High paying entry level jobs in Corpus Christi, TX

These occupations in Corpus Christi, TX 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 Corpus Christi, TX run 7.3% below the national average (2024), so a Corpus Christi, TX salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Corpus Christi, TX

OccupationMedian, Corpus Christi, TX · Employed

1Dentists, General$180,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$88,410 – $282,10090
2Petroleum Engineers$155,870
Bachelor's degree
$99,700 – $278,800110
3Optometrists$138,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,340 – $162,89070
4Pharmacists$136,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,090 – $164,980330
5Physician Assistants$134,360
Master's degree
$103,720 – $158,600150
6Nurse Practitioners$133,810
Master's degree
$103,590 – $169,420350
7Lawyers$129,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$43,800 – $345,600740
8Chemical Engineers$126,690
Bachelor's degree
$91,710 – $191,050100
9Veterinarians$126,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,160 – $192,35070
10Electrical Engineers$124,800
Bachelor's degree
$79,700 – $162,120230
11Mechanical Engineers$124,340
Bachelor's degree
$77,320 – $160,490280
12Software Developers$123,580
Bachelor's degree
$76,170 – $170,580520
13Industrial Engineers$122,470
Bachelor's degree
$72,860 – $161,920350
14Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors$120,790
Bachelor's degree
$93,700 – $198,210110
15Aerospace Engineers$117,840
Bachelor's degree
$74,460 – $160,47080
16Data Scientists$113,450
Bachelor's degree
$62,930 – $144,94080
17Physical Therapists$106,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,370 – $130,260380
18Engineers, All Other$105,330
Bachelor's degree
$78,780 – $154,320180
19Occupational Therapists$104,150
Master's degree
$71,910 – $131,400160
20Civil Engineers$95,160
Bachelor's degree
$64,450 – $154,910820
21Chemists$93,410
Bachelor's degree
$61,000 – $132,65080
22Computer Occupations, All Other$91,920
Bachelor's degree
$54,450 – $142,360370
23Project Management Specialists$90,320
Bachelor's degree
$48,840 – $156,9901,390
24Computer Systems Analysts$88,890
Bachelor's degree
$58,850 – $139,180240
25Financial and Investment Analysts$87,820
Bachelor's degree
$50,590 – $164,020180
26Dental Hygienists$84,210
Associate's degree
$79,420 – $99,190150
27Registered Nurses$82,690
Bachelor's degree
$62,710 – $99,2804,800
28Network and Computer Systems Administrators$82,690
Bachelor's degree
$60,490 – $129,130280
29Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$80,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$65,100 – $93,430650
30Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$80,120
Associate's degree
$46,000 – $108,16070
31Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$79,370
Associate's degree
$64,360 – $105,050160
32Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$78,770
Bachelor's degree
$53,860 – $134,090110
33Respiratory Therapists$78,130
Associate's degree
$60,500 – $95,900210
34Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$77,950
Bachelor's degree
$50,190 – $125,000400
35Business Operations Specialists, All Other$77,770
Bachelor's degree
$45,520 – $127,0701,090
36Calibration Technologists and Technicians$77,380
Associate's degree
$43,680 – $98,800150
37Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$77,070
Associate's degree
$44,840 – $109,82090
38Logisticians$76,540
Bachelor's degree
$49,660 – $123,530270
39Accountants and Auditors$75,580
Bachelor's degree
$49,180 – $126,5501,070
40Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,280
Associate's degree
$47,570 – $95,090500
41Computer Programmers$74,500
Bachelor's degree
$61,370 – $119,79060
42Occupational Therapy Assistants$74,430
Associate's degree
$49,600 – $81,19080
43Physical Therapist Assistants$73,920
Associate's degree
$50,860 – $97,980200
44Financial Specialists, All Other$65,500
Bachelor's degree
$46,920 – $112,940100
45Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$63,940
Master's degree
$48,630 – $74,910140
46Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$63,220
Master's degree
$37,870 – $96,100430
47Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$63,220
Associate's degree
$36,860 – $96,410110
48Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,020
Bachelor's degree
$54,010 – $77,4401,470
49Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$62,340
Bachelor's degree
$53,560 – $74,94070
50Architectural and Civil Drafters$61,960
Associate's degree
$43,370 – $95,960130

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

#	Occupation	MedianCorpus Christi, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$180,630	$88,410 – $282,100	90
2	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$155,870	$99,700 – $278,800	110
3	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,120	$65,340 – $162,890	70
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,150	$98,090 – $164,980	330
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,360	$103,720 – $158,600	150
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$133,810	$103,590 – $169,420	350
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$129,180	$43,800 – $345,600	740
8	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$126,690	$91,710 – $191,050	100
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$126,140	$79,160 – $192,350	70
10	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,800	$79,700 – $162,120	230
11	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,340	$77,320 – $160,490	280
12	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$123,580	$76,170 – $170,580	520
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$122,470	$72,860 – $161,920	350
14	Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsBachelor's degree	$120,790	$93,700 – $198,210	110
15	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,840	$74,460 – $160,470	80
16	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$113,450	$62,930 – $144,940	80
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$106,080	$74,370 – $130,260	380
18	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$105,330	$78,780 – $154,320	180
19	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$104,150	$71,910 – $131,400	160
20	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,160	$64,450 – $154,910	820
21	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$93,410	$61,000 – $132,650	80
22	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$91,920	$54,450 – $142,360	370
23	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$90,320	$48,840 – $156,990	1,390
24	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$88,890	$58,850 – $139,180	240
25	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$87,820	$50,590 – $164,020	180
26	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$84,210	$79,420 – $99,190	150
27	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$82,690	$62,710 – $99,280	4,800
28	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$82,690	$60,490 – $129,130	280
29	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,270	$65,100 – $93,430	650
30	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,120	$46,000 – $108,160	70
31	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$79,370	$64,360 – $105,050	160
32	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$78,770	$53,860 – $134,090	110
33	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,130	$60,500 – $95,900	210
34	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,950	$50,190 – $125,000	400
35	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,770	$45,520 – $127,070	1,090
36	Calibration Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,380	$43,680 – $98,800	150
37	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$77,070	$44,840 – $109,820	90
38	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$76,540	$49,660 – $123,530	270
39	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,580	$49,180 – $126,550	1,070
40	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,280	$47,570 – $95,090	500
41	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$74,500	$61,370 – $119,790	60
42	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$74,430	$49,600 – $81,190	80
43	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,920	$50,860 – $97,980	200
44	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$65,500	$46,920 – $112,940	100
45	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$63,940	$48,630 – $74,910	140
46	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$63,220	$37,870 – $96,100	430
47	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,220	$36,860 – $96,410	110
48	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,020	$54,010 – $77,440	1,470
49	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,340	$53,560 – $74,940	70
50	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$61,960	$43,370 – $95,960	130

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Corpus Christi, TX. 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 Corpus Christi, TX to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Corpus Christi, TX

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