High paying entry level jobs in Erie, PA

These occupations in Erie, PA 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 Erie, PA run 9.0% below the national average (2024), so a Erie, PA salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Erie, PA

OccupationMedian, Erie, PA · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$212,120
Master's degree
$134,110 – $301,27070
2Dentists, General$137,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,940 – $241,02080
3Optometrists$134,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,690 – $207,80040
4Pharmacists$128,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,920 – $155,830220
5Lawyers$128,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,310 – $278,770260
6Veterinarians$123,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,210 – $169,84070
7Nurse Practitioners$122,100
Master's degree
$97,570 – $135,210260
8Physician Assistants$111,260
Master's degree
$97,400 – $132,440170
9Electrical Engineers$109,260
Bachelor's degree
$75,450 – $170,950200
10Mechanical Engineers$106,890
Bachelor's degree
$63,750 – $174,830590
11Business Teachers, Postsecondary$106,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$44,650 – $172,890120
12Computer Occupations, All Other$104,800
Bachelor's degree
$49,330 – $145,830100
13Software Developers$101,550
Bachelor's degree
$69,140 – $152,990390
14Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$101,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,420 – $129,97040
15Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$95,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,430 – $130,50070
16Physical Therapists$94,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,010 – $119,230240
17Project Management Specialists$93,590
Bachelor's degree
$59,280 – $135,090520
18Occupational Therapists$93,560
Master's degree
$76,480 – $119,340120
19Network and Computer Systems Administrators$88,070
Bachelor's degree
$55,660 – $105,040160
20Industrial Engineers$86,430
Bachelor's degree
$61,320 – $123,450500
21Social Workers, All Other$84,990
Bachelor's degree
$60,700 – $104,96060
22Engineers, All Other$82,490
Bachelor's degree
$54,930 – $152,00050
23Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$80,980
Bachelor's degree
$49,400 – $110,90080
24Computer Systems Analysts$80,500
Bachelor's degree
$62,000 – $114,120440
25Registered Nurses$80,000
Bachelor's degree
$65,820 – $102,0403,060
26Data Scientists$79,560
Bachelor's degree
$60,780 – $133,650140
27Civil Engineers$79,370
Bachelor's degree
$66,710 – $130,280130
28Financial and Investment Analysts$78,780
Bachelor's degree
$56,530 – $130,020130
29Computer Programmers$78,060
Bachelor's degree
$51,890 – $113,44040
30Dental Hygienists$77,360
Associate's degree
$64,330 – $93,100140
31Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$76,510
Associate's degree
$65,040 – $94,91060
32English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$76,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,500 – $130,95050
33Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$76,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$39,000 – $127,54050
34Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary$75,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,400 – $117,04040
35Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$75,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,700 – $134,310110
36Business Operations Specialists, All Other$73,420
Bachelor's degree
$40,120 – $109,300260
37Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$71,660
Bachelor's degree
$47,110 – $80,850180
38Logisticians$71,380
Bachelor's degree
$47,180 – $99,100160
39Accountants and Auditors$70,000
Bachelor's degree
$42,920 – $123,340970
40Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$69,920
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $80,650960
41Health Education Specialists$67,600
Bachelor's degree
$44,290 – $131,58070
42Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$65,870
Bachelor's degree
$48,310 – $78,640750
43Chiropractors$62,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,640 – $107,81040
44Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$62,760
Master's degree
$36,270 – $129,40070
45Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$62,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,070 – $79,61080
46Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,530
Bachelor's degree
$49,100 – $77,63090
47Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$62,500
Associate's degree
$39,370 – $80,140160
48Respiratory Therapists$62,480
Associate's degree
$59,140 – $78,490110
49Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$62,330
Bachelor's degree
$36,280 – $89,980600
50Therapists, All Other$62,310
Bachelor's degree
$32,290 – $65,42040

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

#	Occupation	MedianErie, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$212,120	$134,110 – $301,270	70
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$137,530	$65,940 – $241,020	80
3	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,230	$98,690 – $207,800	40
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,360	$99,920 – $155,830	220
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$128,130	$78,310 – $278,770	260
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$123,670	$73,210 – $169,840	70
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$122,100	$97,570 – $135,210	260
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$111,260	$97,400 – $132,440	170
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,260	$75,450 – $170,950	200
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,890	$63,750 – $174,830	590
11	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,300	$44,650 – $172,890	120
12	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,800	$49,330 – $145,830	100
13	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$101,550	$69,140 – $152,990	390
14	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,330	$62,420 – $129,970	40
15	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$95,750	$61,430 – $130,500	70
16	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$94,830	$74,010 – $119,230	240
17	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,590	$59,280 – $135,090	520
18	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$93,560	$76,480 – $119,340	120
19	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$88,070	$55,660 – $105,040	160
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$86,430	$61,320 – $123,450	500
21	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,990	$60,700 – $104,960	60
22	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,490	$54,930 – $152,000	50
23	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,980	$49,400 – $110,900	80
24	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,500	$62,000 – $114,120	440
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$80,000	$65,820 – $102,040	3,060
26	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$79,560	$60,780 – $133,650	140
27	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$79,370	$66,710 – $130,280	130
28	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$78,780	$56,530 – $130,020	130
29	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$78,060	$51,890 – $113,440	40
30	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$77,360	$64,330 – $93,100	140
31	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$76,510	$65,040 – $94,910	60
32	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,270	$47,500 – $130,950	50
33	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,170	$39,000 – $127,540	50
34	Social Work Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$75,920	$35,400 – $117,040	40
35	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$75,910	$42,700 – $134,310	110
36	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,420	$40,120 – $109,300	260
37	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$71,660	$47,110 – $80,850	180
38	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$71,380	$47,180 – $99,100	160
39	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$70,000	$42,920 – $123,340	970
40	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$69,920	$49,990 – $80,650	960
41	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$67,600	$44,290 – $131,580	70
42	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$65,870	$48,310 – $78,640	750
43	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$62,990	$35,640 – $107,810	40
44	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$62,760	$36,270 – $129,400	70
45	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$62,580	$62,070 – $79,610	80
46	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,530	$49,100 – $77,630	90
47	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,500	$39,370 – $80,140	160
48	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$62,480	$59,140 – $78,490	110
49	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$62,330	$36,280 – $89,980	600
50	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$62,310	$32,290 – $65,420	40

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

High paying entry level jobs in Erie, PA

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