High paying entry level jobs in Lancaster, PA

These occupations in Lancaster, PA 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 Lancaster, PA run 1.7% below the national average (2024), so a Lancaster, PA salary is worth about 1.02× 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 Lancaster, PA

OccupationMedian, Lancaster, PA · Employed

1Dentists, General$141,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,000 – $326,580170
2Pharmacists$134,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,930 – $159,080450
3Nurse Practitioners$133,940
Master's degree
$107,000 – $160,340350
4Veterinarians$132,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,340 – $231,990180
5Lawyers$125,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,030 – $231,930520
6Physician Assistants$124,070
Master's degree
$61,450 – $155,080340
7Electrical Engineers$105,210
Bachelor's degree
$75,040 – $161,080170
8Software Developers$104,740
Bachelor's degree
$73,450 – $164,490850
9Physical Therapists$103,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,610 – $132,180430
10Occupational Therapists$102,460
Master's degree
$70,440 – $130,810240
11Civil Engineers$97,780
Bachelor's degree
$71,280 – $131,610540
12Industrial Engineers$97,770
Bachelor's degree
$65,500 – $135,080610
13Project Management Specialists$95,820
Bachelor's degree
$61,000 – $141,7301,430
14Data Scientists$90,960
Bachelor's degree
$62,370 – $134,410190
15Financial and Investment Analysts$90,650
Bachelor's degree
$61,820 – $134,590250
16Registered Nurses$89,620
Bachelor's degree
$76,940 – $105,4905,640
17Computer Systems Analysts$86,830
Bachelor's degree
$60,830 – $131,030360
18Computer Programmers$83,990
Bachelor's degree
$63,470 – $135,660100
19Mechanical Engineers$83,710
Bachelor's degree
$64,370 – $131,360560
20Network and Computer Systems Administrators$83,360
Bachelor's degree
$60,620 – $124,080240
21Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$81,990
Bachelor's degree
$58,030 – $127,940200
22Computer Occupations, All Other$81,750
Bachelor's degree
$48,840 – $135,180250
23Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$81,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$41,660 – $161,200130
24Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$81,040
Bachelor's degree
$60,670 – $99,640540
25Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,960
Bachelor's degree
$57,290 – $97,890740
26Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,820
Bachelor's degree
$48,640 – $97,1001,900
27Dental Hygienists$80,810
Associate's degree
$67,160 – $101,000370
28Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$80,530
Associate's degree
$72,480 – $99,230130
29Respiratory Therapists$80,060
Associate's degree
$64,770 – $94,620230
30Special Education Teachers, Middle School$78,560
Bachelor's degree
$66,130 – $92,27090
31Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$78,480
Bachelor's degree
$37,410 – $91,850110
32Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$78,470
Bachelor's degree
$59,170 – $95,700340
33Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$78,360
Bachelor's degree
$60,740 – $93,6002,350
34Credit Analysts$78,260
Bachelor's degree
$55,550 – $161,15080
35Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$76,450
Master's degree
$38,650 – $128,310140
36Accountants and Auditors$76,110
Bachelor's degree
$50,230 – $115,9801,990
37Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$73,910
Associate's degree
$60,620 – $96,200320
38Business Operations Specialists, All Other$73,660
Bachelor's degree
$45,380 – $167,380680
39Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$73,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$44,550 – $132,230130
40Logisticians$66,660
Bachelor's degree
$45,710 – $104,760320
41Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,560
Associate's degree
$47,950 – $91,260130
42Human Resources Specialists$66,330
Bachelor's degree
$46,590 – $104,7501,200
43Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$66,310
Bachelor's degree
$46,830 – $121,45080
44Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$64,790
Bachelor's degree
$39,540 – $110,630990
45Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,840
Associate's degree
$47,620 – $91,77090
46Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,570
Associate's degree
$45,960 – $93,990330
47Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$55,340 – $75,4501,740
48Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$62,970
Associate's degree
$52,900 – $93,600110
49Surgical Technologists$62,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,690 – $77,160240
50Physical Therapist Assistants$61,950
Associate's degree
$48,780 – $77,880220

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

#	Occupation	MedianLancaster, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$141,960	$71,000 – $326,580	170
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,320	$124,930 – $159,080	450
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$133,940	$107,000 – $160,340	350
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$132,480	$99,340 – $231,990	180
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$125,510	$81,030 – $231,930	520
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$124,070	$61,450 – $155,080	340
7	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,210	$75,040 – $161,080	170
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$104,740	$73,450 – $164,490	850
9	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$103,240	$77,610 – $132,180	430
10	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,460	$70,440 – $130,810	240
11	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,780	$71,280 – $131,610	540
12	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,770	$65,500 – $135,080	610
13	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$95,820	$61,000 – $141,730	1,430
14	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$90,960	$62,370 – $134,410	190
15	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,650	$61,820 – $134,590	250
16	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$89,620	$76,940 – $105,490	5,640
17	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$86,830	$60,830 – $131,030	360
18	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$83,990	$63,470 – $135,660	100
19	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$83,710	$64,370 – $131,360	560
20	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$83,360	$60,620 – $124,080	240
21	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,990	$58,030 – $127,940	200
22	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,750	$48,840 – $135,180	250
23	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$81,520	$41,660 – $161,200	130
24	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$81,040	$60,670 – $99,640	540
25	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,960	$57,290 – $97,890	740
26	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,820	$48,640 – $97,100	1,900
27	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$80,810	$67,160 – $101,000	370
28	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$80,530	$72,480 – $99,230	130
29	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$80,060	$64,770 – $94,620	230
30	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,560	$66,130 – $92,270	90
31	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,480	$37,410 – $91,850	110
32	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,470	$59,170 – $95,700	340
33	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,360	$60,740 – $93,600	2,350
34	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$78,260	$55,550 – $161,150	80
35	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$76,450	$38,650 – $128,310	140
36	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,110	$50,230 – $115,980	1,990
37	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,910	$60,620 – $96,200	320
38	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,660	$45,380 – $167,380	680
39	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$73,250	$44,550 – $132,230	130
40	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$66,660	$45,710 – $104,760	320
41	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,560	$47,950 – $91,260	130
42	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$66,330	$46,590 – $104,750	1,200
43	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$66,310	$46,830 – $121,450	80
44	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,790	$39,540 – $110,630	990
45	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,840	$47,620 – $91,770	90
46	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,570	$45,960 – $93,990	330
47	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,290	$55,340 – $75,450	1,740
48	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,970	$52,900 – $93,600	110
49	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,680	$48,690 – $77,160	240
50	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,950	$48,780 – $77,880	220

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

High paying entry level jobs in Lancaster, PA

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