High paying entry level jobs in Jefferson City, MO

These occupations in Jefferson City, MO 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 Jefferson City, MO run 12.0% below the national average (2024), so a Jefferson City, MO salary is worth about 1.14× 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 Jefferson City, MO

OccupationMedian, Jefferson City, MO · Employed

1Dentists, General$208,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,560 – $343,40050
2Physician Assistants$135,340
Master's degree
$105,440 – $161,14040
3Pharmacists$130,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,820 – $158,510100
4Nurse Practitioners$128,710
Master's degree
$103,470 – $153,190130
5Veterinarians$101,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,130 – $180,76050
6Physical Therapists$98,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,510 – $122,30090
7Occupational Therapists$95,110
Master's degree
$52,860 – $115,77050
8Lawyers$93,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,990 – $172,800490
9Electrical Engineers$92,550
Bachelor's degree
$66,690 – $146,680100
10Mechanical Engineers$89,120
Bachelor's degree
$63,820 – $120,68060
11Dental Hygienists$85,290
Associate's degree
$52,580 – $96,99080
12Registered Nurses$85,010
Bachelor's degree
$63,760 – $136,8801,910
13Industrial Engineers$84,920
Bachelor's degree
$69,460 – $125,32090
14Database Administrators$84,220
Bachelor's degree
$59,420 – $127,19040
15Computer Occupations, All Other$82,800
Bachelor's degree
$51,000 – $151,890360
16Computer Programmers$81,150
Bachelor's degree
$59,820 – $123,75070
17Engineers, All Other$81,000
Bachelor's degree
$57,810 – $134,41050
18Data Scientists$80,220
Bachelor's degree
$59,380 – $123,960120
19Project Management Specialists$79,980
Bachelor's degree
$48,630 – $126,520500
20Civil Engineers$77,980
Bachelor's degree
$58,910 – $116,330340
21Respiratory Therapists$77,500
Associate's degree
$61,400 – $90,04050
22Computer Systems Analysts$77,490
Bachelor's degree
$51,030 – $116,360110
23Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$75,760
Associate's degree
$50,890 – $97,22030
24Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$75,620
Bachelor's degree
$50,470 – $117,38050
25Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$72,740
Associate's degree
$49,760 – $91,570100
26Network and Computer Systems Administrators$70,890
Bachelor's degree
$51,400 – $100,310310
27Financial and Investment Analysts$70,780
Bachelor's degree
$49,360 – $100,96060
28Budget Analysts$67,700
Bachelor's degree
$57,640 – $103,27090
29Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$65,670
Bachelor's degree
$51,290 – $101,050120
30Accountants and Auditors$64,040
Bachelor's degree
$46,890 – $106,3301,120
31Business Teachers, Postsecondary$62,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,010 – $168,27040
32Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$62,460
Bachelor's degree
$37,410 – $116,850270
33Human Resources Specialists$62,420
Bachelor's degree
$46,180 – $96,260530
34Physical Therapist Assistants$61,250
Associate's degree
$50,300 – $75,38050
35Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$60,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,170 – $102,69030
36Mechanical Drafters$60,550
Associate's degree
$50,260 – $88,85040
37Chiropractors$60,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,170 – $88,25030
38Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$60,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,510 – $76,110350
39Fundraisers$60,020
Bachelor's degree
$38,380 – $99,06030
40Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$59,760
Bachelor's degree
$52,460 – $71,490280
41Statisticians$59,590
Master's degree
$45,180 – $74,240310
42Public Relations Specialists$59,570
Bachelor's degree
$46,440 – $81,660250
43Biological Scientists, All Other$59,050
Bachelor's degree
$49,130 – $78,080140
44Architectural and Civil Drafters$58,420
Associate's degree
$43,850 – $83,32030
45Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$58,190
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,210 – $88,80040
46Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$57,350
Bachelor's degree
$50,230 – $94,52060
47Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$57,050
Bachelor's degree
$35,650 – $78,250130
48Financial Specialists, All Other$56,720
Bachelor's degree
$41,680 – $88,710120
49Conservation Scientists$56,310
Bachelor's degree
$40,460 – $83,780220
50Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$55,520
Master's degree
$40,470 – $77,630300

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

#	Occupation	MedianJefferson City, MO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$208,630	$111,560 – $343,400	50
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,340	$105,440 – $161,140	40
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$130,190	$109,820 – $158,510	100
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,710	$103,470 – $153,190	130
5	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$101,230	$62,130 – $180,760	50
6	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,070	$72,510 – $122,300	90
7	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$95,110	$52,860 – $115,770	50
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$93,320	$69,990 – $172,800	490
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$92,550	$66,690 – $146,680	100
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$89,120	$63,820 – $120,680	60
11	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$85,290	$52,580 – $96,990	80
12	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$85,010	$63,760 – $136,880	1,910
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,920	$69,460 – $125,320	90
14	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$84,220	$59,420 – $127,190	40
15	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,800	$51,000 – $151,890	360
16	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$81,150	$59,820 – $123,750	70
17	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,000	$57,810 – $134,410	50
18	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$80,220	$59,380 – $123,960	120
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,980	$48,630 – $126,520	500
20	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$77,980	$58,910 – $116,330	340
21	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$77,500	$61,400 – $90,040	50
22	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$77,490	$51,030 – $116,360	110
23	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,760	$50,890 – $97,220	30
24	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$75,620	$50,470 – $117,380	50
25	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,740	$49,760 – $91,570	100
26	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$70,890	$51,400 – $100,310	310
27	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$70,780	$49,360 – $100,960	60
28	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$67,700	$57,640 – $103,270	90
29	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,670	$51,290 – $101,050	120
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$64,040	$46,890 – $106,330	1,120
31	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$62,920	$46,010 – $168,270	40
32	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,460	$37,410 – $116,850	270
33	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,420	$46,180 – $96,260	530
34	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,250	$50,300 – $75,380	50
35	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$60,950	$47,170 – $102,690	30
36	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$60,550	$50,260 – $88,850	40
37	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$60,450	$46,170 – $88,250	30
38	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,340	$47,510 – $76,110	350
39	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$60,020	$38,380 – $99,060	30
40	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$59,760	$52,460 – $71,490	280
41	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$59,590	$45,180 – $74,240	310
42	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$59,570	$46,440 – $81,660	250
43	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$59,050	$49,130 – $78,080	140
44	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$58,420	$43,850 – $83,320	30
45	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,190	$38,210 – $88,800	40
46	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$57,350	$50,230 – $94,520	60
47	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$57,050	$35,650 – $78,250	130
48	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$56,720	$41,680 – $88,710	120
49	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$56,310	$40,460 – $83,780	220
50	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$55,520	$40,470 – $77,630	300

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Jefferson City, MO. 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 Jefferson City, MO to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Jefferson City, MO

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