High paying entry level jobs in Lubbock, TX

These occupations in Lubbock, TX 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 Lubbock, TX run 8.7% below the national average (2024), so a Lubbock, TX salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Lubbock, TX

OccupationMedian, Lubbock, TX · Employed

1Petroleum Engineers$164,480
Bachelor's degree
$73,280 – $261,650100
2Pharmacists$145,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,660 – $179,300370
3Optometrists$140,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,320 – $157,15060
4Physician Assistants$137,510
Master's degree
$105,660 – $166,210120
5Nurse Practitioners$127,100
Master's degree
$102,860 – $154,320370
6Veterinarians$126,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,880 – $180,32070
7Lawyers$124,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,580 – $238,210470
8Software Developers$115,190
Bachelor's degree
$72,170 – $158,620340
9Business Teachers, Postsecondary$106,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,120 – $231,250280
10Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$105,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,810 – $169,420100
11Electrical Engineers$103,650
Bachelor's degree
$61,610 – $180,04090
12Physical Therapists$101,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,910 – $132,030360
13Occupational Therapists$96,560
Master's degree
$67,550 – $127,770190
14Industrial Engineers$95,680
Bachelor's degree
$52,170 – $133,340110
15Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$92,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,620 – $134,55080
16Mechanical Engineers$91,110
Bachelor's degree
$65,160 – $137,710130
17Data Scientists$89,490
Bachelor's degree
$54,370 – $148,18090
18Dental Hygienists$86,340
Associate's degree
$78,180 – $97,830170
19Computer Systems Analysts$85,660
Bachelor's degree
$63,220 – $144,810190
20Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$84,540
Associate's degree
$55,630 – $112,52060
21Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$83,900
Associate's degree
$64,720 – $98,610110
22Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$83,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,390 – $134,540180
23Computer Occupations, All Other$82,520
Bachelor's degree
$40,330 – $142,000190
24Civil Engineers$81,840
Bachelor's degree
$60,340 – $136,620250
25Registered Nurses$81,480
Bachelor's degree
$69,990 – $107,1805,070
26Operations Research Analysts$79,790
Bachelor's degree
$53,390 – $103,28060
27Occupational Therapy Assistants$79,690
Associate's degree
$60,940 – $94,61070
28Financial and Investment Analysts$77,800
Bachelor's degree
$50,520 – $174,850130
29Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,440
Associate's degree
$43,190 – $101,55060
30Project Management Specialists$77,110
Bachelor's degree
$47,260 – $124,680810
31Respiratory Therapists$76,530
Associate's degree
$63,700 – $90,890220
32Accountants and Auditors$74,390
Bachelor's degree
$48,380 – $122,520960
33Business Operations Specialists, All Other$73,320
Bachelor's degree
$37,290 – $122,250530
34Physical Therapist Assistants$72,740
Associate's degree
$50,420 – $94,610180
35Network and Computer Systems Administrators$72,530
Bachelor's degree
$51,070 – $120,230320
36Computer Programmers$70,260
Bachelor's degree
$52,050 – $106,490100
37Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$70,190
Bachelor's degree
$44,790 – $110,690150
38Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$67,900
Master's degree
$50,130 – $85,140630
39Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$67,110
Associate's degree
$48,670 – $96,030350
40Logisticians$66,210
Bachelor's degree
$40,270 – $99,01090
41Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$64,820
Master's degree
$50,800 – $95,990140
42Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$64,160
Bachelor's degree
$39,950 – $80,8401,830
43Surgical Technologists$63,030
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,990 – $78,500190
44Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$61,490
Bachelor's degree
$35,170 – $91,490430
45Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,270
Bachelor's degree
$47,680 – $73,9501,820
46Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$60,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,680 – $106,840130
47Human Resources Specialists$60,380
Bachelor's degree
$41,850 – $97,730610
48English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$60,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$41,330 – $106,020160
49Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,210
Bachelor's degree
$47,440 – $62,9201,030
50Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$59,220
Bachelor's degree
$47,480 – $64,4701,840

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

#	Occupation	MedianLubbock, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$164,480	$73,280 – $261,650	100
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$145,890	$106,660 – $179,300	370
3	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,070	$59,320 – $157,150	60
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$137,510	$105,660 – $166,210	120
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,100	$102,860 – $154,320	370
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$126,420	$77,880 – $180,320	70
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$124,410	$62,580 – $238,210	470
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$115,190	$72,170 – $158,620	340
9	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,150	$48,120 – $231,250	280
10	Agricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,370	$51,810 – $169,420	100
11	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,650	$61,610 – $180,040	90
12	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,310	$71,910 – $132,030	360
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$96,560	$67,550 – $127,770	190
14	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,680	$52,170 – $133,340	110
15	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$92,040	$47,620 – $134,550	80
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$91,110	$65,160 – $137,710	130
17	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$89,490	$54,370 – $148,180	90
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$86,340	$78,180 – $97,830	170
19	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$85,660	$63,220 – $144,810	190
20	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$84,540	$55,630 – $112,520	60
21	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$83,900	$64,720 – $98,610	110
22	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$83,260	$49,390 – $134,540	180
23	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,520	$40,330 – $142,000	190
24	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$81,840	$60,340 – $136,620	250
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,480	$69,990 – $107,180	5,070
26	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$79,790	$53,390 – $103,280	60
27	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$79,690	$60,940 – $94,610	70
28	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$77,800	$50,520 – $174,850	130
29	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,440	$43,190 – $101,550	60
30	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,110	$47,260 – $124,680	810
31	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$76,530	$63,700 – $90,890	220
32	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$74,390	$48,380 – $122,520	960
33	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,320	$37,290 – $122,250	530
34	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,740	$50,420 – $94,610	180
35	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$72,530	$51,070 – $120,230	320
36	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$70,260	$52,050 – $106,490	100
37	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,190	$44,790 – $110,690	150
38	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$67,900	$50,130 – $85,140	630
39	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,110	$48,670 – $96,030	350
40	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$66,210	$40,270 – $99,010	90
41	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$64,820	$50,800 – $95,990	140
42	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$64,160	$39,950 – $80,840	1,830
43	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,030	$50,990 – $78,500	190
44	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$61,490	$35,170 – $91,490	430
45	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,270	$47,680 – $73,950	1,820
46	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$60,680	$60,680 – $106,840	130
47	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$60,380	$41,850 – $97,730	610
48	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$60,270	$41,330 – $106,020	160
49	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,210	$47,440 – $62,920	1,030
50	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$59,220	$47,480 – $64,470	1,840

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Lubbock, TX. 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 Lubbock, TX

By field in Lubbock, TX

Without a degree

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

High paying entry level jobs in Lubbock, TX

More for Lubbock, TX

Other metro areas in TX

By field in Lubbock, TX

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state