High paying entry level jobs in Lexington-Fayette, KY

These occupations in Lexington-Fayette, KY 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY run 7.1% below the national average (2024), so a Lexington-Fayette, KY salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY

OccupationMedian, Lexington-Fayette, KY · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$242,700
Master's degree
$207,080 – $271,530270
2Pharmacists$136,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,260 – $161,2601,060
3Software Developers$123,510
Bachelor's degree
$79,770 – $167,2701,430
4Computer Hardware Engineers$123,370
Bachelor's degree
$69,950 – $154,460100
5Nurse Practitioners$123,070
Master's degree
$102,040 – $175,600540
6Dentists, General$114,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,060 – $164,380160
7Physician Assistants$112,230
Master's degree
$52,010 – $187,220300
8Lawyers$111,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,130 – $213,6001,040
9Veterinarians$109,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,660 – $214,870330
10Environmental Engineers$107,830
Bachelor's degree
$80,670 – $159,510100
11Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$105,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,590 – $176,18090
12Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$104,490
Bachelor's degree
$60,520 – $138,140140
13Mechanical Engineers$103,820
Bachelor's degree
$68,490 – $139,810900
14Civil Engineers$103,090
Bachelor's degree
$67,340 – $138,270600
15Surgical Assistants$102,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$68,530 – $168,200100
16Social Workers, All Other$102,070
Bachelor's degree
$43,130 – $118,540120
17Industrial Engineers$101,000
Bachelor's degree
$71,750 – $134,7901,160
18Electrical Engineers$98,160
Bachelor's degree
$62,010 – $151,600200
19Occupational Therapists$95,820
Master's degree
$67,360 – $117,060320
20Computer Systems Analysts$95,500
Bachelor's degree
$60,210 – $135,510780
21Physical Therapists$94,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,700 – $123,220590
22Engineers, All Other$93,400
Bachelor's degree
$78,270 – $149,430110
23Network and Computer Systems Administrators$92,390
Bachelor's degree
$62,760 – $180,380430
24Computer Programmers$90,850
Bachelor's degree
$67,900 – $137,340130
25Business Teachers, Postsecondary$89,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$39,430 – $213,940190
26Database Administrators$88,490
Bachelor's degree
$47,670 – $127,500110
27Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$85,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,840 – $169,890150
28Project Management Specialists$84,520
Bachelor's degree
$55,640 – $134,2402,020
29Data Scientists$84,460
Bachelor's degree
$61,890 – $139,370230
30Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$83,930
Associate's degree
$46,670 – $105,390120
31Teachers and Instructors, All Other$83,770
Bachelor's degree
$50,970 – $105,530250
32Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$82,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,320 – $165,450130
33Financial and Investment Analysts$81,410
Bachelor's degree
$54,030 – $132,120430
34Dental Hygienists$80,110
Associate's degree
$57,450 – $96,790410
35Respiratory Therapists$80,040
Associate's degree
$62,910 – $98,430430
36Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$79,950
Bachelor's degree
$51,570 – $136,520270
37Computer Occupations, All Other$79,610
Bachelor's degree
$48,250 – $145,830210
38Registered Nurses$79,040
Bachelor's degree
$66,270 – $107,8808,070
39Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,010
Associate's degree
$53,120 – $99,810660
40Accountants and Auditors$77,780
Bachelor's degree
$53,900 – $125,8801,830
41Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$76,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,990 – $134,230110
42Business Operations Specialists, All Other$76,390
Bachelor's degree
$51,370 – $124,010890
43Massage Therapists$76,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,000 – $93,180170
44Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,230
Associate's degree
$50,810 – $102,830120
45Fundraisers$75,230
Bachelor's degree
$42,590 – $124,380270
46Web and Digital Interface Designers$74,590
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $108,450130
47Operations Research Analysts$72,500
Bachelor's degree
$58,970 – $106,240140
48Logisticians$72,250
Bachelor's degree
$53,110 – $101,900360
49Mechanical Drafters$71,520
Associate's degree
$49,370 – $93,640100
50Human Resources Specialists$69,990
Bachelor's degree
$46,380 – $104,2501,320

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

#	Occupation	MedianLexington-Fayette, KY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$242,700	$207,080 – $271,530	270
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,530	$100,260 – $161,260	1,060
3	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$123,510	$79,770 – $167,270	1,430
4	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$123,370	$69,950 – $154,460	100
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$123,070	$102,040 – $175,600	540
6	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$114,990	$56,060 – $164,380	160
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$112,230	$52,010 – $187,220	300
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$111,040	$64,130 – $213,600	1,040
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$109,050	$50,660 – $214,870	330
10	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,830	$80,670 – $159,510	100
11	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,690	$49,590 – $176,180	90
12	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$104,490	$60,520 – $138,140	140
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,820	$68,490 – $139,810	900
14	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,090	$67,340 – $138,270	600
15	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$102,330	$68,530 – $168,200	100
16	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$102,070	$43,130 – $118,540	120
17	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,000	$71,750 – $134,790	1,160
18	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,160	$62,010 – $151,600	200
19	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$95,820	$67,360 – $117,060	320
20	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,500	$60,210 – $135,510	780
21	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$94,710	$65,700 – $123,220	590
22	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$93,400	$78,270 – $149,430	110
23	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$92,390	$62,760 – $180,380	430
24	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$90,850	$67,900 – $137,340	130
25	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$89,430	$39,430 – $213,940	190
26	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$88,490	$47,670 – $127,500	110
27	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$85,830	$46,840 – $169,890	150
28	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,520	$55,640 – $134,240	2,020
29	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$84,460	$61,890 – $139,370	230
30	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$83,930	$46,670 – $105,390	120
31	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,770	$50,970 – $105,530	250
32	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,740	$50,320 – $165,450	130
33	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$81,410	$54,030 – $132,120	430
34	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$80,110	$57,450 – $96,790	410
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$80,040	$62,910 – $98,430	430
36	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,950	$51,570 – $136,520	270
37	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,610	$48,250 – $145,830	210
38	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,040	$66,270 – $107,880	8,070
39	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,010	$53,120 – $99,810	660
40	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,780	$53,900 – $125,880	1,830
41	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,680	$35,990 – $134,230	110
42	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,390	$51,370 – $124,010	890
43	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,250	$36,000 – $93,180	170
44	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,230	$50,810 – $102,830	120
45	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$75,230	$42,590 – $124,380	270
46	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$74,590	$61,600 – $108,450	130
47	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$72,500	$58,970 – $106,240	140
48	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$72,250	$53,110 – $101,900	360
49	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$71,520	$49,370 – $93,640	100
50	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$69,990	$46,380 – $104,250	1,320

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Lexington-Fayette, KY. 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Lexington-Fayette, KY

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