High paying entry level jobs in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

These occupations in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI run 5.2% below the national average (2024), so a Kalamazoo-Portage, MI salary is worth about 1.05× 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

OccupationMedian, Kalamazoo-Portage, MI · Employed

1Dentists, General$187,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,960 – $337,99090
2Pharmacists$140,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,870 – $170,860250
3Optometrists$131,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,910 – $164,72070
4Physician Assistants$127,570
Master's degree
$104,400 – $159,790210
5Nurse Practitioners$126,460
Master's degree
$105,620 – $166,240300
6Software Developers$118,100
Bachelor's degree
$76,600 – $160,930430
7Veterinarians$115,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,120 – $179,35080
8Lawyers$112,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,770 – $255,880330
9Chemists$105,220
Bachelor's degree
$64,210 – $140,770230
10Engineers, All Other$104,190
Bachelor's degree
$62,600 – $155,86070
11Mechanical Engineers$101,830
Bachelor's degree
$66,200 – $153,940490
12Physical Therapists$97,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,850 – $126,540190
13Electrical Engineers$97,680
Bachelor's degree
$65,530 – $153,030170
14Project Management Specialists$97,590
Bachelor's degree
$58,300 – $150,130640
15Industrial Engineers$97,250
Bachelor's degree
$64,830 – $134,3701,240
16Chemical Engineers$96,190
Bachelor's degree
$61,900 – $136,07050
17Civil Engineers$96,060
Bachelor's degree
$66,880 – $159,520240
18Computer Systems Analysts$93,740
Bachelor's degree
$64,600 – $132,090280
19Microbiologists$89,240
Bachelor's degree
$53,990 – $132,84060
20Registered Nurses$88,200
Bachelor's degree
$65,140 – $106,0803,300
21Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$83,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,410 – $127,65050
22Urban and Regional Planners$82,100
Master's degree
$58,340 – $111,39040
23Computer Occupations, All Other$81,940
Bachelor's degree
$47,450 – $141,770110
24Network and Computer Systems Administrators$81,650
Bachelor's degree
$64,920 – $119,650160
25Occupational Therapists$81,520
Master's degree
$64,210 – $101,970120
26Data Scientists$80,830
Bachelor's degree
$53,770 – $133,110150
27Commercial and Industrial Designers$80,150
Bachelor's degree
$48,160 – $118,47040
28Dental Hygienists$79,670
Associate's degree
$75,430 – $99,400250
29Financial and Investment Analysts$79,440
Bachelor's degree
$60,110 – $117,610170
30Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$79,330
Bachelor's degree
$47,980 – $100,28070
31Logisticians$79,030
Bachelor's degree
$52,450 – $128,560250
32Computer Programmers$78,880
Bachelor's degree
$62,520 – $131,00050
33Business Operations Specialists, All Other$78,410
Bachelor's degree
$49,190 – $122,920380
34Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,140
Associate's degree
$59,140 – $97,490210
35Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$77,150
Bachelor's degree
$57,840 – $115,00090
36Accountants and Auditors$77,140
Bachelor's degree
$51,220 – $117,4201,060
37Respiratory Therapists$76,220
Associate's degree
$60,430 – $90,680130
38Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,840
Associate's degree
$35,600 – $102,600130
39Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$74,460
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,750 – $98,93050
40Mechanical Drafters$72,940
Associate's degree
$48,200 – $103,81060
41Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,410
Bachelor's degree
$47,540 – $95,000700
42Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$69,460
Bachelor's degree
$44,610 – $80,830270
43Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$66,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,990 – $79,010320
44Surgical Technologists$66,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,360 – $93,800130
45Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$65,200
Bachelor's degree
$32,720 – $81,74060
46Human Resources Specialists$64,560
Bachelor's degree
$45,000 – $99,220690
47Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$64,220
Bachelor's degree
$48,650 – $81,490110
48Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,450
Bachelor's degree
$45,720 – $82,6401,180
49Fundraisers$63,090
Bachelor's degree
$44,920 – $107,240100
50Physical Therapist Assistants$62,860
Associate's degree
$33,740 – $75,13090

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

#	Occupation	MedianKalamazoo-Portage, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$187,770	$124,960 – $337,990	90
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,910	$103,870 – $170,860	250
3	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$131,770	$103,910 – $164,720	70
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,570	$104,400 – $159,790	210
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,460	$105,620 – $166,240	300
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$118,100	$76,600 – $160,930	430
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$115,210	$64,120 – $179,350	80
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$112,400	$74,770 – $255,880	330
9	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$105,220	$64,210 – $140,770	230
10	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,190	$62,600 – $155,860	70
11	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,830	$66,200 – $153,940	490
12	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,920	$78,850 – $126,540	190
13	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,680	$65,530 – $153,030	170
14	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,590	$58,300 – $150,130	640
15	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,250	$64,830 – $134,370	1,240
16	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,190	$61,900 – $136,070	50
17	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,060	$66,880 – $159,520	240
18	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,740	$64,600 – $132,090	280
19	MicrobiologistsBachelor's degree	$89,240	$53,990 – $132,840	60
20	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$88,200	$65,140 – $106,080	3,300
21	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$83,470	$64,410 – $127,650	50
22	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$82,100	$58,340 – $111,390	40
23	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,940	$47,450 – $141,770	110
24	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$81,650	$64,920 – $119,650	160
25	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$81,520	$64,210 – $101,970	120
26	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$80,830	$53,770 – $133,110	150
27	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$80,150	$48,160 – $118,470	40
28	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$79,670	$75,430 – $99,400	250
29	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$79,440	$60,110 – $117,610	170
30	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,330	$47,980 – $100,280	70
31	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$79,030	$52,450 – $128,560	250
32	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$78,880	$62,520 – $131,000	50
33	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,410	$49,190 – $122,920	380
34	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,140	$59,140 – $97,490	210
35	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,150	$57,840 – $115,000	90
36	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,140	$51,220 – $117,420	1,060
37	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$76,220	$60,430 – $90,680	130
38	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,840	$35,600 – $102,600	130
39	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,460	$42,750 – $98,930	50
40	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$72,940	$48,200 – $103,810	60
41	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$72,410	$47,540 – $95,000	700
42	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$69,460	$44,610 – $80,830	270
43	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,320	$59,990 – $79,010	320
44	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,270	$36,360 – $93,800	130
45	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$65,200	$32,720 – $81,740	60
46	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,560	$45,000 – $99,220	690
47	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,220	$48,650 – $81,490	110
48	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,450	$45,720 – $82,640	1,180
49	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$63,090	$44,920 – $107,240	100
50	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,860	$33,740 – $75,130	90

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI. 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

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