630450
13Electrical Engineers$101,320
Bachelor's degree
$69,260 – $154,870510
14Social Workers, All Other$100,420
Bachelor's degree
$70,260 – $122,280160
15Physical Therapists$99,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,880 – $118,260670
16Industrial Engineers$98,780
Bachelor's degree
$73,510 – $138,280760
17Computer Programmers$98,490
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $132,330190
18Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$97,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,930 – $158,660150
19Environmental Engineers$96,140
Bachelor's degree
$95,770 – $136,990130
20Civil Engineers$94,520
Bachelor's degree
$66,490 – $147,4301,070
21Computer Occupations, All Other$91,920
Bachelor's degree
$41,990 – $153,780770
22Computer Systems Analysts$90,760
Bachelor's degree
$52,720 – $133,9102,110
23Data Scientists$88,260
Bachelor's degree
$52,350 – $138,960590
24Financial and Investment Analysts$87,630
Bachelor's degree
$56,680 – $157,480530
25Network and Computer Systems Administrators$86,650
Bachelor's degree
$62,260 – $141,630810
26Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$86,320
Bachelor's degree
$53,020 – $127,560250
27Project Management Specialists$85,260
Bachelor's degree
$54,250 – $147,4602,430
28Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$84,440
Associate's degree
$69,530 – $97,220320
29Database Administrators$83,330
Bachelor's degree
$50,510 – $136,770250
30Dental Hygienists$82,370
Associate's degree
$63,030 – $91,250620
31Registered Nurses$81,920
Bachelor's degree
$68,460 – $108,2109,400
32Web and Digital Interface Designers$80,930
Bachelor's degree
$44,800 – $115,010140
33Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$80,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$18,970 – $158,740430
34Respiratory Therapists$79,780
Associate's degree
$61,050 – $84,690330
35Operations Research Analysts$79,560
Bachelor's degree
$49,080 – $103,540300
36Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$79,160
Bachelor's degree
$49,560 – $121,680400
37Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$78,880
Master's degree
$47,750 – $125,680220
38English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$78,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,380 – $214,730150
39Business Operations Specialists, All Other$77,400
Bachelor's degree
$48,310 – $126,4401,540
40Logisticians$75,800
Bachelor's degree
$49,070 – $118,820490
41Chiropractors$74,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$41,150 – $118,410150
42Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$74,080
Associate's degree
$55,970 – $96,020700
43Chemists$73,430
Bachelor's degree
$57,830 – $117,760190
44Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$73,110
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,390 – $80,600260
45Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$71,280
Bachelor's degree
$38,050 – $83,410360
46Accountants and Auditors$69,210
Bachelor's degree
$48,530 – $109,0403,260
47Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$68,600
Bachelor's degree
$40,570 – $169,9901,800
48Human Resources Specialists$67,990
Bachelor's degree
$46,200 – $111,5502,270
49Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$65,590
Associate's degree
$36,340 – $92,880140
50Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$65,400
Associate's degree
$45,310 – $98,080250

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

#	Occupation	MedianColumbia, SC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$271,350	$214,000 – $333,030	210
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$228,820	$104,860 – $310,840	480
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,850	$81,390 – $169,540	1,050
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$129,960	$77,510 – $220,150	210
5	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$129,380	$37,180 – $211,950	230
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$123,380	$70,950 – $172,460	2,070
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$118,470	$97,010 – $150,700	920
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$115,840	$91,980 – $155,600	400
9	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$114,560	$63,280 – $173,310	130
10	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$105,200	$63,030 – $293,340	1,950
11	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,650	$77,060 – $112,260	280
12	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,280	$72,120 – $150,630	450
13	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,320	$69,260 – $154,870	510
14	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,420	$70,260 – $122,280	160
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,840	$64,880 – $118,260	670
16	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,780	$73,510 – $138,280	760
17	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$98,490	$63,130 – $132,330	190
18	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,550	$58,930 – $158,660	150
19	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,140	$95,770 – $136,990	130
20	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,520	$66,490 – $147,430	1,070
21	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$91,920	$41,990 – $153,780	770
22	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,760	$52,720 – $133,910	2,110
23	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$88,260	$52,350 – $138,960	590
24	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$87,630	$56,680 – $157,480	530
25	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$86,650	$62,260 – $141,630	810
26	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$86,320	$53,020 – $127,560	250
27	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,260	$54,250 – $147,460	2,430
28	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$84,440	$69,530 – $97,220	320
29	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$83,330	$50,510 – $136,770	250
30	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$82,370	$63,030 – $91,250	620
31	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,920	$68,460 – $108,210	9,400
32	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$80,930	$44,800 – $115,010	140
33	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$80,010	$18,970 – $158,740	430
34	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$79,780	$61,050 – $84,690	330
35	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$79,560	$49,080 – $103,540	300
36	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,160	$49,560 – $121,680	400
37	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$78,880	$47,750 – $125,680	220
38	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,360	$49,380 – $214,730	150
39	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,400	$48,310 – $126,440	1,540
40	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$75,800	$49,070 – $118,820	490
41	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$74,090	$41,150 – $118,410	150
42	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,080	$55,970 – $96,020	700
43	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$73,430	$57,830 – $117,760	190
44	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,110	$44,390 – $80,600	260
45	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$71,280	$38,050 – $83,410	360
46	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$69,210	$48,530 – $109,040	3,260
47	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$68,600	$40,570 – $169,990	1,800
48	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$67,990	$46,200 – $111,550	2,270
49	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,590	$36,340 – $92,880	140
50	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,400	$45,310 – $98,080	250

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

High paying entry level jobs in Columbia, SC

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