High paying entry level jobs in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

These occupations in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 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 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL run 10.9% below the national average (2024), so a Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 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 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

OccupationMedian, Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL · Employed

1Dentists, General$168,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,750 – $287,120140
2Pharmacists$140,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,240 – $162,230300
3Physician Assistants$137,420
Master's degree
$102,070 – $164,910110
4Nurse Practitioners$130,400
Master's degree
$102,950 – $167,030390
5Lawyers$124,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,640 – $301,470420
6Veterinarians$124,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,610 – $198,290100
7Software Developers$115,780
Bachelor's degree
$77,920 – $163,4901,220
8Computer Occupations, All Other$110,640
Bachelor's degree
$62,910 – $163,380460
9Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$108,040
Bachelor's degree
$75,550 – $130,660180
10Electrical Engineers$106,840
Bachelor's degree
$80,120 – $172,170170
11Data Scientists$106,340
Bachelor's degree
$63,350 – $148,710280
12Financial and Investment Analysts$105,850
Bachelor's degree
$60,500 – $154,440220
13Mechanical Engineers$104,320
Bachelor's degree
$78,230 – $136,240930
14Engineers, All Other$104,130
Bachelor's degree
$40,270 – $146,950410
15Industrial Engineers$104,100
Bachelor's degree
$78,200 – $136,5501,190
16Project Management Specialists$102,880
Bachelor's degree
$59,700 – $161,770650
17Budget Analysts$102,020
Bachelor's degree
$62,070 – $128,46070
18Logisticians$100,710
Bachelor's degree
$61,140 – $139,170770
19Physical Therapists$99,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,120 – $139,520280
20Business Operations Specialists, All Other$95,140
Bachelor's degree
$50,700 – $132,0401,110
21Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$93,280
Bachelor's degree
$53,110 – $130,420160
22Civil Engineers$92,950
Bachelor's degree
$68,890 – $137,230410
23Computer Systems Analysts$89,500
Bachelor's degree
$62,620 – $131,510310
24Occupational Therapists$87,390
Master's degree
$67,860 – $135,200170
25Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$87,270
Bachelor's degree
$56,210 – $132,72060
26Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$85,110
Associate's degree
$62,150 – $108,040130
27Network and Computer Systems Administrators$83,820
Bachelor's degree
$56,820 – $128,900300
28Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,870
Associate's degree
$76,900 – $100,100100
29Financial Specialists, All Other$82,620
Bachelor's degree
$48,670 – $127,790240
30Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$82,220
Associate's degree
$45,190 – $82,220200
31Dental Hygienists$82,000
Associate's degree
$74,080 – $95,810280
32Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$80,700
Associate's degree
$49,150 – $122,000110
33Human Resources Specialists$79,670
Bachelor's degree
$49,920 – $124,9001,420
34Business Teachers, Postsecondary$78,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,520 – $129,83090
35Accountants and Auditors$77,600
Bachelor's degree
$49,850 – $126,7501,560
36Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,160
Associate's degree
$44,100 – $97,640100
37Registered Nurses$77,150
Bachelor's degree
$63,650 – $98,6103,520
38Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,860
Associate's degree
$49,660 – $93,980130
39Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$76,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$44,280 – $185,74060
40Respiratory Therapists$75,460
Associate's degree
$62,510 – $81,220100
41Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$71,590
Bachelor's degree
$41,400 – $139,2101,080
42Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$69,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,700 – $81,13070
43Architectural and Civil Drafters$66,370
Associate's degree
$44,290 – $103,99070
44Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$64,580
Associate's degree
$51,860 – $80,140280
45Chiropractors$64,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$31,200 – $121,260110
46Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,050 – $76,090640
47Public Relations Specialists$62,880
Bachelor's degree
$39,520 – $121,330220
48Special Education Teachers, Middle School$62,820
Bachelor's degree
$45,840 – $83,560140
49Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$62,800
Bachelor's degree
$46,950 – $92,240790
50Massage Therapists$62,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,960 – $76,390100

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

#	Occupation	MedianDavenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$168,170	$106,750 – $287,120	140
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,550	$114,240 – $162,230	300
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$137,420	$102,070 – $164,910	110
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,400	$102,950 – $167,030	390
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$124,850	$72,640 – $301,470	420
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,470	$64,610 – $198,290	100
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$115,780	$77,920 – $163,490	1,220
8	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,640	$62,910 – $163,380	460
9	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$108,040	$75,550 – $130,660	180
10	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,840	$80,120 – $172,170	170
11	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$106,340	$63,350 – $148,710	280
12	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,850	$60,500 – $154,440	220
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,320	$78,230 – $136,240	930
14	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,130	$40,270 – $146,950	410
15	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,100	$78,200 – $136,550	1,190
16	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,880	$59,700 – $161,770	650
17	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,020	$62,070 – $128,460	70
18	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$100,710	$61,140 – $139,170	770
19	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,410	$74,120 – $139,520	280
20	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,140	$50,700 – $132,040	1,110
21	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,280	$53,110 – $130,420	160
22	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$92,950	$68,890 – $137,230	410
23	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$89,500	$62,620 – $131,510	310
24	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$87,390	$67,860 – $135,200	170
25	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$87,270	$56,210 – $132,720	60
26	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$85,110	$62,150 – $108,040	130
27	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$83,820	$56,820 – $128,900	300
28	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$82,870	$76,900 – $100,100	100
29	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,620	$48,670 – $127,790	240
30	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,220	$45,190 – $82,220	200
31	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$82,000	$74,080 – $95,810	280
32	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,700	$49,150 – $122,000	110
33	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,670	$49,920 – $124,900	1,420
34	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,990	$45,520 – $129,830	90
35	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,600	$49,850 – $126,750	1,560
36	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,160	$44,100 – $97,640	100
37	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$77,150	$63,650 – $98,610	3,520
38	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,860	$49,660 – $93,980	130
39	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,160	$44,280 – $185,740	60
40	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$75,460	$62,510 – $81,220	100
41	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,590	$41,400 – $139,210	1,080
42	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$69,410	$63,700 – $81,130	70
43	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$66,370	$44,290 – $103,990	70
44	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,580	$51,860 – $80,140	280
45	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$64,580	$31,200 – $121,260	110
46	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,100	$51,050 – $76,090	640
47	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,880	$39,520 – $121,330	220
48	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,820	$45,840 – $83,560	140
49	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$62,800	$46,950 – $92,240	790
50	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,400	$32,960 – $76,390	100

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL. 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 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

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