High paying entry level jobs in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

These occupations in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC run 2.4% below the national average (2024), so a Durham-Chapel Hill, NC salary is worth about 1.02× 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

OccupationMedian, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC · Employed

1Dentists, General$208,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,990 – $333,410200
2Computer Hardware Engineers$175,110
Bachelor's degree
$99,900 – $294,880430
3Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$155,680
Bachelor's degree
$94,580 – $206,310290
4Economists$152,130
Master's degree
$81,700 – $224,270120
5Pharmacists$141,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,870 – $165,7401,150
6Software Developers$135,620
Bachelor's degree
$100,670 – $209,4109,790
7Web and Digital Interface Designers$133,340
Bachelor's degree
$62,580 – $172,420510
8Lawyers$132,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,390 – $333,5101,220
9Physician Assistants$132,670
Master's degree
$107,420 – $168,950740
10Veterinarians$132,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,170 – $217,080210
11Nurse Practitioners$132,300
Master's degree
$108,200 – $167,0601,450
12Electrical Engineers$129,030
Bachelor's degree
$78,280 – $213,3001,020
13Physical Scientists, All Other$128,380
Bachelor's degree
$82,350 – $183,540370
14Engineers, All Other$127,710
Bachelor's degree
$81,550 – $174,180580
15Computer Occupations, All Other$126,300
Bachelor's degree
$63,060 – $174,1702,090
16Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$123,280
Master's degree
$68,060 – $188,640290
17Materials Scientists$123,070
Bachelor's degree
$64,670 – $173,020110
18Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$122,980
Bachelor's degree
$65,280 – $166,820950
19Database Administrators$117,950
Bachelor's degree
$72,330 – $165,710220
20Chemical Engineers$117,440
Bachelor's degree
$82,520 – $162,290110
21Network and Computer Systems Administrators$110,640
Bachelor's degree
$65,200 – $166,4401,270
22Data Scientists$106,500
Bachelor's degree
$60,060 – $182,0201,320
23Computer Systems Analysts$106,410
Bachelor's degree
$78,360 – $158,8202,530
24Life Scientists, All Other$105,850
Bachelor's degree
$63,940 – $174,250460
25Computer Programmers$105,160
Bachelor's degree
$67,770 – $136,830450
26Project Management Specialists$104,870
Bachelor's degree
$66,000 – $168,2103,180
27Statisticians$103,290
Master's degree
$77,620 – $163,510600
28Industrial Engineers$102,890
Bachelor's degree
$78,210 – $163,3301,150
29Financial and Investment Analysts$102,140
Bachelor's degree
$70,780 – $172,880950
30Mechanical Engineers$101,650
Bachelor's degree
$77,410 – $164,820620
31Dental Hygienists$101,460
Associate's degree
$82,490 – $103,850350
32Physical Therapists$100,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,720 – $125,880790
33Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$99,050
Bachelor's degree
$60,580 – $139,940290
34Biological Scientists, All Other$98,700
Bachelor's degree
$64,200 – $142,5001,390
35Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$98,490
Bachelor's degree
$66,930 – $139,120310
36Web Developers$96,880
Bachelor's degree
$54,470 – $145,160160
37Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$96,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,800 – $173,3102,240
38Business Operations Specialists, All Other$95,460
Bachelor's degree
$53,520 – $146,4703,830
39Civil Engineers$93,940
Bachelor's degree
$67,970 – $164,990740
40Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$93,110
Bachelor's degree
$50,080 – $178,8702,740
41Social Workers, All Other$91,080
Bachelor's degree
$44,440 – $123,280180
42Biochemists and Biophysicists$87,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,250 – $152,940260
43Microbiologists$85,860
Bachelor's degree
$63,830 – $138,620400
44Urban and Regional Planners$85,290
Master's degree
$66,740 – $103,060210
45Accountants and Auditors$85,090
Bachelor's degree
$60,620 – $152,9003,060
46Logisticians$84,300
Bachelor's degree
$59,820 – $162,720480
47Financial Specialists, All Other$83,650
Bachelor's degree
$62,000 – $127,110520
48Occupational Therapists$83,160
Master's degree
$64,060 – $111,050390
49Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,840
Bachelor's degree
$57,030 – $143,040430
50Budget Analysts$82,350
Bachelor's degree
$64,470 – $108,670180

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

#	Occupation	MedianDurham-Chapel Hill, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$208,490	$119,990 – $333,410	200
2	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$175,110	$99,900 – $294,880	430
3	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$155,680	$94,580 – $206,310	290
4	EconomistsMaster's degree	$152,130	$81,700 – $224,270	120
5	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$141,360	$102,870 – $165,740	1,150
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$135,620	$100,670 – $209,410	9,790
7	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$133,340	$62,580 – $172,420	510
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$132,790	$61,390 – $333,510	1,220
9	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$132,670	$107,420 – $168,950	740
10	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$132,500	$52,170 – $217,080	210
11	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,300	$108,200 – $167,060	1,450
12	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,030	$78,280 – $213,300	1,020
13	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$128,380	$82,350 – $183,540	370
14	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$127,710	$81,550 – $174,180	580
15	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$126,300	$63,060 – $174,170	2,090
16	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$123,280	$68,060 – $188,640	290
17	Materials ScientistsBachelor's degree	$123,070	$64,670 – $173,020	110
18	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$122,980	$65,280 – $166,820	950
19	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$117,950	$72,330 – $165,710	220
20	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,440	$82,520 – $162,290	110
21	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$110,640	$65,200 – $166,440	1,270
22	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$106,500	$60,060 – $182,020	1,320
23	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$106,410	$78,360 – $158,820	2,530
24	Life Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$105,850	$63,940 – $174,250	460
25	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$105,160	$67,770 – $136,830	450
26	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,870	$66,000 – $168,210	3,180
27	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$103,290	$77,620 – $163,510	600
28	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,890	$78,210 – $163,330	1,150
29	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,140	$70,780 – $172,880	950
30	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,650	$77,410 – $164,820	620
31	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$101,460	$82,490 – $103,850	350
32	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,240	$80,720 – $125,880	790
33	Bioengineers and Biomedical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,050	$60,580 – $139,940	290
34	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$98,700	$64,200 – $142,500	1,390
35	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,490	$66,930 – $139,120	310
36	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$96,880	$54,470 – $145,160	160
37	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$96,430	$64,800 – $173,310	2,240
38	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,460	$53,520 – $146,470	3,830
39	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,940	$67,970 – $164,990	740
40	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,110	$50,080 – $178,870	2,740
41	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$91,080	$44,440 – $123,280	180
42	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$87,650	$64,250 – $152,940	260
43	MicrobiologistsBachelor's degree	$85,860	$63,830 – $138,620	400
44	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$85,290	$66,740 – $103,060	210
45	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$85,090	$60,620 – $152,900	3,060
46	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$84,300	$59,820 – $162,720	480
47	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,650	$62,000 – $127,110	520
48	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$83,160	$64,060 – $111,050	390
49	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$82,840	$57,030 – $143,040	430
50	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,350	$64,470 – $108,670	180

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC. 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

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