High paying entry level jobs in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN

These occupations in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 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-West Lafayette, IN run 6.6% below the national average (2024), so a Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN salary is worth about 1.07× 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-West Lafayette, IN

OccupationMedian, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN · Employed

1Optometrists$134,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,320 – $193,35050
2Physician Assistants$133,060
Master's degree
$108,380 – $208,10050
3Nurse Practitioners$126,820
Master's degree
$93,600 – $164,710240
4Pharmacists$122,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$41,700 – $157,860290
5Mechanical Engineers$100,690
Bachelor's degree
$63,700 – $152,980510
6Lawyers$100,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,520 – $207,990220
7Physical Therapists$100,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,480 – $121,520180
8Software Developers$99,750
Bachelor's degree
$68,380 – $153,300490
9Industrial Engineers$98,640
Bachelor's degree
$77,310 – $148,650630
10Occupational Therapists$96,740
Master's degree
$61,550 – $114,910110
11Electrical Engineers$95,150
Bachelor's degree
$70,630 – $126,230120
12Veterinarians$91,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,050 – $164,30090
13Dental Hygienists$91,750
Associate's degree
$67,570 – $102,030150
14Computer Systems Analysts$87,660
Bachelor's degree
$63,160 – $130,520210
15Civil Engineers$87,380
Bachelor's degree
$54,040 – $132,05090
16Operations Research Analysts$86,910
Bachelor's degree
$54,480 – $110,180240
17Soil and Plant Scientists$86,380
Bachelor's degree
$66,790 – $171,08030
18Agricultural Engineers$86,320
Bachelor's degree
$53,880 – $139,88050
19Commercial and Industrial Designers$85,280
Bachelor's degree
$68,200 – $128,26030
20Materials Engineers$85,130
Bachelor's degree
$58,040 – $120,81040
21Financial and Investment Analysts$84,540
Bachelor's degree
$62,280 – $169,96080
22Network and Computer Systems Administrators$84,100
Bachelor's degree
$64,700 – $107,100200
23Project Management Specialists$83,330
Bachelor's degree
$52,140 – $130,150290
24Logisticians$83,320
Bachelor's degree
$65,120 – $131,640210
25Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$82,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,530 – $135,190330
26Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$82,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,140 – $133,870140
27Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$82,050
Associate's degree
$37,630 – $108,82040
28Registered Nurses$80,790
Bachelor's degree
$67,780 – $100,9302,080
29Respiratory Therapists$80,140
Associate's degree
$65,510 – $94,720110
30Data Scientists$79,280
Bachelor's degree
$54,180 – $133,67070
31Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,570
Associate's degree
$51,250 – $104,520160
32Accountants and Auditors$77,740
Bachelor's degree
$50,550 – $123,500570
33Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$77,620
Bachelor's degree
$47,080 – $121,840120
34Business Operations Specialists, All Other$75,220
Bachelor's degree
$47,800 – $117,970100
35Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,280
Associate's degree
$39,110 – $106,64090
36Occupational Therapy Assistants$71,930
Associate's degree
$40,740 – $78,80060
37Web and Digital Interface Designers$68,150
Bachelor's degree
$58,450 – $98,18040
38Public Relations Specialists$67,380
Bachelor's degree
$51,310 – $110,050250
39Athletic Trainers$67,210
Master's degree
$49,410 – $71,62030
40Coaches and Scouts$66,250
Bachelor's degree
$32,580 – $653,490150
41Graphic Designers$66,060
Bachelor's degree
$43,000 – $85,400100
42Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,610 – $75,900330
43Human Resources Specialists$64,140
Bachelor's degree
$43,520 – $99,410510
44Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$64,120
Bachelor's degree
$38,780 – $131,210280
45Surgical Technologists$63,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,100 – $82,220130
46Biological Technicians$62,630
Bachelor's degree
$45,140 – $88,050130
47Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$62,590
Bachelor's degree
$49,720 – $97,090630
48Physical Therapist Assistants$62,030
Associate's degree
$35,720 – $76,710110
49Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$61,350
Associate's degree
$41,150 – $81,40040
50Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,700
Bachelor's degree
$50,300 – $82,230310

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

#	Occupation	MedianLafayette-West Lafayette, IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,830	$73,320 – $193,350	50
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,060	$108,380 – $208,100	50
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,820	$93,600 – $164,710	240
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$122,990	$41,700 – $157,860	290
5	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,690	$63,700 – $152,980	510
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$100,650	$66,520 – $207,990	220
7	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,310	$78,480 – $121,520	180
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$99,750	$68,380 – $153,300	490
9	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,640	$77,310 – $148,650	630
10	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$96,740	$61,550 – $114,910	110
11	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,150	$70,630 – $126,230	120
12	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$91,910	$55,050 – $164,300	90
13	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$91,750	$67,570 – $102,030	150
14	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$87,660	$63,160 – $130,520	210
15	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$87,380	$54,040 – $132,050	90
16	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$86,910	$54,480 – $110,180	240
17	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$86,380	$66,790 – $171,080	30
18	Agricultural EngineersBachelor's degree	$86,320	$53,880 – $139,880	50
19	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$85,280	$68,200 – $128,260	30
20	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$85,130	$58,040 – $120,810	40
21	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,540	$62,280 – $169,960	80
22	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$84,100	$64,700 – $107,100	200
23	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,330	$52,140 – $130,150	290
24	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$83,320	$65,120 – $131,640	210
25	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$82,390	$52,530 – $135,190	330
26	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$82,060	$65,140 – $133,870	140
27	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,050	$37,630 – $108,820	40
28	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$80,790	$67,780 – $100,930	2,080
29	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$80,140	$65,510 – $94,720	110
30	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$79,280	$54,180 – $133,670	70
31	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,570	$51,250 – $104,520	160
32	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,740	$50,550 – $123,500	570
33	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,620	$47,080 – $121,840	120
34	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$75,220	$47,800 – $117,970	100
35	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,280	$39,110 – $106,640	90
36	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$71,930	$40,740 – $78,800	60
37	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$68,150	$58,450 – $98,180	40
38	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$67,380	$51,310 – $110,050	250
39	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$67,210	$49,410 – $71,620	30
40	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$66,250	$32,580 – $653,490	150
41	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$66,060	$43,000 – $85,400	100
42	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,160	$52,610 – $75,900	330
43	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,140	$43,520 – $99,410	510
44	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,120	$38,780 – $131,210	280
45	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,200	$60,100 – $82,220	130
46	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,630	$45,140 – $88,050	130
47	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$62,590	$49,720 – $97,090	630
48	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,030	$35,720 – $76,710	110
49	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,350	$41,150 – $81,400	40
50	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,700	$50,300 – $82,230	310

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

High paying entry level jobs in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN

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