High paying entry level jobs in Lansing-East Lansing, MI

These occupations in Lansing-East Lansing, MI 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI run 5.0% below the national average (2024), so a Lansing-East Lansing, MI salary is worth about 1.05× 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI

OccupationMedian, Lansing-East Lansing, MI · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$250,570
Master's degree
$238,570 – $269,560100
2Dentists, General$164,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,990 – $295,240100
3Business Teachers, Postsecondary$139,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,410 – $315,100240
4Pharmacists$133,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,730 – $161,530330
5Optometrists$130,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,140 – $208,17070
6Nurse Practitioners$129,450
Master's degree
$107,790 – $149,100270
7Lawyers$128,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,660 – $212,7401,130
8Physician Assistants$128,230
Master's degree
$105,040 – $150,990260
9Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$127,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,250 – $176,10080
10Veterinarians$122,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,100 – $171,110140
11Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$109,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,000 – $178,570200
12Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$105,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,630 – $176,850110
13Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$104,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,280 – $177,490130
14Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$104,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,120 – $118,120100
15Physical Therapists$99,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,650 – $118,200310
16Mechanical Engineers$98,550
Bachelor's degree
$67,110 – $156,210650
17Industrial Engineers$98,260
Bachelor's degree
$69,660 – $143,020810
18Network and Computer Systems Administrators$97,810
Bachelor's degree
$72,180 – $130,960710
19Environmental Engineers$97,260
Bachelor's degree
$62,770 – $125,120110
20Software Developers$97,120
Bachelor's degree
$71,050 – $132,7903,020
21Project Management Specialists$97,050
Bachelor's degree
$60,670 – $136,4701,350
22Budget Analysts$96,430
Bachelor's degree
$84,260 – $106,250140
23Civil Engineers$96,040
Bachelor's degree
$66,690 – $134,680730
24Engineers, All Other$95,890
Bachelor's degree
$64,570 – $148,130140
25Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$94,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,170 – $138,27070
26Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$91,100
Bachelor's degree
$63,810 – $101,21070
27Dental Hygienists$90,710
Associate's degree
$79,460 – $92,850450
28Computer Occupations, All Other$90,250
Bachelor's degree
$49,580 – $151,110390
29Urban and Regional Planners$89,170
Master's degree
$58,140 – $109,370160
30Data Scientists$87,160
Bachelor's degree
$60,800 – $131,030490
31Occupational Therapists$86,590
Master's degree
$77,220 – $99,320150
32Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$85,180
Bachelor's degree
$58,550 – $101,210580
33Computer Systems Analysts$84,870
Bachelor's degree
$62,110 – $135,630660
34English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$84,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,620 – $137,000270
35Statisticians$84,610
Master's degree
$66,750 – $213,610120
36Database Administrators$84,420
Bachelor's degree
$49,440 – $136,92090
37Registered Nurses$84,320
Bachelor's degree
$77,900 – $100,6004,120
38Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$84,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,760 – $132,610170
39Financial Specialists, All Other$83,870
Bachelor's degree
$56,150 – $128,410230
40Financial and Investment Analysts$83,420
Bachelor's degree
$61,320 – $132,660510
41Electrical Engineers$83,180
Bachelor's degree
$66,570 – $138,840320
42Business Operations Specialists, All Other$82,940
Bachelor's degree
$59,380 – $106,2504,360
43Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$82,760
Bachelor's degree
$58,720 – $117,290180
44Special Education Teachers, All Other$80,460
Bachelor's degree
$46,300 – $95,870120
45Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$79,320
Associate's degree
$65,700 – $92,580140
46Accountants and Auditors$79,210
Bachelor's degree
$54,710 – $115,1302,270
47Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,590
Associate's degree
$59,980 – $98,700340
48Respiratory Therapists$78,530
Associate's degree
$63,540 – $91,770160
49Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$77,950
Bachelor's degree
$50,100 – $121,510200
50Special Education Teachers, Middle School$77,140
Bachelor's degree
$40,660 – $90,30070

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

#	Occupation	MedianLansing-East Lansing, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$250,570	$238,570 – $269,560	100
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$164,610	$74,990 – $295,240	100
3	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$139,380	$65,410 – $315,100	240
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,300	$105,730 – $161,530	330
5	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$130,710	$74,140 – $208,170	70
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,450	$107,790 – $149,100	270
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$128,610	$80,660 – $212,740	1,130
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$128,230	$105,040 – $150,990	260
9	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$127,880	$68,250 – $176,100	80
10	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$122,510	$77,100 – $171,110	140
11	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$109,000	$66,000 – $178,570	200
12	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,210	$72,630 – $176,850	110
13	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,480	$65,280 – $177,490	130
14	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$104,330	$54,120 – $118,120	100
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,310	$75,650 – $118,200	310
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,550	$67,110 – $156,210	650
17	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,260	$69,660 – $143,020	810
18	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$97,810	$72,180 – $130,960	710
19	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,260	$62,770 – $125,120	110
20	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$97,120	$71,050 – $132,790	3,020
21	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,050	$60,670 – $136,470	1,350
22	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,430	$84,260 – $106,250	140
23	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,040	$66,690 – $134,680	730
24	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,890	$64,570 – $148,130	140
25	Philosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$94,510	$58,170 – $138,270	70
26	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$91,100	$63,810 – $101,210	70
27	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$90,710	$79,460 – $92,850	450
28	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,250	$49,580 – $151,110	390
29	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$89,170	$58,140 – $109,370	160
30	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$87,160	$60,800 – $131,030	490
31	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$86,590	$77,220 – $99,320	150
32	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$85,180	$58,550 – $101,210	580
33	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,870	$62,110 – $135,630	660
34	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,790	$52,620 – $137,000	270
35	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$84,610	$66,750 – $213,610	120
36	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$84,420	$49,440 – $136,920	90
37	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$84,320	$77,900 – $100,600	4,120
38	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$84,020	$49,760 – $132,610	170
39	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,870	$56,150 – $128,410	230
40	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,420	$61,320 – $132,660	510
41	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$83,180	$66,570 – $138,840	320
42	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,940	$59,380 – $106,250	4,360
43	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,760	$58,720 – $117,290	180
44	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,460	$46,300 – $95,870	120
45	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$79,320	$65,700 – $92,580	140
46	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$79,210	$54,710 – $115,130	2,270
47	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,590	$59,980 – $98,700	340
48	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,530	$63,540 – $91,770	160
49	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$77,950	$50,100 – $121,510	200
50	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,140	$40,660 – $90,300	70

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI. 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.

More for Lansing-East Lansing, MI

Other metro areas in MI

By field in Lansing-East Lansing, MI

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Lansing-East Lansing, MI to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Lansing-East Lansing, MI

More for Lansing-East Lansing, MI

Other metro areas in MI

By field in Lansing-East Lansing, MI

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state