High paying entry level jobs in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

These occupations in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC run 11.5% below the national average (2024), so a Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC salary is worth about 1.13× 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

OccupationMedian, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$213,630
Master's degree
$71,800 – $331,510120
2Dentists, General$193,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,840 – $312,820130
3Pharmacists$137,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,540 – $166,200330
4Physician Assistants$127,210
Master's degree
$100,870 – $158,040190
5Nurse Practitioners$126,620
Master's degree
$99,170 – $158,080300
6Engineers, All Other$125,160
Bachelor's degree
$72,230 – $151,82060
7Veterinarians$124,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,470 – $200,78070
8Software Developers$122,540
Bachelor's degree
$76,130 – $197,080420
9Electrical Engineers$107,750
Bachelor's degree
$77,200 – $166,570230
10Physical Therapists$101,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,690 – $123,220160
11Occupational Therapists$100,160
Master's degree
$69,480 – $118,410120
12Lawyers$97,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,990 – $316,020270
13Data Scientists$95,290
Bachelor's degree
$59,290 – $133,930110
14Civil Engineers$94,720
Bachelor's degree
$64,690 – $154,550130
15Dental Hygienists$94,050
Associate's degree
$79,660 – $98,130170
16Computer Systems Analysts$93,970
Bachelor's degree
$58,990 – $143,980190
17Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$93,540
Bachelor's degree
$51,890 – $139,90050
18Mechanical Engineers$89,960
Bachelor's degree
$61,320 – $145,080250
19Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$87,530
Bachelor's degree
$55,890 – $122,480130
20Industrial Engineers$86,640
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $128,290670
21Project Management Specialists$85,490
Bachelor's degree
$52,840 – $159,810490
22Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$83,510
Associate's degree
$69,600 – $99,97050
23Financial and Investment Analysts$82,190
Bachelor's degree
$58,910 – $124,38090
24Network and Computer Systems Administrators$80,970
Bachelor's degree
$49,590 – $135,360220
25Chemists$80,860
Bachelor's degree
$54,530 – $116,850110
26Registered Nurses$80,060
Bachelor's degree
$66,020 – $100,9903,020
27Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,720
Associate's degree
$54,900 – $98,350100
28Respiratory Therapists$78,350
Associate's degree
$63,900 – $125,590130
29Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$77,590
Associate's degree
$54,500 – $85,83070
30Accountants and Auditors$77,490
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $134,2901,040
31Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$75,450
Bachelor's degree
$39,970 – $136,980590
32Financial Specialists, All Other$74,510
Bachelor's degree
$57,640 – $108,11060
33Computer Occupations, All Other$74,310
Bachelor's degree
$25,820 – $148,810270
34Logisticians$74,220
Bachelor's degree
$45,880 – $116,680190
35Business Operations Specialists, All Other$69,230
Bachelor's degree
$45,800 – $130,660660
36Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$68,780
Associate's degree
$47,360 – $99,610380
37Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$65,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$53,260 – $84,51050
38Fundraisers$64,900
Bachelor's degree
$46,630 – $91,80050
39Human Resources Specialists$64,700
Bachelor's degree
$45,620 – $102,260670
40Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$64,630
Bachelor's degree
$45,980 – $75,030110
41Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,060
Associate's degree
$48,550 – $85,06060
42Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary$63,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$53,300 – $74,76060
43Physical Therapist Assistants$63,800
Associate's degree
$54,660 – $77,530140
44Occupational Therapy Assistants$63,120
Associate's degree
$52,560 – $76,28070
45Commercial and Industrial Designers$62,990
Bachelor's degree
$36,540 – $112,19080
46Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,710
Bachelor's degree
$39,900 – $86,820250
47Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,000 – $72,130740
48Web and Digital Interface Designers$60,910
Bachelor's degree
$33,730 – $147,33050
49Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$60,290
Associate's degree
$47,150 – $87,87080
50Interior Designers$60,250
Bachelor's degree
$44,270 – $78,18060

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

#	Occupation	MedianHickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$213,630	$71,800 – $331,510	120
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$193,320	$119,840 – $312,820	130
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$137,180	$105,540 – $166,200	330
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,210	$100,870 – $158,040	190
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,620	$99,170 – $158,080	300
6	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$125,160	$72,230 – $151,820	60
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,970	$75,470 – $200,780	70
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,540	$76,130 – $197,080	420
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,750	$77,200 – $166,570	230
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,950	$78,690 – $123,220	160
11	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$100,160	$69,480 – $118,410	120
12	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$97,330	$59,990 – $316,020	270
13	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$95,290	$59,290 – $133,930	110
14	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,720	$64,690 – $154,550	130
15	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$94,050	$79,660 – $98,130	170
16	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,970	$58,990 – $143,980	190
17	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$93,540	$51,890 – $139,900	50
18	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$89,960	$61,320 – $145,080	250
19	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,530	$55,890 – $122,480	130
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$86,640	$61,600 – $128,290	670
21	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,490	$52,840 – $159,810	490
22	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$83,510	$69,600 – $99,970	50
23	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,190	$58,910 – $124,380	90
24	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$80,970	$49,590 – $135,360	220
25	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$80,860	$54,530 – $116,850	110
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$80,060	$66,020 – $100,990	3,020
27	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,720	$54,900 – $98,350	100
28	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,350	$63,900 – $125,590	130
29	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$77,590	$54,500 – $85,830	70
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,490	$49,990 – $134,290	1,040
31	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,450	$39,970 – $136,980	590
32	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$74,510	$57,640 – $108,110	60
33	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$74,310	$25,820 – $148,810	270
34	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$74,220	$45,880 – $116,680	190
35	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$69,230	$45,800 – $130,660	660
36	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,780	$47,360 – $99,610	380
37	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$65,390	$53,260 – $84,510	50
38	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$64,900	$46,630 – $91,800	50
39	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,700	$45,620 – $102,260	670
40	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,630	$45,980 – $75,030	110
41	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,060	$48,550 – $85,060	60
42	Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$63,860	$53,300 – $74,760	60
43	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,800	$54,660 – $77,530	140
44	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,120	$52,560 – $76,280	70
45	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$62,990	$36,540 – $112,190	80
46	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,710	$39,900 – $86,820	250
47	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,430	$51,000 – $72,130	740
48	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$60,910	$33,730 – $147,330	50
49	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,290	$47,150 – $87,870	80
50	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$60,250	$44,270 – $78,180	60

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC. 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

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