High paying entry level jobs in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

These occupations in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL run 2.9% below the national average (2024), so a Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL salary is worth about 1.03× 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

OccupationMedian, Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL · Employed

1Dentists, General$205,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$121,450 – $307,430210
2Optometrists$157,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,830 – $208,750120
3Pharmacists$142,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,370 – $167,770490
4Veterinarians$129,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,180 – $245,220120
5Nurse Practitioners$125,720
Master's degree
$100,970 – $154,560570
6Lawyers$122,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,090 – $233,770730
7Software Developers$122,200
Bachelor's degree
$76,790 – $162,230990
8Physician Assistants$121,540
Master's degree
$38,800 – $178,300240
9Data Scientists$119,340
Bachelor's degree
$67,990 – $155,650190
10Electrical Engineers$98,900
Bachelor's degree
$66,840 – $153,090170
11Physical Therapists$98,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,840 – $110,970360
12Network and Computer Systems Administrators$95,160
Bachelor's degree
$59,680 – $142,880480
13Occupational Therapists$95,070
Master's degree
$62,320 – $111,040200
14Project Management Specialists$94,720
Bachelor's degree
$56,300 – $152,3001,150
15Industrial Engineers$94,370
Bachelor's degree
$64,040 – $132,280280
16Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$93,440
Associate's degree
$40,620 – $111,210130
17Dental Hygienists$93,080
Associate's degree
$77,110 – $95,850290
18Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$89,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,910 – $152,360150
19Mechanical Engineers$89,720
Bachelor's degree
$59,480 – $145,710230
20Respiratory Therapists$86,300
Associate's degree
$67,670 – $89,710250
21Computer Systems Analysts$85,820
Bachelor's degree
$61,180 – $127,390570
22Financial and Investment Analysts$84,860
Bachelor's degree
$47,450 – $127,020360
23Computer Programmers$84,820
Bachelor's degree
$57,660 – $125,440100
24Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$84,120
Associate's degree
$66,460 – $102,200210
25Registered Nurses$84,030
Bachelor's degree
$64,610 – $102,0706,140
26Engineers, All Other$82,100
Bachelor's degree
$60,240 – $139,570230
27Civil Engineers$81,840
Bachelor's degree
$57,810 – $158,760470
28Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$78,890
Bachelor's degree
$46,420 – $135,120130
29Business Teachers, Postsecondary$76,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$44,660 – $155,760100
30Accountants and Auditors$76,820
Bachelor's degree
$49,450 – $124,7801,740
31Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$76,630
Bachelor's degree
$43,390 – $125,8201,050
32Logisticians$73,480
Bachelor's degree
$45,990 – $111,320360
33Business Operations Specialists, All Other$72,260
Bachelor's degree
$39,180 – $130,9901,210
34Operations Research Analysts$71,680
Bachelor's degree
$45,440 – $143,840180
35Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$70,400
Bachelor's degree
$54,990 – $120,200300
36Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$69,010
Associate's degree
$41,020 – $99,830110
37Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$68,910
Associate's degree
$52,090 – $83,830520
38Occupational Therapy Assistants$66,160
Associate's degree
$59,530 – $75,730110
39Physical Therapist Assistants$66,090
Associate's degree
$56,130 – $83,180220
40Human Resources Specialists$62,970
Bachelor's degree
$43,260 – $105,5701,370
41Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$61,020
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,280 – $86,820110
42Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$60,280
Associate's degree
$37,060 – $96,240140
43Architectural and Civil Drafters$60,240
Associate's degree
$42,320 – $88,770170
44Computer Occupations, All Other$60,170
Bachelor's degree
$37,920 – $148,650230
45Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$59,940
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,110 – $70,4701,310
46Surgical Technologists$59,540
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,150 – $68,160280
47Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$58,730
Master's degree
$49,050 – $78,330190
48Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$58,320
Master's degree
$44,050 – $73,290640
49Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$58,260
Bachelor's degree
$50,980 – $60,330140
50Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$58,000
Bachelor's degree
$50,160 – $58,5601,860

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

#	Occupation	MedianLakeland-Winter Haven, FL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$205,300	$121,450 – $307,430	210
2	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$157,140	$100,830 – $208,750	120
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,380	$100,370 – $167,770	490
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$129,810	$60,180 – $245,220	120
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$125,720	$100,970 – $154,560	570
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$122,870	$74,090 – $233,770	730
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,200	$76,790 – $162,230	990
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$121,540	$38,800 – $178,300	240
9	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$119,340	$67,990 – $155,650	190
10	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,900	$66,840 – $153,090	170
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,740	$73,840 – $110,970	360
12	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$95,160	$59,680 – $142,880	480
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$95,070	$62,320 – $111,040	200
14	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,720	$56,300 – $152,300	1,150
15	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,370	$64,040 – $132,280	280
16	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$93,440	$40,620 – $111,210	130
17	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$93,080	$77,110 – $95,850	290
18	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$89,910	$83,910 – $152,360	150
19	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$89,720	$59,480 – $145,710	230
20	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$86,300	$67,670 – $89,710	250
21	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$85,820	$61,180 – $127,390	570
22	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,860	$47,450 – $127,020	360
23	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$84,820	$57,660 – $125,440	100
24	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$84,120	$66,460 – $102,200	210
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$84,030	$64,610 – $102,070	6,140
26	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,100	$60,240 – $139,570	230
27	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$81,840	$57,810 – $158,760	470
28	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$78,890	$46,420 – $135,120	130
29	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,870	$44,660 – $155,760	100
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,820	$49,450 – $124,780	1,740
31	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,630	$43,390 – $125,820	1,050
32	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$73,480	$45,990 – $111,320	360
33	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$72,260	$39,180 – $130,990	1,210
34	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$71,680	$45,440 – $143,840	180
35	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,400	$54,990 – $120,200	300
36	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,010	$41,020 – $99,830	110
37	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,910	$52,090 – $83,830	520
38	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,160	$59,530 – $75,730	110
39	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,090	$56,130 – $83,180	220
40	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,970	$43,260 – $105,570	1,370
41	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,020	$37,280 – $86,820	110
42	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,280	$37,060 – $96,240	140
43	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$60,240	$42,320 – $88,770	170
44	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$60,170	$37,920 – $148,650	230
45	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,940	$46,110 – $70,470	1,310
46	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,540	$44,150 – $68,160	280
47	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$58,730	$49,050 – $78,330	190
48	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$58,320	$44,050 – $73,290	640
49	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$58,260	$50,980 – $60,330	140
50	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$58,000	$50,160 – $58,560	1,860

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL. 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

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