High paying entry level jobs in Ithaca, NY

These occupations in Ithaca, NY 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 Ithaca, NY run 3.3% above the national average (2024), so a Ithaca, NY salary is worth about 0.97× 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 Ithaca, NY

OccupationMedian, Ithaca, NY · Employed

1Pharmacists$151,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,930 – $161,90040
2Physician Assistants$138,920
Master's degree
$133,100 – $171,240230
3Nurse Practitioners$136,980
Master's degree
$121,180 – $158,200270
4Lawyers$135,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,470 – $310,050130
5Veterinarians$131,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,440 – $168,42060
6Web and Digital Interface Designers$125,810
Bachelor's degree
$51,650 – $212,05040
7Software Developers$122,730
Bachelor's degree
$79,580 – $199,310310
8Industrial Engineers$106,830
Bachelor's degree
$72,100 – $155,92060
9Electrical Engineers$105,840
Bachelor's degree
$82,380 – $162,70060
10Engineers, All Other$103,890
Bachelor's degree
$55,410 – $138,32030
11Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$102,910
Master's degree
$50,910 – $211,480670
12Occupational Therapists$102,910
Master's degree
$69,330 – $125,68060
13Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$102,660
Associate's degree
$82,950 – $114,80050
14Physical Therapists$101,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,850 – $139,290110
15Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$101,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,930 – $203,22050
16Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,840 – $202,280140
17Registered Nurses$100,320
Bachelor's degree
$73,920 – $123,380940
18Mechanical Engineers$99,990
Bachelor's degree
$72,770 – $162,43070
19History Teachers, Postsecondary$99,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,780 – $163,48040
20Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$97,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,930 – $133,14060
21Civil Engineers$97,550
Bachelor's degree
$58,700 – $131,55050
22Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary$97,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,860 – $292,79060
23Project Management Specialists$96,870
Bachelor's degree
$62,580 – $140,910240
24Dental Hygienists$96,620
Associate's degree
$78,500 – $105,86060
25Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$95,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,330 – $163,09050
26Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$95,460
Associate's degree
$67,960 – $95,610100
27Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$94,990
Bachelor's degree
$64,820 – $136,96040
28Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$93,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,530 – $117,690100
29Computer Systems Analysts$93,740
Bachelor's degree
$64,470 – $118,63090
30Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$93,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,250 – $120,460110
31Legal Support Workers, All Other$92,000
Associate's degree
$57,780 – $165,58040
32Business Teachers, Postsecondary$91,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,090 – $163,240380
33Chemists$91,330
Bachelor's degree
$62,240 – $142,34030
34Network and Computer Systems Administrators$89,440
Bachelor's degree
$66,490 – $131,370150
35Biological Scientists, All Other$88,610
Bachelor's degree
$64,660 – $160,51050
36Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary$86,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,370 – $122,80040
37Financial and Investment Analysts$85,430
Bachelor's degree
$63,330 – $124,38090
38Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary$84,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,510 – $119,84040
39Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$83,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,710 – $127,850110
40Accountants and Auditors$83,800
Bachelor's degree
$60,840 – $128,410370
41Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$83,020
Bachelor's degree
$54,010 – $105,61040
42Massage Therapists$80,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,320 – $90,03040
43Social Workers, All Other$79,940
Bachelor's degree
$72,020 – $79,94080
44Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,520
Bachelor's degree
$58,520 – $118,950180
45Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$78,810
Bachelor's degree
$44,660 – $137,100240
46Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$78,790
Bachelor's degree
$61,500 – $105,37050
47Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$78,460
Master's degree
$56,160 – $96,520110
48English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$78,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,770 – $124,180170
49Business Operations Specialists, All Other$77,830
Bachelor's degree
$47,940 – $144,63090
50Surgical Technologists$77,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,100 – $90,08030

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

#	Occupation	MedianIthaca, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$151,780	$111,930 – $161,900	40
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$138,920	$133,100 – $171,240	230
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$136,980	$121,180 – $158,200	270
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$135,610	$80,470 – $310,050	130
5	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$131,870	$98,440 – $168,420	60
6	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$125,810	$51,650 – $212,050	40
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,730	$79,580 – $199,310	310
8	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,830	$72,100 – $155,920	60
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,840	$82,380 – $162,700	60
10	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$103,890	$55,410 – $138,320	30
11	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$102,910	$50,910 – $211,480	670
12	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,910	$69,330 – $125,680	60
13	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$102,660	$82,950 – $114,800	50
14	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,290	$75,850 – $139,290	110
15	Philosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,260	$59,930 – $203,220	50
16	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,880	$60,840 – $202,280	140
17	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$100,320	$73,920 – $123,380	940
18	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,990	$72,770 – $162,430	70
19	History Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$99,940	$61,780 – $163,480	40
20	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,550	$52,930 – $133,140	60
21	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,550	$58,700 – $131,550	50
22	Political Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,240	$60,860 – $292,790	60
23	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$96,870	$62,580 – $140,910	240
24	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$96,620	$78,500 – $105,860	60
25	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$95,850	$52,330 – $163,090	50
26	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$95,460	$67,960 – $95,610	100
27	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$94,990	$64,820 – $136,960	40
28	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,970	$52,530 – $117,690	100
29	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,740	$64,470 – $118,630	90
30	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,500	$63,250 – $120,460	110
31	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$92,000	$57,780 – $165,580	40
32	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$91,400	$49,090 – $163,240	380
33	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$91,330	$62,240 – $142,340	30
34	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$89,440	$66,490 – $131,370	150
35	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$88,610	$64,660 – $160,510	50
36	Sociology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$86,150	$69,370 – $122,800	40
37	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$85,430	$63,330 – $124,380	90
38	Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,820	$60,510 – $119,840	40
39	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,890	$50,710 – $127,850	110
40	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$83,800	$60,840 – $128,410	370
41	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,020	$54,010 – $105,610	40
42	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,340	$60,320 – $90,030	40
43	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,940	$72,020 – $79,940	80
44	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$79,520	$58,520 – $118,950	180
45	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,810	$44,660 – $137,100	240
46	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$78,790	$61,500 – $105,370	50
47	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$78,460	$56,160 – $96,520	110
48	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,440	$52,770 – $124,180	170
49	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,830	$47,940 – $144,630	90
50	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,760	$58,100 – $90,080	30

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Ithaca, NY. 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.

More for Ithaca, NY

Other metro areas in NY

By field in Ithaca, NY

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Ithaca, NY to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Ithaca, NY

More for Ithaca, NY

Other metro areas in NY

By field in Ithaca, NY

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state