High paying entry level jobs in Kennewick-Richland, WA

These occupations in Kennewick-Richland, WA 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 Kennewick-Richland, WA run 0.1% above the national average (2024), so a Kennewick-Richland, WA salary is worth about 1.00× 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 Kennewick-Richland, WA

OccupationMedian, Kennewick-Richland, WA · Employed

1Dentists, General$203,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,400 – $391,450100
2Veterinarians$163,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,450 – $220,63060
3Pharmacists$158,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,780 – $202,510220
4Data Scientists$156,830
Bachelor's degree
$91,970 – $228,760150
5Nuclear Engineers$156,460
Bachelor's degree
$105,530 – $211,590230
6Physician Assistants$154,230
Master's degree
$123,680 – $201,870120
7Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors$149,740
Bachelor's degree
$91,560 – $198,500100
8Nurse Practitioners$147,890
Master's degree
$119,370 – $188,370180
9Engineers, All Other$142,920
Bachelor's degree
$88,030 – $181,360280
10Environmental Engineers$140,060
Bachelor's degree
$87,830 – $186,290390
11Lawyers$135,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,190 – $250,730230
12Physical Scientists, All Other$132,830
Bachelor's degree
$78,850 – $171,31050
13Chemical Engineers$130,030
Bachelor's degree
$100,370 – $205,000320
14Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$129,110
Bachelor's degree
$74,710 – $167,070300
15Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$128,860
Bachelor's degree
$76,880 – $197,78080
16Electrical Engineers$128,190
Bachelor's degree
$100,350 – $176,560450
17Software Developers$127,800
Bachelor's degree
$82,190 – $204,240820
18Computer Systems Analysts$127,100
Bachelor's degree
$87,800 – $169,120320
19Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$126,230
Associate's degree
$72,010 – $143,34090
20Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$125,970
Bachelor's degree
$75,020 – $167,760290
21Project Management Specialists$125,940
Bachelor's degree
$72,450 – $182,8501,260
22Mechanical Engineers$124,780
Bachelor's degree
$81,940 – $175,720570
23Dental Hygienists$122,480
Associate's degree
$100,400 – $146,830270
24Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$122,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,460 – $207,00070
25Civil Engineers$121,370
Bachelor's degree
$79,310 – $176,430630
26Industrial Engineers$117,850
Bachelor's degree
$83,140 – $173,320180
27Physical Therapists$107,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,630 – $139,320190
28Registered Nurses$106,410
Bachelor's degree
$83,900 – $155,4102,560
29Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$105,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,860 – $120,320420
30Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$105,240
Master's degree
$66,210 – $126,20090
31Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$103,990
Associate's degree
$60,020 – $127,67080
32Public Relations Specialists$103,030
Bachelor's degree
$60,360 – $159,900200
33Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$102,600
Bachelor's degree
$80,430 – $120,250720
34Occupational Therapists$102,460
Master's degree
$77,160 – $128,430100
35Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,390
Bachelor's degree
$68,560 – $119,390600
36Business Operations Specialists, All Other$101,380
Bachelor's degree
$58,570 – $162,9601,120
37Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$100,380
Bachelor's degree
$66,380 – $115,9801,410
38Soil and Plant Scientists$99,110
Bachelor's degree
$71,290 – $149,43040
39Respiratory Therapists$98,320
Associate's degree
$79,570 – $120,77060
40Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$97,770
Bachelor's degree
$69,210 – $161,63090
41Network and Computer Systems Administrators$97,500
Bachelor's degree
$62,020 – $130,710220
42Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$96,890
Bachelor's degree
$70,710 – $176,70040
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$96,830
Associate's degree
$62,110 – $122,620150
44Biological Scientists, All Other$96,100
Bachelor's degree
$63,120 – $156,32060
45Accountants and Auditors$93,280
Bachelor's degree
$62,800 – $136,9001,020
46Web Developers$91,870
Bachelor's degree
$62,430 – $153,08040
47Financial and Investment Analysts$90,860
Bachelor's degree
$62,280 – $145,280120
48Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$90,340
Bachelor's degree
$64,340 – $121,090120
49Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$88,900
Master's degree
$61,110 – $122,080260
50Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$86,420
Bachelor's degree
$66,100 – $115,790270

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

#	Occupation	MedianKennewick-Richland, WA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$203,250	$86,400 – $391,450	100
2	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$163,520	$98,450 – $220,630	60
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$158,130	$124,780 – $202,510	220
4	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$156,830	$91,970 – $228,760	150
5	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$156,460	$105,530 – $211,590	230
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$154,230	$123,680 – $201,870	120
7	Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsBachelor's degree	$149,740	$91,560 – $198,500	100
8	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$147,890	$119,370 – $188,370	180
9	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$142,920	$88,030 – $181,360	280
10	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$140,060	$87,830 – $186,290	390
11	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$135,590	$84,190 – $250,730	230
12	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$132,830	$78,850 – $171,310	50
13	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,030	$100,370 – $205,000	320
14	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$129,110	$74,710 – $167,070	300
15	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$128,860	$76,880 – $197,780	80
16	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,190	$100,350 – $176,560	450
17	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$127,800	$82,190 – $204,240	820
18	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$127,100	$87,800 – $169,120	320
19	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$126,230	$72,010 – $143,340	90
20	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$125,970	$75,020 – $167,760	290
21	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$125,940	$72,450 – $182,850	1,260
22	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,780	$81,940 – $175,720	570
23	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$122,480	$100,400 – $146,830	270
24	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$122,180	$77,460 – $207,000	70
25	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$121,370	$79,310 – $176,430	630
26	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,850	$83,140 – $173,320	180
27	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$107,350	$83,630 – $139,320	190
28	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$106,410	$83,900 – $155,410	2,560
29	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$105,650	$48,860 – $120,320	420
30	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$105,240	$66,210 – $126,200	90
31	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$103,990	$60,020 – $127,670	80
32	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,030	$60,360 – $159,900	200
33	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$102,600	$80,430 – $120,250	720
34	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,460	$77,160 – $128,430	100
35	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$101,390	$68,560 – $119,390	600
36	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$101,380	$58,570 – $162,960	1,120
37	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$100,380	$66,380 – $115,980	1,410
38	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$99,110	$71,290 – $149,430	40
39	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$98,320	$79,570 – $120,770	60
40	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$97,770	$69,210 – $161,630	90
41	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$97,500	$62,020 – $130,710	220
42	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$96,890	$70,710 – $176,700	40
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$96,830	$62,110 – $122,620	150
44	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,100	$63,120 – $156,320	60
45	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$93,280	$62,800 – $136,900	1,020
46	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$91,870	$62,430 – $153,080	40
47	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,860	$62,280 – $145,280	120
48	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$90,340	$64,340 – $121,090	120
49	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$88,900	$61,110 – $122,080	260
50	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$86,420	$66,100 – $115,790	270

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Kennewick-Richland, WA. 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 Kennewick-Richland, WA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Kennewick-Richland, WA

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