High paying entry level jobs in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

These occupations in Harrisburg-Carlisle, 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA run 1.3% below the national average (2024), so a Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA salary is worth about 1.01× 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

OccupationMedian, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA · Employed

1Dentists, General$193,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,650 – $362,820130
2Pharmacists$135,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,140 – $162,240750
3Veterinarians$132,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,390 – $298,310180
4Nurse Practitioners$132,670
Master's degree
$103,430 – $159,260500
5Lawyers$131,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,010 – $218,4601,930
6Physician Assistants$123,110
Master's degree
$71,960 – $157,730580
7Software Developers$109,470
Bachelor's degree
$76,190 – $162,2602,580
8Business Teachers, Postsecondary$107,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$53,150 – $175,110210
9Electrical Engineers$103,740
Bachelor's degree
$74,760 – $151,790230
10Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$101,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,500 – $162,960140
11Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,530 – $131,850120
12Physical Therapists$100,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,140 – $131,860640
13Computer Occupations, All Other$100,110
Bachelor's degree
$61,710 – $136,1801,680
14Database Administrators$100,110
Bachelor's degree
$63,160 – $136,430190
15Industrial Engineers$98,380
Bachelor's degree
$67,850 – $136,340530
16Occupational Therapists$98,240
Master's degree
$71,010 – $128,070430
17Project Management Specialists$97,850
Bachelor's degree
$59,880 – $155,6901,910
18Registered Nurses$96,770
Bachelor's degree
$76,760 – $116,4509,210
19Data Scientists$96,760
Bachelor's degree
$62,440 – $154,640500
20Mechanical Engineers$95,000
Bachelor's degree
$64,840 – $129,750470
21Civil Engineers$93,830
Bachelor's degree
$68,970 – $132,6301,370
22Network and Computer Systems Administrators$93,090
Bachelor's degree
$66,040 – $127,690510
23Computer Systems Analysts$91,900
Bachelor's degree
$62,680 – $127,1701,190
24Environmental Engineers$91,770
Bachelor's degree
$71,330 – $119,980140
25Financial Specialists, All Other$90,400
Bachelor's degree
$59,260 – $125,420400
26Logisticians$88,000
Bachelor's degree
$50,960 – $125,4201,110
27Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$87,270
Bachelor's degree
$59,080 – $135,180170
28Computer Programmers$86,450
Bachelor's degree
$52,640 – $129,040140
29Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$84,410
Bachelor's degree
$58,900 – $118,600320
30Dental Hygienists$84,100
Associate's degree
$76,820 – $96,270390
31Health Education Specialists$84,070
Bachelor's degree
$61,710 – $114,440430
32Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$84,070
Bachelor's degree
$50,590 – $111,970210
33Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220
Bachelor's degree
$59,560 – $109,570270
34Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$81,790
Master's degree
$50,720 – $135,220130
35Financial and Investment Analysts$81,360
Bachelor's degree
$54,700 – $152,400570
36Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$81,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,970 – $172,160170
37Operations Research Analysts$80,870
Bachelor's degree
$62,340 – $118,270250
38Budget Analysts$80,480
Bachelor's degree
$61,710 – $111,970370
39Economists$80,010
Master's degree
$56,410 – $114,440170
40Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$79,330
Associate's degree
$72,570 – $98,110230
41Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$78,910
Bachelor's degree
$45,920 – $96,130180
42Respiratory Therapists$78,750
Associate's degree
$63,760 – $94,590410
43Statisticians$78,690
Master's degree
$55,220 – $117,110160
44Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$78,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$30,960 – $134,020280
45Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,160
Bachelor's degree
$58,440 – $92,0002,990
46Accountants and Auditors$76,510
Bachelor's degree
$50,850 – $111,9703,210
47Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,140
Bachelor's degree
$59,040 – $94,2501,190
48Business Operations Specialists, All Other$75,230
Bachelor's degree
$44,840 – $121,8501,960
49Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$73,740
Associate's degree
$61,760 – $97,250470
50Chemists$73,670
Bachelor's degree
$52,480 – $103,990160

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

#	Occupation	MedianHarrisburg-Carlisle, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$193,760	$105,650 – $362,820	130
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$135,480	$122,140 – $162,240	750
3	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$132,750	$80,390 – $298,310	180
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,670	$103,430 – $159,260	500
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,440	$79,010 – $218,460	1,930
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$123,110	$71,960 – $157,730	580
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$109,470	$76,190 – $162,260	2,580
8	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$107,910	$53,150 – $175,110	210
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,740	$74,760 – $151,790	230
10	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,160	$66,500 – $162,960	140
11	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,740	$60,530 – $131,850	120
12	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,160	$77,140 – $131,860	640
13	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,110	$61,710 – $136,180	1,680
14	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$100,110	$63,160 – $136,430	190
15	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,380	$67,850 – $136,340	530
16	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,240	$71,010 – $128,070	430
17	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,850	$59,880 – $155,690	1,910
18	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$96,770	$76,760 – $116,450	9,210
19	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$96,760	$62,440 – $154,640	500
20	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,000	$64,840 – $129,750	470
21	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,830	$68,970 – $132,630	1,370
22	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$93,090	$66,040 – $127,690	510
23	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,900	$62,680 – $127,170	1,190
24	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$91,770	$71,330 – $119,980	140
25	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,400	$59,260 – $125,420	400
26	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$88,000	$50,960 – $125,420	1,110
27	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$87,270	$59,080 – $135,180	170
28	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$86,450	$52,640 – $129,040	140
29	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,410	$58,900 – $118,600	320
30	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$84,100	$76,820 – $96,270	390
31	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,070	$61,710 – $114,440	430
32	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,070	$50,590 – $111,970	210
33	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$82,220	$59,560 – $109,570	270
34	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$81,790	$50,720 – $135,220	130
35	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$81,360	$54,700 – $152,400	570
36	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$81,260	$60,970 – $172,160	170
37	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,870	$62,340 – $118,270	250
38	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,480	$61,710 – $111,970	370
39	EconomistsMaster's degree	$80,010	$56,410 – $114,440	170
40	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$79,330	$72,570 – $98,110	230
41	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,910	$45,920 – $96,130	180
42	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,750	$63,760 – $94,590	410
43	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$78,690	$55,220 – $117,110	160
44	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$78,320	$30,960 – $134,020	280
45	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$77,160	$58,440 – $92,000	2,990
46	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,510	$50,850 – $111,970	3,210
47	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$76,140	$59,040 – $94,250	1,190
48	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$75,230	$44,840 – $121,850	1,960
49	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,740	$61,760 – $97,250	470
50	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$73,670	$52,480 – $103,990	160

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

High paying entry level jobs in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

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