High paying entry level jobs in Columbus, OH

These occupations in Columbus, OH 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 Columbus, OH run 4.5% below the national average (2024), so a Columbus, OH salary is worth about 1.05× 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 Columbus, OH

OccupationMedian, Columbus, OH · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$231,810
Master's degree
$221,440 – $373,700450
2Dentists, General$166,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,100 – $306,960780
3Lawyers$137,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,510 – $235,1504,960
4Physician Assistants$137,550
Master's degree
$97,820 – $212,2201,140
5Pharmacists$133,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,450 – $166,6202,610
6Computer Occupations, All Other$129,940
Bachelor's degree
$60,150 – $162,9302,410
7Nurse Practitioners$124,580
Master's degree
$99,960 – $150,2503,140
8Veterinarians$123,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,990 – $208,390850
9Software Developers$122,340
Bachelor's degree
$80,130 – $170,0009,880
10Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$110,970
Bachelor's degree
$77,860 – $159,120390
11Data Scientists$107,950
Bachelor's degree
$63,530 – $169,3801,480
12Computer Systems Analysts$107,230
Bachelor's degree
$67,160 – $154,6604,660
13Network and Computer Systems Administrators$105,750
Bachelor's degree
$65,780 – $143,7803,970
14Physical Therapists$105,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,060 – $124,1102,030
15Operations Research Analysts$104,970
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $135,500670
16Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$103,110
Bachelor's degree
$64,490 – $134,950780
17Electrical Engineers$102,380
Bachelor's degree
$75,590 – $150,1601,100
18Database Administrators$101,450
Bachelor's degree
$52,980 – $144,430430
19Mechanical Engineers$100,730
Bachelor's degree
$71,870 – $131,3902,630
20Industrial Engineers$100,570
Bachelor's degree
$77,000 – $135,0803,710
21Financial Risk Specialists$100,350
Bachelor's degree
$67,500 – $164,950630
22Engineers, All Other$99,180
Bachelor's degree
$63,980 – $137,690990
23Civil Engineers$99,010
Bachelor's degree
$68,340 – $169,3902,630
24Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$98,920
Bachelor's degree
$63,420 – $178,4101,460
25Occupational Therapists$98,920
Master's degree
$65,060 – $119,7101,370
26Project Management Specialists$98,660
Bachelor's degree
$60,500 – $164,1907,680
27Financial and Investment Analysts$97,920
Bachelor's degree
$63,550 – $145,0002,870
28Dental Hygienists$96,880
Associate's degree
$81,780 – $99,7301,700
29Web and Digital Interface Designers$96,010
Bachelor's degree
$56,490 – $167,010620
30Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$94,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,620 – $130,750400
31Chemists$94,170
Bachelor's degree
$60,600 – $134,8201,170
32Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$84,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,290 – $181,470670
33Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$84,200
Associate's degree
$64,930 – $101,800530
34Registered Nurses$83,900
Bachelor's degree
$67,720 – $105,77030,510
35Web Developers$83,860
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $132,800350
36Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$83,580
Associate's degree
$51,000 – $118,870730
37Financial Specialists, All Other$83,160
Bachelor's degree
$57,350 – $128,2701,190
38Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$83,100
Bachelor's degree
$53,270 – $120,020570
39Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,350
Bachelor's degree
$59,410 – $108,100870
40Business Operations Specialists, All Other$82,030
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $131,40010,040
41Respiratory Therapists$81,860
Associate's degree
$68,300 – $98,7001,220
42Accountants and Auditors$81,700
Bachelor's degree
$56,610 – $132,33011,410
43Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$81,400
Bachelor's degree
$51,340 – $118,6509,210
44Computer Programmers$80,910
Bachelor's degree
$51,270 – $128,160410
45Logisticians$80,710
Bachelor's degree
$52,200 – $124,5201,740
46Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$80,700
Master's degree
$31,170 – $121,820650
47Business Teachers, Postsecondary$80,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,660 – $222,830750
48Credit Analysts$80,500
Bachelor's degree
$58,350 – $131,9401,060
49Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,200
Associate's degree
$57,700 – $100,7101,780
50Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$79,470
Bachelor's degree
$51,400 – $100,720730

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

#	Occupation	MedianColumbus, OH	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$231,810	$221,440 – $373,700	450
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$166,180	$64,100 – $306,960	780
3	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$137,810	$79,510 – $235,150	4,960
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$137,550	$97,820 – $212,220	1,140
5	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,960	$50,450 – $166,620	2,610
6	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$129,940	$60,150 – $162,930	2,410
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,580	$99,960 – $150,250	3,140
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$123,270	$47,990 – $208,390	850
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,340	$80,130 – $170,000	9,880
10	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$110,970	$77,860 – $159,120	390
11	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$107,950	$63,530 – $169,380	1,480
12	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$107,230	$67,160 – $154,660	4,660
13	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$105,750	$65,780 – $143,780	3,970
14	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$105,130	$79,060 – $124,110	2,030
15	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,970	$52,000 – $135,500	670
16	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$103,110	$64,490 – $134,950	780
17	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,380	$75,590 – $150,160	1,100
18	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$101,450	$52,980 – $144,430	430
19	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,730	$71,870 – $131,390	2,630
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,570	$77,000 – $135,080	3,710
21	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,350	$67,500 – $164,950	630
22	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,180	$63,980 – $137,690	990
23	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,010	$68,340 – $169,390	2,630
24	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,920	$63,420 – $178,410	1,460
25	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,920	$65,060 – $119,710	1,370
26	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,660	$60,500 – $164,190	7,680
27	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,920	$63,550 – $145,000	2,870
28	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$96,880	$81,780 – $99,730	1,700
29	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$96,010	$56,490 – $167,010	620
30	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$94,620	$48,620 – $130,750	400
31	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$94,170	$60,600 – $134,820	1,170
32	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$84,300	$52,290 – $181,470	670
33	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$84,200	$64,930 – $101,800	530
34	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$83,900	$67,720 – $105,770	30,510
35	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$83,860	$49,990 – $132,800	350
36	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$83,580	$51,000 – $118,870	730
37	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,160	$57,350 – $128,270	1,190
38	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,100	$53,270 – $120,020	570
39	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$82,350	$59,410 – $108,100	870
40	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,030	$49,990 – $131,400	10,040
41	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,860	$68,300 – $98,700	1,220
42	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$81,700	$56,610 – $132,330	11,410
43	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$81,400	$51,340 – $118,650	9,210
44	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$80,910	$51,270 – $128,160	410
45	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$80,710	$52,200 – $124,520	1,740
46	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$80,700	$31,170 – $121,820	650
47	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,670	$38,660 – $222,830	750
48	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,500	$58,350 – $131,940	1,060
49	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,200	$57,700 – $100,710	1,780
50	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,470	$51,400 – $100,720	730

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

High paying entry level jobs in Columbus, OH

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