High paying entry level jobs in Lawrence, KS

These occupations in Lawrence, KS 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 Lawrence, KS run 9.8% below the national average (2024), so a Lawrence, KS salary is worth about 1.11× 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 Lawrence, KS

OccupationMedian, Lawrence, KS · Employed

1Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$170,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$88,130 – $293,92040
2Business Teachers, Postsecondary$169,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,800 – $328,610150
3Pharmacists$133,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$40,460 – $168,590160
4Nurse Practitioners$126,650
Master's degree
$98,770 – $151,920100
5Physician Assistants$126,340
Master's degree
$103,490 – $138,23030
6Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$109,740
Bachelor's degree
$66,520 – $132,98040
7Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$109,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,340 – $179,390120
8Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$105,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,290 – $173,58030
9Software Developers$104,990
Bachelor's degree
$69,500 – $162,740410
10Lawyers$103,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,120 – $196,780140
11Occupational Therapists$101,060
Master's degree
$83,940 – $116,81050
12Physical Therapists$99,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,080 – $117,430110
13Civil Engineers$97,220
Bachelor's degree
$69,830 – $127,000150
14Chemists$96,050
Bachelor's degree
$75,130 – $131,76060
15Mechanical Engineers$94,990
Bachelor's degree
$75,340 – $148,34060
16Project Management Specialists$93,420
Bachelor's degree
$53,590 – $161,780150
17Operations Research Analysts$87,380
Bachelor's degree
$48,030 – $104,41040
18Computer Programmers$84,950
Bachelor's degree
$69,040 – $106,61060
19Computer Occupations, All Other$84,220
Bachelor's degree
$67,250 – $139,21060
20English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$83,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,500 – $174,25090
21Financial and Investment Analysts$83,260
Bachelor's degree
$62,890 – $121,160100
22Computer Systems Analysts$82,360
Bachelor's degree
$54,990 – $118,460160
23Network and Computer Systems Administrators$80,770
Bachelor's degree
$59,750 – $130,490120
24Accountants and Auditors$79,050
Bachelor's degree
$52,960 – $128,180400
25Web Developers$78,080
Bachelor's degree
$52,590 – $123,90040
26Registered Nurses$78,020
Bachelor's degree
$65,250 – $96,580700
27Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$76,520
Bachelor's degree
$47,250 – $94,78070
28Business Operations Specialists, All Other$72,100
Bachelor's degree
$45,920 – $147,830410
29Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$67,060
Bachelor's degree
$39,990 – $129,970260
30Fundraisers$65,820
Bachelor's degree
$51,630 – $110,570170
31Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$64,990
Master's degree
$49,880 – $102,070110
32Food Scientists and Technologists$64,210
Bachelor's degree
$46,230 – $115,76040
33Human Resources Specialists$64,130
Bachelor's degree
$47,220 – $99,520230
34Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$63,020
Associate's degree
$36,450 – $91,71070
35Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,300 – $77,230150
36Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$62,080
Bachelor's degree
$47,400 – $77,800370
37Child, Family, and School Social Workers$60,980
Bachelor's degree
$48,770 – $89,210130
38Athletic Trainers$60,820
Master's degree
$44,010 – $82,05040
39Architectural and Civil Drafters$60,380
Associate's degree
$44,570 – $82,58030
40Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$59,400
Bachelor's degree
$48,500 – $74,980230
41Public Relations Specialists$58,040
Bachelor's degree
$43,190 – $96,330170
42Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$54,400
Bachelor's degree
$40,540 – $62,94050
43Graphic Designers$54,290
Bachelor's degree
$35,990 – $78,690120
44Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners$53,120
Bachelor's degree
$32,110 – $85,67070
45Paralegals and Legal Assistants$52,530
Associate's degree
$37,720 – $62,890110
46Coaches and Scouts$52,460
Bachelor's degree
$30,310 – $129,280150
47Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$51,690
Bachelor's degree
$51,690 – $65,81070
48Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$50,850
Master's degree
$49,550 – $82,550230
49Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$50,310
Bachelor's degree
$48,050 – $60,520450
50Library Technicians$49,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,260 – $65,01050

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

#	Occupation	MedianLawrence, KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$170,660	$88,130 – $293,920	40
2	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$169,130	$90,800 – $328,610	150
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,880	$40,460 – $168,590	160
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,650	$98,770 – $151,920	100
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$126,340	$103,490 – $138,230	30
6	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$109,740	$66,520 – $132,980	40
7	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$109,350	$61,340 – $179,390	120
8	Philosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,820	$58,290 – $173,580	30
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$104,990	$69,500 – $162,740	410
10	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$103,070	$76,120 – $196,780	140
11	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$101,060	$83,940 – $116,810	50
12	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,620	$75,080 – $117,430	110
13	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,220	$69,830 – $127,000	150
14	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$96,050	$75,130 – $131,760	60
15	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,990	$75,340 – $148,340	60
16	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,420	$53,590 – $161,780	150
17	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$87,380	$48,030 – $104,410	40
18	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$84,950	$69,040 – $106,610	60
19	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,220	$67,250 – $139,210	60
20	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,490	$59,500 – $174,250	90
21	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,260	$62,890 – $121,160	100
22	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,360	$54,990 – $118,460	160
23	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$80,770	$59,750 – $130,490	120
24	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$79,050	$52,960 – $128,180	400
25	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$78,080	$52,590 – $123,900	40
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$78,020	$65,250 – $96,580	700
27	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$76,520	$47,250 – $94,780	70
28	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$72,100	$45,920 – $147,830	410
29	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$67,060	$39,990 – $129,970	260
30	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$65,820	$51,630 – $110,570	170
31	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$64,990	$49,880 – $102,070	110
32	Food Scientists and TechnologistsBachelor's degree	$64,210	$46,230 – $115,760	40
33	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,130	$47,220 – $99,520	230
34	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,020	$36,450 – $91,710	70
35	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,400	$52,300 – $77,230	150
36	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$62,080	$47,400 – $77,800	370
37	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$60,980	$48,770 – $89,210	130
38	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$60,820	$44,010 – $82,050	40
39	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$60,380	$44,570 – $82,580	30
40	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$59,400	$48,500 – $74,980	230
41	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$58,040	$43,190 – $96,330	170
42	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$54,400	$40,540 – $62,940	50
43	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$54,290	$35,990 – $78,690	120
44	Meeting, Convention, and Event PlannersBachelor's degree	$53,120	$32,110 – $85,670	70
45	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$52,530	$37,720 – $62,890	110
46	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$52,460	$30,310 – $129,280	150
47	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$51,690	$51,690 – $65,810	70
48	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$50,850	$49,550 – $82,550	230
49	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$50,310	$48,050 – $60,520	450
50	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,400	$43,260 – $65,010	50

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

High paying entry level jobs in Lawrence, KS

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