High paying entry level jobs in Mankato, MN

These occupations in Mankato, MN 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 Mankato, MN run 9.0% below the national average (2024), so a Mankato, MN 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 Mankato, MN

OccupationMedian, Mankato, MN · Employed

1Dentists, General$207,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$136,720 – $416,15060
2Pharmacists$157,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,010 – $177,180100
3Physician Assistants$142,020
Master's degree
$112,450 – $171,13070
4Nurse Practitioners$138,580
Master's degree
$125,410 – $169,040150
5Veterinarians$134,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,250 – $203,11050
6Lawyers$130,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,560 – $204,340140
7Civil Engineers$128,220
Bachelor's degree
$76,300 – $156,00050
8Environmental Engineers$107,120
Bachelor's degree
$99,090 – $139,08050
9Registered Nurses$103,400
Bachelor's degree
$82,880 – $127,5101,570
10Mechanical Engineers$101,350
Bachelor's degree
$66,430 – $134,00080
11Physical Therapists$101,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,020 – $121,330100
12Software Developers$100,630
Bachelor's degree
$63,410 – $148,690160
13Dental Hygienists$100,260
Associate's degree
$78,810 – $103,89080
14Electrical Engineers$98,430
Bachelor's degree
$76,460 – $156,54080
15Financial and Investment Analysts$96,480
Bachelor's degree
$64,710 – $163,00030
16Computer Systems Analysts$96,250
Bachelor's degree
$77,720 – $124,14080
17Industrial Engineers$96,110
Bachelor's degree
$66,560 – $128,250350
18Network and Computer Systems Administrators$95,720
Bachelor's degree
$58,000 – $130,69050
19Occupational Therapists$87,770
Master's degree
$76,220 – $107,28050
20Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$87,270
Bachelor's degree
$59,550 – $121,06040
21Computer Programmers$84,710
Bachelor's degree
$49,040 – $124,40040
22Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,350
Bachelor's degree
$54,220 – $113,35040
23Recreational Therapists$81,950
Bachelor's degree
$68,540 – $81,95030
24Project Management Specialists$80,970
Bachelor's degree
$57,520 – $132,870220
25Computer Occupations, All Other$80,370
Bachelor's degree
$63,300 – $142,81040
26Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$79,420
Master's degree
$48,100 – $98,95040
27Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,690
Associate's degree
$64,100 – $95,64050
28Social Workers, All Other$77,990
Bachelor's degree
$54,340 – $93,330110
29Special Education Teachers, Preschool$77,310
Bachelor's degree
$60,820 – $81,09030
30Accountants and Auditors$76,660
Bachelor's degree
$57,210 – $117,310400
31Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$73,150
Associate's degree
$47,170 – $86,61090
32Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$73,020
Bachelor's degree
$42,470 – $132,640230
33Human Resources Specialists$72,410
Bachelor's degree
$49,700 – $103,860260
34Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$71,770
Associate's degree
$48,820 – $79,86040
35Mechanical Drafters$67,250
Associate's degree
$49,130 – $76,82050
36Fundraisers$66,850
Bachelor's degree
$50,500 – $104,39040
37Business Operations Specialists, All Other$66,600
Bachelor's degree
$49,110 – $100,350360
38Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,510 – $77,940360
39Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$63,890
Bachelor's degree
$47,970 – $98,33050
40Public Relations Specialists$63,740
Bachelor's degree
$39,800 – $96,280100
41Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,220
Bachelor's degree
$48,730 – $99,290260
42Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,070
Bachelor's degree
$48,040 – $94,630350
43Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$62,440
Master's degree
$46,660 – $83,150100
44Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$62,260
Bachelor's degree
$49,750 – $79,42080
45Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,850
Bachelor's degree
$45,670 – $100,750140
46Athletic Trainers$61,670
Master's degree
$48,530 – $73,53030
47Child, Family, and School Social Workers$61,500
Bachelor's degree
$45,380 – $80,790130
48Dental Assistants$61,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,120 – $72,330120
49Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$61,010
Bachelor's degree
$49,780 – $75,74070
50Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$60,820
Bachelor's degree
$51,310 – $76,810100

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

#	Occupation	MedianMankato, MN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,000	$136,720 – $416,150	60
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$157,010	$102,010 – $177,180	100
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$142,020	$112,450 – $171,130	70
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$138,580	$125,410 – $169,040	150
5	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$134,110	$95,250 – $203,110	50
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$130,020	$65,560 – $204,340	140
7	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,220	$76,300 – $156,000	50
8	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,120	$99,090 – $139,080	50
9	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$103,400	$82,880 – $127,510	1,570
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,350	$66,430 – $134,000	80
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,260	$86,020 – $121,330	100
12	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$100,630	$63,410 – $148,690	160
13	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$100,260	$78,810 – $103,890	80
14	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,430	$76,460 – $156,540	80
15	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,480	$64,710 – $163,000	30
16	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,250	$77,720 – $124,140	80
17	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,110	$66,560 – $128,250	350
18	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$95,720	$58,000 – $130,690	50
19	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$87,770	$76,220 – $107,280	50
20	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,270	$59,550 – $121,060	40
21	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$84,710	$49,040 – $124,400	40
22	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$82,350	$54,220 – $113,350	40
23	Recreational TherapistsBachelor's degree	$81,950	$68,540 – $81,950	30
24	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,970	$57,520 – $132,870	220
25	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,370	$63,300 – $142,810	40
26	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$79,420	$48,100 – $98,950	40
27	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,690	$64,100 – $95,640	50
28	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,990	$54,340 – $93,330	110
29	Special Education Teachers, PreschoolBachelor's degree	$77,310	$60,820 – $81,090	30
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,660	$57,210 – $117,310	400
31	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,150	$47,170 – $86,610	90
32	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$73,020	$42,470 – $132,640	230
33	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$72,410	$49,700 – $103,860	260
34	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$71,770	$48,820 – $79,860	40
35	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$67,250	$49,130 – $76,820	50
36	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$66,850	$50,500 – $104,390	40
37	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,600	$49,110 – $100,350	360
38	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,400	$53,510 – $77,940	360
39	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,890	$47,970 – $98,330	50
40	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,740	$39,800 – $96,280	100
41	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,220	$48,730 – $99,290	260
42	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,070	$48,040 – $94,630	350
43	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$62,440	$46,660 – $83,150	100
44	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,260	$49,750 – $79,420	80
45	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,850	$45,670 – $100,750	140
46	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$61,670	$48,530 – $73,530	30
47	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$61,500	$45,380 – $80,790	130
48	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,010	$47,120 – $72,330	120
49	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$61,010	$49,780 – $75,740	70
50	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$60,820	$51,310 – $76,810	100

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

High paying entry level jobs in Mankato, MN

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