High paying entry level jobs in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN

These occupations in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN run 8.2% below the national average (2024), so a La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN salary is worth about 1.09× 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN

OccupationMedian, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$225,450
Master's degree
$160,170 – $287,70060
2Dentists, General$201,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,380 – $287,69080
3Optometrists$175,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,530 – $224,14040
4Pharmacists$159,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,320 – $187,810210
5Nurse Practitioners$125,390
Master's degree
$103,640 – $158,750240
6Electrical Engineers$106,640
Bachelor's degree
$81,320 – $126,78070
7Veterinarians$105,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,590 – $153,97030
8Lawyers$104,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,800 – $290,370130
9Mechanical Engineers$102,280
Bachelor's degree
$77,980 – $127,920190
10Software Developers$102,110
Bachelor's degree
$75,080 – $168,260380
11Computer Systems Analysts$101,360
Bachelor's degree
$75,090 – $149,890170
12Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$101,060
Bachelor's degree
$67,490 – $134,44070
13Data Scientists$100,990
Bachelor's degree
$64,740 – $156,90090
14Industrial Engineers$98,740
Bachelor's degree
$66,780 – $163,680280
15Registered Nurses$98,370
Bachelor's degree
$79,820 – $120,2202,920
16Physical Therapists$97,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,520 – $121,830200
17Dental Hygienists$95,950
Associate's degree
$80,840 – $99,990150
18Civil Engineers$95,870
Bachelor's degree
$71,560 – $137,770190
19Project Management Specialists$94,990
Bachelor's degree
$61,380 – $135,800480
20Financial and Investment Analysts$92,600
Bachelor's degree
$64,650 – $126,67090
21Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,540
Associate's degree
$60,320 – $100,92040
22Chiropractors$83,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$41,480 – $264,99050
23Occupational Therapists$82,560
Master's degree
$70,680 – $102,960120
24Business Teachers, Postsecondary$81,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,820 – $131,01090
25Computer Occupations, All Other$81,600
Bachelor's degree
$49,200 – $133,530100
26Network and Computer Systems Administrators$80,480
Bachelor's degree
$59,010 – $127,290190
27Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$80,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,380 – $93,66040
28Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$79,840
Bachelor's degree
$59,430 – $129,29070
29Conservation Scientists$79,440
Bachelor's degree
$50,370 – $122,93050
30Biological Scientists, All Other$78,850
Bachelor's degree
$54,950 – $103,38060
31Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$78,850
Bachelor's degree
$55,890 – $119,43050
32Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$78,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,630 – $99,31040
33Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$78,110
Bachelor's degree
$58,700 – $96,82060
34Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$77,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,410 – $99,76030
35Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$77,210
Master's degree
$60,410 – $79,52070
36Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$77,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,530 – $97,28040
37Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$76,720
Associate's degree
$61,870 – $93,120160
38Accountants and Auditors$76,680
Bachelor's degree
$54,480 – $120,130630
39Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$74,990
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $95,64030
40Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$72,580
Bachelor's degree
$36,840 – $91,79030
41Business Operations Specialists, All Other$71,580
Bachelor's degree
$49,840 – $119,440270
42Financial Specialists, All Other$67,410
Bachelor's degree
$48,540 – $91,31030
43Fundraisers$67,250
Bachelor's degree
$43,420 – $89,48050
44Operations Research Analysts$66,860
Bachelor's degree
$50,020 – $99,37080
45Credit Analysts$65,620
Bachelor's degree
$46,460 – $98,46050
46Human Resources Specialists$65,400
Bachelor's degree
$47,410 – $102,690390
47Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$64,770
Bachelor's degree
$49,190 – $77,750130
48Medical Records Specialists$64,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,430 – $101,06070
49Architectural and Civil Drafters$64,350
Associate's degree
$51,860 – $76,92050
50Public Relations Specialists$64,130
Bachelor's degree
$44,720 – $99,910100

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

#	Occupation	MedianLa Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$225,450	$160,170 – $287,700	60
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$201,810	$129,380 – $287,690	80
3	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$175,810	$110,530 – $224,140	40
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$159,020	$110,320 – $187,810	210
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$125,390	$103,640 – $158,750	240
6	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,640	$81,320 – $126,780	70
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$105,230	$83,590 – $153,970	30
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$104,910	$60,800 – $290,370	130
9	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,280	$77,980 – $127,920	190
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$102,110	$75,080 – $168,260	380
11	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,360	$75,090 – $149,890	170
12	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,060	$67,490 – $134,440	70
13	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$100,990	$64,740 – $156,900	90
14	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,740	$66,780 – $163,680	280
15	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$98,370	$79,820 – $120,220	2,920
16	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,550	$79,520 – $121,830	200
17	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$95,950	$80,840 – $99,990	150
18	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,870	$71,560 – $137,770	190
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,990	$61,380 – $135,800	480
20	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,600	$64,650 – $126,670	90
21	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,540	$60,320 – $100,920	40
22	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$83,510	$41,480 – $264,990	50
23	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$82,560	$70,680 – $102,960	120
24	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$81,790	$59,820 – $131,010	90
25	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,600	$49,200 – $133,530	100
26	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$80,480	$59,010 – $127,290	190
27	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,310	$65,380 – $93,660	40
28	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$79,840	$59,430 – $129,290	70
29	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$79,440	$50,370 – $122,930	50
30	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,850	$54,950 – $103,380	60
31	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$78,850	$55,890 – $119,430	50
32	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,480	$63,630 – $99,310	40
33	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$78,110	$58,700 – $96,820	60
34	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$77,300	$59,410 – $99,760	30
35	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$77,210	$60,410 – $79,520	70
36	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$77,130	$63,530 – $97,280	40
37	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,720	$61,870 – $93,120	160
38	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,680	$54,480 – $120,130	630
39	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$74,990	$49,990 – $95,640	30
40	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$72,580	$36,840 – $91,790	30
41	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$71,580	$49,840 – $119,440	270
42	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$67,410	$48,540 – $91,310	30
43	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$67,250	$43,420 – $89,480	50
44	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$66,860	$50,020 – $99,370	80
45	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$65,620	$46,460 – $98,460	50
46	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,400	$47,410 – $102,690	390
47	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,770	$49,190 – $77,750	130
48	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,590	$47,430 – $101,060	70
49	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$64,350	$51,860 – $76,920	50
50	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,130	$44,720 – $99,910	100

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN. 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN

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