High paying entry level jobs in Grand Junction, CO

These occupations in Grand Junction, CO 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 Grand Junction, CO run 4.5% below the national average (2024), so a Grand Junction, CO 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 Grand Junction, CO

OccupationMedian, Grand Junction, CO · Employed

1Petroleum Engineers$161,940
Bachelor's degree
$82,270 – $254,02050
2Dentists, General$161,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,280 – $272,21060
3Pharmacists$147,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$130,610 – $167,560120
4Physician Assistants$129,930
Master's degree
$102,420 – $163,250150
5Software Developers$123,990
Bachelor's degree
$74,160 – $195,840170
6Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$121,820
Bachelor's degree
$48,900 – $197,11030
7Nurse Practitioners$120,710
Master's degree
$78,510 – $156,480140
8Veterinarians$117,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,160 – $193,65050
9Lawyers$113,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,410 – $215,330260
10Computer Occupations, All Other$112,400
Bachelor's degree
$67,530 – $141,77070
11Data Scientists$111,300
Bachelor's degree
$63,170 – $164,98040
12Occupational Therapists$107,380
Master's degree
$83,310 – $137,170110
13Mechanical Engineers$105,210
Bachelor's degree
$63,590 – $133,09090
14Physical Therapists$102,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,670 – $127,520150
15Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$99,980
Associate's degree
$47,270 – $120,90050
16Dental Hygienists$98,910
Associate's degree
$90,380 – $116,320170
17Registered Nurses$95,990
Bachelor's degree
$78,050 – $123,5002,130
18Computer Systems Analysts$95,810
Bachelor's degree
$70,420 – $150,34050
19Project Management Specialists$94,690
Bachelor's degree
$59,660 – $138,960380
20Civil Engineers$92,450
Bachelor's degree
$72,520 – $129,070190
21Network and Computer Systems Administrators$89,500
Bachelor's degree
$70,440 – $113,490120
22Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$89,350
Bachelor's degree
$51,170 – $139,04080
23Industrial Engineers$84,670
Bachelor's degree
$65,100 – $123,62060
24Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$84,360
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $112,01030
25Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$81,730
Bachelor's degree
$51,550 – $107,94040
26Respiratory Therapists$81,290
Associate's degree
$64,700 – $109,67070
27Teachers and Instructors, All Other$79,440
Bachelor's degree
$65,560 – $102,99090
28Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$79,040
Bachelor's degree
$49,580 – $110,22040
29Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,690
Associate's degree
$61,760 – $108,740140
30Accountants and Auditors$76,870
Bachelor's degree
$49,420 – $127,550640
31Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$76,850
Bachelor's degree
$37,900 – $120,970130
32Business Operations Specialists, All Other$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$45,600 – $129,960700
33Financial Specialists, All Other$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$50,590 – $116,77050
34Logisticians$74,880
Bachelor's degree
$55,470 – $120,74070
35Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,070
Associate's degree
$43,840 – $78,88040
36Human Resources Specialists$66,660
Bachelor's degree
$42,510 – $110,250280
37Surgical Technologists$65,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,360 – $85,50080
38Physical Therapist Assistants$65,140
Associate's degree
$47,950 – $77,59030
39Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$65,090
Bachelor's degree
$51,680 – $82,17060
40Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$64,540
Bachelor's degree
$52,150 – $84,96090
41Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,430 – $77,080160
42Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,060
Bachelor's degree
$46,840 – $82,430440
43Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$63,980
Master's degree
$46,750 – $85,29060
44Public Relations Specialists$63,740
Bachelor's degree
$45,910 – $113,040110
45Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$63,640
Bachelor's degree
$41,400 – $138,860330
46Special Education Teachers, Middle School$63,480
Bachelor's degree
$51,890 – $71,99060
47Fundraisers$63,090
Bachelor's degree
$52,640 – $86,25030
48Massage Therapists$62,550
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,540 – $90,86090
49Paralegals and Legal Assistants$61,420
Associate's degree
$56,780 – $89,910100
50Social Workers, All Other$61,350
Bachelor's degree
$43,180 – $95,660140

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

#	Occupation	MedianGrand Junction, CO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$161,940	$82,270 – $254,020	50
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$161,200	$98,280 – $272,210	60
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$147,170	$130,610 – $167,560	120
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$129,930	$102,420 – $163,250	150
5	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$123,990	$74,160 – $195,840	170
6	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$121,820	$48,900 – $197,110	30
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$120,710	$78,510 – $156,480	140
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$117,520	$61,160 – $193,650	50
9	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$113,610	$73,410 – $215,330	260
10	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$112,400	$67,530 – $141,770	70
11	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$111,300	$63,170 – $164,980	40
12	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$107,380	$83,310 – $137,170	110
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,210	$63,590 – $133,090	90
14	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,160	$76,670 – $127,520	150
15	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$99,980	$47,270 – $120,900	50
16	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,910	$90,380 – $116,320	170
17	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$95,990	$78,050 – $123,500	2,130
18	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,810	$70,420 – $150,340	50
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,690	$59,660 – $138,960	380
20	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$92,450	$72,520 – $129,070	190
21	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$89,500	$70,440 – $113,490	120
22	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$89,350	$51,170 – $139,040	80
23	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,670	$65,100 – $123,620	60
24	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$84,360	$63,130 – $112,010	30
25	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,730	$51,550 – $107,940	40
26	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,290	$64,700 – $109,670	70
27	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,440	$65,560 – $102,990	90
28	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$79,040	$49,580 – $110,220	40
29	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,690	$61,760 – $108,740	140
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,870	$49,420 – $127,550	640
31	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$76,850	$37,900 – $120,970	130
32	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,400	$45,600 – $129,960	700
33	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,400	$50,590 – $116,770	50
34	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$74,880	$55,470 – $120,740	70
35	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,070	$43,840 – $78,880	40
36	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$66,660	$42,510 – $110,250	280
37	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,410	$51,360 – $85,500	80
38	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,140	$47,950 – $77,590	30
39	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$65,090	$51,680 – $82,170	60
40	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,540	$52,150 – $84,960	90
41	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,480	$47,430 – $77,080	160
42	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$64,060	$46,840 – $82,430	440
43	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$63,980	$46,750 – $85,290	60
44	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,740	$45,910 – $113,040	110
45	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,640	$41,400 – $138,860	330
46	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$63,480	$51,890 – $71,990	60
47	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$63,090	$52,640 – $86,250	30
48	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,550	$31,540 – $90,860	90
49	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,420	$56,780 – $89,910	100
50	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$61,350	$43,180 – $95,660	140

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Grand Junction, CO. 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 Grand Junction, CO to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Grand Junction, CO

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