High paying entry level jobs in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA

These occupations in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA 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 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA run 13.6% below the national average (2024), so a Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA salary is worth about 1.16× 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 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA

OccupationMedian, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA · Employed

1Dentists, General$173,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,500 – $290,21090
2Optometrists$150,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,080 – $167,60050
3Pharmacists$133,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,600 – $159,240370
4Nurse Practitioners$118,470
Master's degree
$94,210 – $134,770480
5Physician Assistants$117,490
Master's degree
$95,950 – $136,810130
6Software Developers$115,310
Bachelor's degree
$70,330 – $159,470430
7Lawyers$107,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,880 – $242,750300
8Veterinarians$105,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,970 – $176,80070
9Engineers, All Other$103,330
Bachelor's degree
$54,610 – $147,77080
10Physical Therapists$98,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,240 – $122,360230
11Data Scientists$98,470
Bachelor's degree
$49,060 – $163,47090
12Database Administrators$98,370
Bachelor's degree
$47,820 – $148,22040
13Industrial Engineers$98,000
Bachelor's degree
$71,020 – $130,020280
14Occupational Therapists$96,790
Master's degree
$58,170 – $116,720120
15Electrical Engineers$95,920
Bachelor's degree
$77,200 – $155,650160
16Computer Systems Analysts$94,840
Bachelor's degree
$55,390 – $138,880220
17Mechanical Engineers$94,560
Bachelor's degree
$75,090 – $159,770240
18Civil Engineers$87,510
Bachelor's degree
$63,120 – $122,990200
19Project Management Specialists$87,290
Bachelor's degree
$51,750 – $130,010550
20Network and Computer Systems Administrators$85,490
Bachelor's degree
$57,210 – $125,530170
21Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$83,740
Bachelor's degree
$45,760 – $111,700160
22Financial and Investment Analysts$82,920
Bachelor's degree
$45,710 – $121,89070
23Dental Hygienists$82,870
Associate's degree
$64,080 – $96,680210
24Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$81,950
Associate's degree
$53,060 – $91,60070
25Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$76,900
Bachelor's degree
$49,780 – $103,38090
26Registered Nurses$76,730
Bachelor's degree
$62,280 – $100,7502,660
27Accountants and Auditors$75,940
Bachelor's degree
$49,910 – $122,020780
28Web Developers$75,670
Bachelor's degree
$47,900 – $124,42040
29Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$75,440
Associate's degree
$53,920 – $96,900110
30Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$75,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,550 – $93,51090
31Logisticians$74,380
Bachelor's degree
$45,430 – $99,230170
32Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$73,120
Associate's degree
$46,870 – $119,62060
33Computer Occupations, All Other$71,880
Bachelor's degree
$43,960 – $112,260230
34Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$68,280
Bachelor's degree
$39,240 – $85,12050
35Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$65,420
Bachelor's degree
$38,650 – $101,810440
36Human Resources Specialists$64,620
Bachelor's degree
$40,280 – $110,750530
37Occupational Therapy Assistants$64,040
Associate's degree
$53,010 – $80,56060
38Respiratory Therapists$62,740
Associate's degree
$59,880 – $94,410170
39Architectural and Civil Drafters$62,630
Associate's degree
$43,720 – $92,91040
40Physical Therapist Assistants$62,620
Associate's degree
$47,510 – $80,800160
41Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,990
Bachelor's degree
$47,200 – $74,890790
42Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$61,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,450 – $75,41050
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$61,450
Associate's degree
$48,120 – $79,160200
44Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$61,450
Bachelor's degree
$47,340 – $75,810110
45Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,600
Bachelor's degree
$48,680 – $74,210590
46Surgical Technologists$60,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,350 – $77,200110
47Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$60,350
Master's degree
$43,990 – $76,170220
48Public Relations Specialists$59,960
Bachelor's degree
$31,570 – $97,32090
49Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$59,680
Bachelor's degree
$47,410 – $71,800180
50Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$59,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,370 – $75,47040

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

#	Occupation	MedianKingsport-Bristol, TN-VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$173,810	$84,500 – $290,210	90
2	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$150,420	$60,080 – $167,600	50
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,270	$105,600 – $159,240	370
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$118,470	$94,210 – $134,770	480
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$117,490	$95,950 – $136,810	130
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$115,310	$70,330 – $159,470	430
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$107,560	$75,880 – $242,750	300
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$105,090	$62,970 – $176,800	70
9	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$103,330	$54,610 – $147,770	80
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,690	$68,240 – $122,360	230
11	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$98,470	$49,060 – $163,470	90
12	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$98,370	$47,820 – $148,220	40
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,000	$71,020 – $130,020	280
14	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$96,790	$58,170 – $116,720	120
15	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,920	$77,200 – $155,650	160
16	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$94,840	$55,390 – $138,880	220
17	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,560	$75,090 – $159,770	240
18	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$87,510	$63,120 – $122,990	200
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,290	$51,750 – $130,010	550
20	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$85,490	$57,210 – $125,530	170
21	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,740	$45,760 – $111,700	160
22	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,920	$45,710 – $121,890	70
23	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$82,870	$64,080 – $96,680	210
24	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$81,950	$53,060 – $91,600	70
25	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$76,900	$49,780 – $103,380	90
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$76,730	$62,280 – $100,750	2,660
27	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,940	$49,910 – $122,020	780
28	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$75,670	$47,900 – $124,420	40
29	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$75,440	$53,920 – $96,900	110
30	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,300	$59,550 – $93,510	90
31	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$74,380	$45,430 – $99,230	170
32	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,120	$46,870 – $119,620	60
33	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$71,880	$43,960 – $112,260	230
34	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$68,280	$39,240 – $85,120	50
35	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,420	$38,650 – $101,810	440
36	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,620	$40,280 – $110,750	530
37	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,040	$53,010 – $80,560	60
38	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$62,740	$59,880 – $94,410	170
39	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$62,630	$43,720 – $92,910	40
40	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,620	$47,510 – $80,800	160
41	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,990	$47,200 – $74,890	790
42	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$61,850	$50,450 – $75,410	50
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,450	$48,120 – $79,160	200
44	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$61,450	$47,340 – $75,810	110
45	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,600	$48,680 – $74,210	590
46	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,500	$40,350 – $77,200	110
47	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$60,350	$43,990 – $76,170	220
48	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$59,960	$31,570 – $97,320	90
49	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$59,680	$47,410 – $71,800	180
50	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$59,600	$46,370 – $75,470	40

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA. 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 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA

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