High paying entry level jobs in El Centro, CA

These occupations in El Centro, CA 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 El Centro, CA run 4.8% below the national average (2024), so a El Centro, CA 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 El Centro, CA

OccupationMedian, El Centro, CA · Employed

1Dentists, General$217,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,830 – $346,30040
2Nurse Practitioners$164,700
Master's degree
$103,330 – $213,52070
3Lawyers$162,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,160 – $207,480110
4Pharmacists$158,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,600 – $201,29090
5Physician Assistants$156,730
Master's degree
$124,020 – $193,75040
6Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$141,760
Master's degree
$66,010 – $174,410200
7Software Developers$125,930
Bachelor's degree
$67,570 – $171,20070
8Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$119,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,600 – $130,17040
9Physical Therapists$116,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,620 – $149,20070
10Dental Hygienists$115,870
Associate's degree
$103,290 – $130,84040
11Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$111,880
Bachelor's degree
$54,020 – $133,02050
12Civil Engineers$109,490
Bachelor's degree
$77,880 – $162,860120
13Project Management Specialists$105,860
Bachelor's degree
$62,610 – $156,540140
14Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$104,140
Bachelor's degree
$72,140 – $209,060250
15Registered Nurses$103,450
Bachelor's degree
$84,500 – $150,990950
16Computer Occupations, All Other$103,310
Bachelor's degree
$35,890 – $151,51030
17Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$100,390
Bachelor's degree
$60,800 – $135,570860
18Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$99,440
Bachelor's degree
$62,950 – $127,780780
19Industrial Engineers$99,330
Bachelor's degree
$82,010 – $136,11030
20Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$99,020
Bachelor's degree
$62,290 – $178,860180
21Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$97,000
Bachelor's degree
$61,610 – $120,28090
22Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$95,630
Bachelor's degree
$72,330 – $116,40040
23Biological Scientists, All Other$93,260
Bachelor's degree
$59,900 – $130,85060
24Public Relations Specialists$93,100
Bachelor's degree
$57,500 – $170,05040
25Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$92,000
Associate's degree
$80,570 – $123,34060
26Network and Computer Systems Administrators$88,580
Bachelor's degree
$62,730 – $119,99040
27Computer Systems Analysts$84,610
Bachelor's degree
$49,260 – $134,52030
28Business Operations Specialists, All Other$84,170
Bachelor's degree
$46,230 – $131,690330
29Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$81,520
Bachelor's degree
$41,520 – $117,08040
30Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$78,110
Master's degree
$49,860 – $168,92030
31Teachers and Instructors, All Other$77,110
Bachelor's degree
$47,860 – $122,500140
32Accountants and Auditors$76,280
Bachelor's degree
$51,990 – $126,290300
33Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$74,710
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,140 – $91,180300
34Human Resources Specialists$71,970
Bachelor's degree
$46,660 – $115,350220
35Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$67,400
Bachelor's degree
$46,460 – $138,950140
36Logisticians$65,690
Bachelor's degree
$41,660 – $96,74050
37Paralegals and Legal Assistants$63,000
Associate's degree
$44,770 – $106,75060
38Medical Records Specialists$60,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,000 – $80,86060
39Child, Family, and School Social Workers$60,690
Bachelor's degree
$43,470 – $78,020220
40Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$60,540
Bachelor's degree
$37,580 – $105,490100
41Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$58,240
Bachelor's degree
$45,500 – $85,00050
42Dental Assistants$56,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,120 – $79,620130
43Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$54,420
Bachelor's degree
$40,290 – $66,220690
44Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$53,990
Bachelor's degree
$39,250 – $77,32040
45Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$49,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,380 – $64,580110
46Graphic Designers$49,190
Bachelor's degree
$36,580 – $88,60030
47Tutors$49,000
Some college, no degree
$37,650 – $64,710240
48Library Technicians$48,520
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,810 – $58,48040
49Coaches and Scouts$47,790
Bachelor's degree
$35,100 – $172,79040
50Phlebotomists$46,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,960 – $61,050110

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

#	Occupation	MedianEl Centro, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$217,830	$100,830 – $346,300	40
2	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$164,700	$103,330 – $213,520	70
3	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$162,580	$95,160 – $207,480	110
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$158,490	$123,600 – $201,290	90
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$156,730	$124,020 – $193,750	40
6	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$141,760	$66,010 – $174,410	200
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$125,930	$67,570 – $171,200	70
8	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$119,480	$109,600 – $130,170	40
9	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$116,950	$81,620 – $149,200	70
10	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$115,870	$103,290 – $130,840	40
11	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$111,880	$54,020 – $133,020	50
12	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,490	$77,880 – $162,860	120
13	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$105,860	$62,610 – $156,540	140
14	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$104,140	$72,140 – $209,060	250
15	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$103,450	$84,500 – $150,990	950
16	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$103,310	$35,890 – $151,510	30
17	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$100,390	$60,800 – $135,570	860
18	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$99,440	$62,950 – $127,780	780
19	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,330	$82,010 – $136,110	30
20	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$99,020	$62,290 – $178,860	180
21	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$97,000	$61,610 – $120,280	90
22	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$95,630	$72,330 – $116,400	40
23	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$93,260	$59,900 – $130,850	60
24	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,100	$57,500 – $170,050	40
25	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$92,000	$80,570 – $123,340	60
26	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$88,580	$62,730 – $119,990	40
27	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,610	$49,260 – $134,520	30
28	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,170	$46,230 – $131,690	330
29	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,520	$41,520 – $117,080	40
30	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$78,110	$49,860 – $168,920	30
31	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,110	$47,860 – $122,500	140
32	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,280	$51,990 – $126,290	300
33	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,710	$62,140 – $91,180	300
34	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,970	$46,660 – $115,350	220
35	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$67,400	$46,460 – $138,950	140
36	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$65,690	$41,660 – $96,740	50
37	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,000	$44,770 – $106,750	60
38	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,850	$40,000 – $80,860	60
39	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$60,690	$43,470 – $78,020	220
40	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$60,540	$37,580 – $105,490	100
41	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$58,240	$45,500 – $85,000	50
42	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,050	$43,120 – $79,620	130
43	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$54,420	$40,290 – $66,220	690
44	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$53,990	$39,250 – $77,320	40
45	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,880	$39,380 – $64,580	110
46	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$49,190	$36,580 – $88,600	30
47	TutorsSome college, no degree	$49,000	$37,650 – $64,710	240
48	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,520	$40,810 – $58,480	40
49	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$47,790	$35,100 – $172,790	40
50	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,910	$43,960 – $61,050	110

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in El Centro, CA. 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.

More for El Centro, CA

By field in El Centro, CA

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in El Centro, CA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in El Centro, CA

More for El Centro, CA

Other metro areas in CA

By field in El Centro, CA

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state