High paying entry level jobs in Lafayette, LA

These occupations in Lafayette, LA 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 Lafayette, LA run 12.8% below the national average (2024), so a Lafayette, LA salary is worth about 1.15× 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 Lafayette, LA

OccupationMedian, Lafayette, LA · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$216,300
Master's degree
$211,800 – $280,050100
2Dentists, General$171,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,020 – $296,330190
3Physician Assistants$134,550
Master's degree
$105,020 – $163,610100
4Pharmacists$132,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$108,070 – $156,350540
5Business Teachers, Postsecondary$127,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,460 – $201,360110
6Veterinarians$124,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,660 – $188,38090
7Nurse Practitioners$120,930
Master's degree
$39,250 – $161,150480
8Industrial Engineers$117,120
Bachelor's degree
$76,540 – $176,01070
9Lawyers$111,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,160 – $221,890650
10Software Developers$109,010
Bachelor's degree
$68,050 – $136,710660
11Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$104,470
Bachelor's degree
$62,670 – $137,520200
12Computer Systems Analysts$102,390
Bachelor's degree
$61,020 – $143,310250
13Civil Engineers$97,410
Bachelor's degree
$57,660 – $129,390360
14Network and Computer Systems Administrators$88,300
Bachelor's degree
$58,730 – $152,510110
15Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$87,630
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,310 – $109,770240
16Occupational Therapists$85,710
Master's degree
$61,570 – $124,570150
17Physical Therapists$84,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,290 – $123,220290
18Mechanical Engineers$82,520
Bachelor's degree
$61,610 – $141,500160
19Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,010
Associate's degree
$63,340 – $96,640120
20Registered Nurses$81,960
Bachelor's degree
$63,490 – $105,3004,930
21Dental Hygienists$81,900
Associate's degree
$49,450 – $96,310200
22Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$80,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,600 – $123,45080
23Project Management Specialists$80,720
Bachelor's degree
$52,850 – $132,480660
24Engineers, All Other$80,650
Bachelor's degree
$57,190 – $128,580520
25Financial and Investment Analysts$80,540
Bachelor's degree
$47,530 – $134,35080
26Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$77,510
Master's degree
$47,070 – $122,100100
27Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$76,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,590 – $135,68070
28Respiratory Therapists$76,210
Associate's degree
$61,460 – $87,070290
29Biological Scientists, All Other$73,920
Bachelor's degree
$42,460 – $103,38070
30Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$73,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,600 – $98,560120
31Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$73,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$40,560 – $128,630110
32Logisticians$72,670
Bachelor's degree
$49,910 – $106,060150
33Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$72,320
Associate's degree
$50,910 – $101,12060
34Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$70,070
Bachelor's degree
$55,610 – $123,52080
35Accountants and Auditors$67,630
Bachelor's degree
$47,380 – $103,0901,100
36Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$66,050
Associate's degree
$38,860 – $91,830120
37Occupational Therapy Assistants$64,900
Associate's degree
$52,540 – $79,78060
38Computer Occupations, All Other$63,780
Bachelor's degree
$35,770 – $111,740260
39Teachers and Instructors, All Other$62,120
Bachelor's degree
$48,710 – $70,210110
40Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$61,770
Associate's degree
$35,690 – $76,590330
41Business Operations Specialists, All Other$61,270
Bachelor's degree
$34,670 – $102,2301,360
42Physical Therapist Assistants$60,760
Associate's degree
$23,080 – $83,820180
43Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$60,450
Master's degree
$46,320 – $71,340310
44Drafters, All Other$60,270
Associate's degree
$44,220 – $107,340130
45Coaches and Scouts$59,850
Bachelor's degree
$23,660 – $261,040200
46Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$58,920
Master's degree
$47,010 – $62,300150
47Public Relations Specialists$57,060
Bachelor's degree
$32,920 – $88,650170
48Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$56,660
Bachelor's degree
$33,780 – $98,060420
49Human Resources Specialists$56,070
Bachelor's degree
$37,610 – $91,070540
50English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$55,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,890 – $78,290190

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

#	Occupation	MedianLafayette, LA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$216,300	$211,800 – $280,050	100
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$171,860	$94,020 – $296,330	190
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,550	$105,020 – $163,610	100
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,130	$108,070 – $156,350	540
5	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$127,840	$61,460 – $201,360	110
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,470	$62,660 – $188,380	90
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$120,930	$39,250 – $161,150	480
8	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,120	$76,540 – $176,010	70
9	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$111,160	$60,160 – $221,890	650
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$109,010	$68,050 – $136,710	660
11	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,470	$62,670 – $137,520	200
12	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,390	$61,020 – $143,310	250
13	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,410	$57,660 – $129,390	360
14	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$88,300	$58,730 – $152,510	110
15	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$87,630	$60,310 – $109,770	240
16	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$85,710	$61,570 – $124,570	150
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$84,340	$54,290 – $123,220	290
18	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$82,520	$61,610 – $141,500	160
19	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$82,010	$63,340 – $96,640	120
20	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,960	$63,490 – $105,300	4,930
21	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$81,900	$49,450 – $96,310	200
22	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,840	$61,600 – $123,450	80
23	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,720	$52,850 – $132,480	660
24	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,650	$57,190 – $128,580	520
25	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,540	$47,530 – $134,350	80
26	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$77,510	$47,070 – $122,100	100
27	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,590	$76,590 – $135,680	70
28	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$76,210	$61,460 – $87,070	290
29	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,920	$42,460 – $103,380	70
30	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,830	$44,600 – $98,560	120
31	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$73,110	$40,560 – $128,630	110
32	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$72,670	$49,910 – $106,060	150
33	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,320	$50,910 – $101,120	60
34	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$70,070	$55,610 – $123,520	80
35	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$67,630	$47,380 – $103,090	1,100
36	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$66,050	$38,860 – $91,830	120
37	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,900	$52,540 – $79,780	60
38	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$63,780	$35,770 – $111,740	260
39	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$62,120	$48,710 – $70,210	110
40	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,770	$35,690 – $76,590	330
41	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$61,270	$34,670 – $102,230	1,360
42	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$60,760	$23,080 – $83,820	180
43	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$60,450	$46,320 – $71,340	310
44	Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$60,270	$44,220 – $107,340	130
45	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$59,850	$23,660 – $261,040	200
46	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$58,920	$47,010 – $62,300	150
47	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$57,060	$32,920 – $88,650	170
48	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$56,660	$33,780 – $98,060	420
49	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$56,070	$37,610 – $91,070	540
50	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$55,890	$55,890 – $78,290	190

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Lafayette, LA. 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 Lafayette, LA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Lafayette, LA

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