High paying entry level jobs in Joplin, MO-KS

These occupations in Joplin, MO-KS 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 Joplin, MO-KS run 14.3% below the national average (2024), so a Joplin, MO-KS salary is worth about 1.17× 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 Joplin, MO-KS

OccupationMedian, Joplin, MO-KS · Employed

1Dentists, General$201,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,370 – $328,78050
2Nurse Anesthetists$170,770
Master's degree
$149,990 – $281,92030
3Physician Assistants$150,300
Master's degree
$108,670 – $172,33070
4Pharmacists$127,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,520 – $158,610180
5Nurse Practitioners$126,640
Master's degree
$104,150 – $154,370230
6Software Developers$105,960
Bachelor's degree
$60,970 – $153,350120
7Business Teachers, Postsecondary$103,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,030 – $209,06040
8Veterinarians$102,700
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,180 – $209,15050
9Electrical Engineers$102,630
Bachelor's degree
$73,650 – $133,87050
10Physical Therapists$100,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,080 – $123,140130
11Data Scientists$96,650
Bachelor's degree
$52,720 – $147,35060
12Lawyers$96,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,550 – $207,480180
13Occupational Therapists$93,410
Master's degree
$73,550 – $110,16070
14Financial and Investment Analysts$89,820
Bachelor's degree
$58,710 – $120,90050
15Network and Computer Systems Administrators$84,590
Bachelor's degree
$48,980 – $123,330110
16Industrial Engineers$84,560
Bachelor's degree
$55,660 – $125,700230
17Mechanical Engineers$83,430
Bachelor's degree
$60,570 – $128,450110
18Dental Hygienists$83,270
Associate's degree
$53,510 – $86,910120
19Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$81,990
Associate's degree
$72,220 – $100,67070
20Civil Engineers$79,220
Bachelor's degree
$45,390 – $164,440170
21Computer Systems Analysts$78,160
Bachelor's degree
$51,040 – $135,41060
22Project Management Specialists$77,760
Bachelor's degree
$48,340 – $123,770330
23Chemists$77,460
Bachelor's degree
$40,230 – $97,59040
24Business Operations Specialists, All Other$75,930
Bachelor's degree
$42,830 – $120,420170
25Registered Nurses$74,930
Bachelor's degree
$62,450 – $94,1102,670
26Logisticians$73,810
Bachelor's degree
$45,940 – $116,54080
27Computer Occupations, All Other$73,690
Bachelor's degree
$44,880 – $124,830120
28Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$73,580
Bachelor's degree
$41,800 – $121,600110
29Engineers, All Other$73,540
Bachelor's degree
$28,600 – $105,19040
30Accountants and Auditors$72,560
Bachelor's degree
$45,730 – $121,010560
31Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$71,970
Associate's degree
$40,950 – $89,400230
32Electrical and Electronics Drafters$70,010
Associate's degree
$48,660 – $101,96040
33Respiratory Therapists$65,630
Associate's degree
$59,990 – $79,930150
34Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$61,740
Master's degree
$48,090 – $128,87040
35Human Resources Specialists$61,240
Bachelor's degree
$39,120 – $95,880390
36Financial Specialists, All Other$60,650
Bachelor's degree
$43,750 – $119,11030
37Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$60,330
Associate's degree
$48,560 – $91,08070
38Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$60,240
Associate's degree
$44,130 – $76,21050
39Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$59,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,060 – $126,330210
40Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$58,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,010 – $72,950400
41Architectural and Civil Drafters$58,690
Associate's degree
$32,100 – $77,28040
42Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$58,690
Associate's degree
$39,950 – $79,96040
43Physical Therapist Assistants$58,240
Associate's degree
$47,960 – $89,70080
44Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$57,110
Associate's degree
$44,360 – $103,72060
45Surgical Technologists$56,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,200 – $77,390100
46Fundraisers$56,130
Bachelor's degree
$36,510 – $92,42040
47Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$55,700
Master's degree
$35,800 – $77,18080
48Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$55,050
Bachelor's degree
$33,090 – $98,670270
49Public Relations Specialists$52,090
Bachelor's degree
$32,280 – $95,89090
50Tutors$52,000
Some college, no degree
$28,600 – $56,31030

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

#	Occupation	MedianJoplin, MO-KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$201,820	$86,370 – $328,780	50
2	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$170,770	$149,990 – $281,920	30
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$150,300	$108,670 – $172,330	70
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$127,710	$80,520 – $158,610	180
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,640	$104,150 – $154,370	230
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$105,960	$60,970 – $153,350	120
7	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,240	$58,030 – $209,060	40
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$102,700	$59,180 – $209,150	50
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,630	$73,650 – $133,870	50
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,150	$76,080 – $123,140	130
11	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$96,650	$52,720 – $147,350	60
12	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$96,190	$49,550 – $207,480	180
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$93,410	$73,550 – $110,160	70
14	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$89,820	$58,710 – $120,900	50
15	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$84,590	$48,980 – $123,330	110
16	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,560	$55,660 – $125,700	230
17	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$83,430	$60,570 – $128,450	110
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$83,270	$53,510 – $86,910	120
19	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$81,990	$72,220 – $100,670	70
20	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$79,220	$45,390 – $164,440	170
21	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$78,160	$51,040 – $135,410	60
22	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,760	$48,340 – $123,770	330
23	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$77,460	$40,230 – $97,590	40
24	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$75,930	$42,830 – $120,420	170
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$74,930	$62,450 – $94,110	2,670
26	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$73,810	$45,940 – $116,540	80
27	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,690	$44,880 – $124,830	120
28	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$73,580	$41,800 – $121,600	110
29	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,540	$28,600 – $105,190	40
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$72,560	$45,730 – $121,010	560
31	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$71,970	$40,950 – $89,400	230
32	Electrical and Electronics DraftersAssociate's degree	$70,010	$48,660 – $101,960	40
33	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$65,630	$59,990 – $79,930	150
34	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$61,740	$48,090 – $128,870	40
35	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,240	$39,120 – $95,880	390
36	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$60,650	$43,750 – $119,110	30
37	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,330	$48,560 – $91,080	70
38	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,240	$44,130 – $76,210	50
39	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$59,570	$47,060 – $126,330	210
40	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,920	$48,010 – $72,950	400
41	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$58,690	$32,100 – $77,280	40
42	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$58,690	$39,950 – $79,960	40
43	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$58,240	$47,960 – $89,700	80
44	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$57,110	$44,360 – $103,720	60
45	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,750	$44,200 – $77,390	100
46	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$56,130	$36,510 – $92,420	40
47	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$55,700	$35,800 – $77,180	80
48	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$55,050	$33,090 – $98,670	270
49	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$52,090	$32,280 – $95,890	90
50	TutorsSome college, no degree	$52,000	$28,600 – $56,310	30

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

High paying entry level jobs in Joplin, MO-KS

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