High paying entry level jobs in Johnson City, TN

These occupations in Johnson City, TN 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 Johnson City, TN run 12.1% below the national average (2024), so a Johnson City, TN 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 Johnson City, TN

OccupationMedian, Johnson City, TN · Employed

1Dentists, General$182,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,440 – $315,90050
2Pharmacists$128,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,620 – $163,780290
3Veterinarians$122,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,170 – $161,26050
4Lawyers$117,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,620 – $244,010130
5Optometrists$115,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,760 – $171,18030
6Software Developers$103,320
Bachelor's degree
$61,840 – $156,610300
7Nurse Practitioners$102,430
Master's degree
$87,210 – $127,460380
8Physician Assistants$100,060
Master's degree
$94,730 – $145,890130
9Electrical Engineers$98,200
Bachelor's degree
$75,950 – $239,81060
10Mechanical Engineers$97,040
Bachelor's degree
$66,630 – $126,19060
11Physical Therapists$96,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,230 – $126,000180
12Occupational Therapists$94,940
Master's degree
$59,120 – $116,48090
13Social Workers, All Other$88,380
Bachelor's degree
$36,820 – $112,170120
14Financial and Investment Analysts$84,500
Bachelor's degree
$56,890 – $136,49060
15Industrial Engineers$84,160
Bachelor's degree
$66,700 – $122,130170
16Civil Engineers$82,470
Bachelor's degree
$58,500 – $189,530110
17Engineers, All Other$81,390
Bachelor's degree
$35,120 – $128,060130
18Dental Hygienists$80,070
Associate's degree
$67,240 – $95,860140
19Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$79,000
Bachelor's degree
$43,300 – $107,13080
20Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$78,970
Associate's degree
$63,450 – $102,23090
21Computer Occupations, All Other$78,370
Bachelor's degree
$46,650 – $119,180190
22Project Management Specialists$78,100
Bachelor's degree
$48,510 – $138,590300
23Registered Nurses$77,660
Bachelor's degree
$61,380 – $117,7702,740
24Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,980
Associate's degree
$51,450 – $95,750190
25Financial Specialists, All Other$75,460
Bachelor's degree
$41,500 – $91,56070
26Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$75,400
Bachelor's degree
$59,320 – $97,43050
27Business Operations Specialists, All Other$73,320
Bachelor's degree
$43,250 – $115,210230
28Network and Computer Systems Administrators$73,240
Bachelor's degree
$50,750 – $106,82050
29Computer Systems Analysts$72,000
Bachelor's degree
$52,640 – $118,240120
30Logisticians$69,940
Bachelor's degree
$49,260 – $109,24060
31Data Scientists$69,330
Bachelor's degree
$50,200 – $122,77030
32Occupational Therapy Assistants$64,810
Associate's degree
$49,510 – $86,76040
33Accountants and Auditors$64,710
Bachelor's degree
$45,360 – $100,420510
34Physical Therapist Assistants$64,270
Associate's degree
$46,640 – $81,790100
35Credit Analysts$63,790
Bachelor's degree
$49,650 – $120,26040
36Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,010
Bachelor's degree
$51,750 – $79,170370
37Fundraisers$62,880
Bachelor's degree
$37,920 – $82,88050
38Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$62,560
Bachelor's degree
$48,750 – $78,61080
39Human Resources Specialists$61,730
Bachelor's degree
$42,320 – $110,950360
40Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$61,500
Bachelor's degree
$48,600 – $76,460100
41Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$61,330
Bachelor's degree
$48,770 – $76,840570
42Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$61,120
Bachelor's degree
$49,070 – $76,85050
43Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$60,650
Master's degree
$36,280 – $77,47050
44Architectural and Civil Drafters$60,530
Associate's degree
$48,040 – $80,18040
45Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,180
Bachelor's degree
$50,330 – $63,680640
46Surgical Technologists$59,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,870 – $73,380120
47Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$58,760
Bachelor's degree
$38,310 – $99,690220
48Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$57,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,880 – $81,64060
49Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$56,220
Associate's degree
$43,080 – $87,82040
50Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$54,920
Associate's degree
$43,250 – $80,28070

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

#	Occupation	MedianJohnson City, TN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$182,660	$63,440 – $315,900	50
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,580	$77,620 – $163,780	290
3	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$122,580	$95,170 – $161,260	50
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$117,390	$52,620 – $244,010	130
5	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$115,210	$45,760 – $171,180	30
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$103,320	$61,840 – $156,610	300
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$102,430	$87,210 – $127,460	380
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$100,060	$94,730 – $145,890	130
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,200	$75,950 – $239,810	60
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,040	$66,630 – $126,190	60
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$96,660	$62,230 – $126,000	180
12	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$94,940	$59,120 – $116,480	90
13	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$88,380	$36,820 – $112,170	120
14	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,500	$56,890 – $136,490	60
15	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,160	$66,700 – $122,130	170
16	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$82,470	$58,500 – $189,530	110
17	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,390	$35,120 – $128,060	130
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$80,070	$67,240 – $95,860	140
19	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,000	$43,300 – $107,130	80
20	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$78,970	$63,450 – $102,230	90
21	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,370	$46,650 – $119,180	190
22	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,100	$48,510 – $138,590	300
23	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$77,660	$61,380 – $117,770	2,740
24	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,980	$51,450 – $95,750	190
25	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$75,460	$41,500 – $91,560	70
26	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$75,400	$59,320 – $97,430	50
27	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,320	$43,250 – $115,210	230
28	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$73,240	$50,750 – $106,820	50
29	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$72,000	$52,640 – $118,240	120
30	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$69,940	$49,260 – $109,240	60
31	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$69,330	$50,200 – $122,770	30
32	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,810	$49,510 – $86,760	40
33	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$64,710	$45,360 – $100,420	510
34	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,270	$46,640 – $81,790	100
35	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$63,790	$49,650 – $120,260	40
36	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,010	$51,750 – $79,170	370
37	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$62,880	$37,920 – $82,880	50
38	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,560	$48,750 – $78,610	80
39	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,730	$42,320 – $110,950	360
40	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$61,500	$48,600 – $76,460	100
41	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$61,330	$48,770 – $76,840	570
42	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$61,120	$49,070 – $76,850	50
43	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$60,650	$36,280 – $77,470	50
44	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$60,530	$48,040 – $80,180	40
45	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,180	$50,330 – $63,680	640
46	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,180	$46,870 – $73,380	120
47	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$58,760	$38,310 – $99,690	220
48	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,970	$35,880 – $81,640	60
49	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$56,220	$43,080 – $87,820	40
50	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$54,920	$43,250 – $80,280	70

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

High paying entry level jobs in Johnson City, TN

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