High paying entry level jobs in Fort Wayne, IN

These occupations in Fort Wayne, IN 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 Fort Wayne, IN run 7.4% below the national average (2024), so a Fort Wayne, IN salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Fort Wayne, IN

OccupationMedian, Fort Wayne, IN · Employed

1Dentists, General$183,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$132,210 – $337,900120
2Pharmacists$152,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,790 – $165,380430
3Physician Assistants$131,400
Master's degree
$110,910 – $206,860240
4Nurse Practitioners$127,050
Master's degree
$106,060 – $154,820820
5Lawyers$126,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,670 – $296,460510
6Veterinarians$124,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,130 – $166,61080
7Engineers, All Other$107,720
Bachelor's degree
$63,670 – $152,83080
8Software Developers$101,560
Bachelor's degree
$70,930 – $165,310810
9Electrical Engineers$100,780
Bachelor's degree
$66,740 – $153,840370
10Physical Therapists$98,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,200 – $132,770450
11Mechanical Engineers$95,310
Bachelor's degree
$61,350 – $140,020560
12Data Scientists$94,470
Bachelor's degree
$62,750 – $132,400270
13Project Management Specialists$92,590
Bachelor's degree
$57,470 – $133,020650
14Industrial Engineers$91,000
Bachelor's degree
$61,680 – $125,710900
15Computer Systems Analysts$90,300
Bachelor's degree
$63,550 – $133,680650
16Civil Engineers$88,920
Bachelor's degree
$62,790 – $131,460250
17Occupational Therapists$86,580
Master's degree
$43,140 – $114,490300
18Dental Hygienists$86,120
Associate's degree
$79,900 – $93,970460
19Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$85,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,390 – $173,77090
20Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$83,500
Associate's degree
$66,190 – $98,830110
21Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$83,440
Bachelor's degree
$53,530 – $119,860230
22Computer Occupations, All Other$82,860
Bachelor's degree
$47,500 – $131,73090
23Network and Computer Systems Administrators$82,250
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $117,800310
24Financial and Investment Analysts$80,430
Bachelor's degree
$57,760 – $132,350260
25Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$79,710
Bachelor's degree
$54,910 – $120,29080
26Registered Nurses$79,630
Bachelor's degree
$66,160 – $100,3906,450
27Respiratory Therapists$77,390
Associate's degree
$62,730 – $93,320210
28Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$76,840
Associate's degree
$56,680 – $89,720370
29Business Teachers, Postsecondary$76,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$40,390 – $169,470100
30Accountants and Auditors$75,250
Bachelor's degree
$50,850 – $119,4901,640
31Urban and Regional Planners$75,240
Master's degree
$61,820 – $101,48070
32Social Workers, All Other$74,510
Bachelor's degree
$62,210 – $103,900100
33Occupational Therapy Assistants$73,130
Associate's degree
$52,870 – $89,870100
34Business Operations Specialists, All Other$72,740
Bachelor's degree
$42,240 – $111,910310
35Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$71,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,630 – $82,58090
36Public Relations Specialists$70,410
Bachelor's degree
$46,110 – $105,580310
37Web and Digital Interface Designers$70,270
Bachelor's degree
$51,410 – $125,000100
38Logisticians$69,610
Bachelor's degree
$36,870 – $115,400220
39Operations Research Analysts$68,010
Bachelor's degree
$59,850 – $104,620100
40Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$67,210
Master's degree
$53,150 – $133,010120
41Surgical Assistants$65,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,090 – $97,290110
42Human Resources Specialists$65,510
Bachelor's degree
$45,090 – $103,6901,150
43Mechanical Drafters$64,820
Associate's degree
$42,340 – $86,63080
44Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,490
Associate's degree
$48,370 – $95,270100
45Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,190 – $75,7901,200
46Athletic Trainers$63,380
Master's degree
$49,000 – $77,530100
47Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,260
Associate's degree
$41,200 – $80,330220
48Surgical Technologists$63,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,670 – $79,680210
49Physical Therapist Assistants$62,360
Associate's degree
$42,760 – $76,250230
50Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,970
Bachelor's degree
$48,170 – $80,970660

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

#	Occupation	MedianFort Wayne, IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$183,590	$132,210 – $337,900	120
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$152,530	$107,790 – $165,380	430
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,400	$110,910 – $206,860	240
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,050	$106,060 – $154,820	820
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$126,520	$76,670 – $296,460	510
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,970	$79,130 – $166,610	80
7	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,720	$63,670 – $152,830	80
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$101,560	$70,930 – $165,310	810
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,780	$66,740 – $153,840	370
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,450	$74,200 – $132,770	450
11	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,310	$61,350 – $140,020	560
12	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$94,470	$62,750 – $132,400	270
13	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$92,590	$57,470 – $133,020	650
14	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$91,000	$61,680 – $125,710	900
15	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,300	$63,550 – $133,680	650
16	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,920	$62,790 – $131,460	250
17	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$86,580	$43,140 – $114,490	300
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$86,120	$79,900 – $93,970	460
19	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$85,340	$60,390 – $173,770	90
20	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$83,500	$66,190 – $98,830	110
21	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,440	$53,530 – $119,860	230
22	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,860	$47,500 – $131,730	90
23	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$82,250	$52,000 – $117,800	310
24	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,430	$57,760 – $132,350	260
25	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$79,710	$54,910 – $120,290	80
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,630	$66,160 – $100,390	6,450
27	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$77,390	$62,730 – $93,320	210
28	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,840	$56,680 – $89,720	370
29	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,500	$40,390 – $169,470	100
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,250	$50,850 – $119,490	1,640
31	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$75,240	$61,820 – $101,480	70
32	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$74,510	$62,210 – $103,900	100
33	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,130	$52,870 – $89,870	100
34	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$72,740	$42,240 – $111,910	310
35	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,070	$46,630 – $82,580	90
36	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,410	$46,110 – $105,580	310
37	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$70,270	$51,410 – $125,000	100
38	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$69,610	$36,870 – $115,400	220
39	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$68,010	$59,850 – $104,620	100
40	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$67,210	$53,150 – $133,010	120
41	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,910	$41,090 – $97,290	110
42	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,510	$45,090 – $103,690	1,150
43	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$64,820	$42,340 – $86,630	80
44	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,490	$48,370 – $95,270	100
45	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,640	$51,190 – $75,790	1,200
46	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$63,380	$49,000 – $77,530	100
47	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,260	$41,200 – $80,330	220
48	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,140	$57,670 – $79,680	210
49	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,360	$42,760 – $76,250	230
50	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,970	$48,170 – $80,970	660

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Fort Wayne, IN. 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 Fort Wayne, IN to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Fort Wayne, IN

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