High paying entry level jobs in Dubuque, IA

These occupations in Dubuque, IA 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 Dubuque, IA run 12.7% below the national average (2024), so a Dubuque, IA salary is worth about 1.15× 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 Dubuque, IA

OccupationMedian, Dubuque, IA · Employed

1Dentists, General$161,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,990 – $283,07060
2Pharmacists$145,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$113,670 – $159,670140
3Nurse Practitioners$129,620
Master's degree
$110,040 – $168,480130
4Physician Assistants$126,050
Master's degree
$96,620 – $164,88040
5Lawyers$109,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,300 – $225,000100
6Industrial Engineers$109,040
Bachelor's degree
$78,480 – $135,590230
7Software Developers$105,360
Bachelor's degree
$76,810 – $167,100330
8Project Management Specialists$104,690
Bachelor's degree
$64,400 – $146,050290
9Electrical Engineers$104,290
Bachelor's degree
$81,190 – $204,63070
10Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$100,170
Bachelor's degree
$59,280 – $134,64040
11Physical Therapists$99,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,600 – $110,790110
12Civil Engineers$99,210
Bachelor's degree
$63,770 – $133,620120
13Occupational Therapists$94,210
Master's degree
$77,480 – $111,87030
14Logisticians$93,480
Bachelor's degree
$63,470 – $143,750340
15Computer Occupations, All Other$90,480
Bachelor's degree
$63,550 – $188,140110
16Computer Systems Analysts$85,310
Bachelor's degree
$62,430 – $125,450100
17Financial and Investment Analysts$84,270
Bachelor's degree
$60,850 – $129,31070
18Financial Specialists, All Other$83,280
Bachelor's degree
$53,950 – $101,17050
19Network and Computer Systems Administrators$83,180
Bachelor's degree
$58,400 – $111,090110
20Business Operations Specialists, All Other$82,090
Bachelor's degree
$46,020 – $114,540250
21Dental Hygienists$81,410
Associate's degree
$78,320 – $92,480110
22Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,110
Associate's degree
$32,060 – $105,35060
23Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$78,410
Bachelor's degree
$53,420 – $113,77030
24Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,860
Associate's degree
$59,720 – $86,39060
25Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,370
Associate's degree
$45,090 – $90,57040
26Registered Nurses$76,790
Bachelor's degree
$65,700 – $96,5701,280
27Data Scientists$74,790
Bachelor's degree
$53,790 – $133,45090
28Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$74,530
Associate's degree
$60,000 – $80,780100
29Respiratory Therapists$74,190
Associate's degree
$64,260 – $78,04040
30Accountants and Auditors$74,140
Bachelor's degree
$50,800 – $118,130450
31Web and Digital Interface Designers$67,900
Bachelor's degree
$34,620 – $134,32040
32Architectural and Civil Drafters$65,760
Associate's degree
$48,150 – $101,00060
33Commercial and Industrial Designers$64,690
Bachelor's degree
$51,550 – $120,75030
34Human Resources Specialists$64,390
Bachelor's degree
$42,850 – $106,090380
35Public Relations Specialists$64,180
Bachelor's degree
$37,990 – $99,670100
36Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,180 – $76,200200
37Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$61,660
Bachelor's degree
$38,530 – $107,210330
38Surgical Technologists$60,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,680 – $75,25040
39Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$60,470
Bachelor's degree
$47,900 – $75,51090
40Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,200
Bachelor's degree
$47,830 – $76,740350
41Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$58,950
Bachelor's degree
$48,160 – $75,98050
42Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$57,840
Bachelor's degree
$44,230 – $77,840560
43Mechanical Drafters$57,440
Associate's degree
$46,160 – $74,20050
44Paralegals and Legal Assistants$55,740
Associate's degree
$37,590 – $77,42080
45Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$55,680
Bachelor's degree
$38,460 – $75,890100
46Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners$54,150
Bachelor's degree
$36,430 – $73,24040
47Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$53,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,770 – $76,55040
48Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$52,490
Bachelor's degree
$47,780 – $76,17030
49Child, Family, and School Social Workers$51,980
Bachelor's degree
$39,990 – $71,780100
50Physical Therapist Assistants$51,640
Associate's degree
$31,330 – $64,93050

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

#	Occupation	MedianDubuque, IA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$161,140	$89,990 – $283,070	60
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$145,390	$113,670 – $159,670	140
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,620	$110,040 – $168,480	130
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$126,050	$96,620 – $164,880	40
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$109,270	$66,300 – $225,000	100
6	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,040	$78,480 – $135,590	230
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$105,360	$76,810 – $167,100	330
8	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,690	$64,400 – $146,050	290
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,290	$81,190 – $204,630	70
10	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$100,170	$59,280 – $134,640	40
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,840	$72,600 – $110,790	110
12	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,210	$63,770 – $133,620	120
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$94,210	$77,480 – $111,870	30
14	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$93,480	$63,470 – $143,750	340
15	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,480	$63,550 – $188,140	110
16	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$85,310	$62,430 – $125,450	100
17	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,270	$60,850 – $129,310	70
18	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,280	$53,950 – $101,170	50
19	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$83,180	$58,400 – $111,090	110
20	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,090	$46,020 – $114,540	250
21	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$81,410	$78,320 – $92,480	110
22	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,110	$32,060 – $105,350	60
23	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,410	$53,420 – $113,770	30
24	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,860	$59,720 – $86,390	60
25	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,370	$45,090 – $90,570	40
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$76,790	$65,700 – $96,570	1,280
27	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$74,790	$53,790 – $133,450	90
28	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,530	$60,000 – $80,780	100
29	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$74,190	$64,260 – $78,040	40
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$74,140	$50,800 – $118,130	450
31	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$67,900	$34,620 – $134,320	40
32	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$65,760	$48,150 – $101,000	60
33	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$64,690	$51,550 – $120,750	30
34	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,390	$42,850 – $106,090	380
35	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,180	$37,990 – $99,670	100
36	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,750	$51,180 – $76,200	200
37	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,660	$38,530 – $107,210	330
38	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,500	$48,680 – $75,250	40
39	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$60,470	$47,900 – $75,510	90
40	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,200	$47,830 – $76,740	350
41	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$58,950	$48,160 – $75,980	50
42	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$57,840	$44,230 – $77,840	560
43	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$57,440	$46,160 – $74,200	50
44	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$55,740	$37,590 – $77,420	80
45	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$55,680	$38,460 – $75,890	100
46	Meeting, Convention, and Event PlannersBachelor's degree	$54,150	$36,430 – $73,240	40
47	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,890	$37,770 – $76,550	40
48	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$52,490	$47,780 – $76,170	30
49	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$51,980	$39,990 – $71,780	100
50	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$51,640	$31,330 – $64,930	50

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

High paying entry level jobs in Dubuque, IA

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