High paying entry level jobs in Modesto, CA

These occupations in Modesto, CA 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 Modesto, CA run 4.1% above the national average (2024), so a Modesto, CA salary is worth about 0.96× 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 Modesto, CA

OccupationMedian, Modesto, CA · Employed

1Nurse Practitioners$173,380
Master's degree
$138,470 – $249,600380
2Dentists, General$167,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,950 – $280,730160
3Physician Assistants$165,730
Master's degree
$92,540 – $224,310210
4Lawyers$164,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$93,120 – $300,040370
5Veterinarians$162,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,000 – $258,400120
6Pharmacists$160,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$130,320 – $211,820380
7Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$143,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,240 – $166,260160
8Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$141,210
Associate's degree
$80,400 – $177,780200
9Optometrists$137,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,610 – $208,17090
10Registered Nurses$132,590
Bachelor's degree
$102,770 – $197,8004,850
11Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$129,080
Bachelor's degree
$49,910 – $129,45070
12Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$129,030
Associate's degree
$78,660 – $172,850370
13Physical Therapists$126,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$87,730 – $163,360400
14Dental Hygienists$123,910
Associate's degree
$103,450 – $133,640390
15Occupational Therapists$121,110
Master's degree
$83,410 – $158,690170
16Software Developers$119,770
Bachelor's degree
$78,540 – $174,220300
17Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$105,400
Associate's degree
$62,460 – $173,17080
18Mechanical Engineers$104,990
Bachelor's degree
$67,720 – $162,820120
19Data Scientists$104,990
Bachelor's degree
$54,240 – $189,84080
20Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$104,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,290 – $173,470190
21Teachers and Instructors, All Other$103,910
Bachelor's degree
$64,100 – $128,700290
22Respiratory Therapists$103,870
Associate's degree
$83,010 – $134,280270
23Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$103,790
Bachelor's degree
$60,580 – $127,630160
24Project Management Specialists$102,490
Bachelor's degree
$64,790 – $166,640670
25Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,890
Bachelor's degree
$78,440 – $127,3401,900
26Financial and Investment Analysts$101,740
Bachelor's degree
$73,840 – $150,090130
27Computer Occupations, All Other$101,720
Bachelor's degree
$49,880 – $167,820290
28Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$101,640
Bachelor's degree
$64,670 – $128,2902,450
29Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,250
Bachelor's degree
$66,310 – $125,060740
30Special Education Teachers, All Other$101,030
Bachelor's degree
$76,740 – $125,54090
31Civil Engineers$101,000
Bachelor's degree
$73,780 – $167,190320
32Computer Systems Analysts$99,760
Bachelor's degree
$72,330 – $136,490140
33Network and Computer Systems Administrators$99,000
Bachelor's degree
$70,660 – $147,810160
34Industrial Engineers$98,560
Bachelor's degree
$70,450 – $130,410150
35Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$98,170
Bachelor's degree
$72,040 – $125,590220
36Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$94,910
Bachelor's degree
$61,160 – $144,070180
37Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$94,370
Master's degree
$51,810 – $129,880430
38Logisticians$85,130
Bachelor's degree
$52,260 – $127,500200
39Accountants and Auditors$83,560
Bachelor's degree
$60,620 – $134,7501,200
40Physical Therapist Assistants$83,450
Associate's degree
$58,800 – $127,640150
41Chemists$83,120
Bachelor's degree
$52,160 – $134,72090
42Food Scientists and Technologists$80,960
Bachelor's degree
$52,320 – $138,78080
43Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$80,860
Master's degree
$55,990 – $141,69080
44Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$80,570
Bachelor's degree
$64,350 – $118,530270
45Business Operations Specialists, All Other$80,350
Bachelor's degree
$46,580 – $130,8701,330
46Operations Research Analysts$80,240
Bachelor's degree
$60,260 – $123,92080
47Surgical Technologists$79,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,230 – $102,990120
48Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$78,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,940 – $102,8301,120
49Human Resources Specialists$77,070
Bachelor's degree
$48,890 – $120,330730
50Public Relations Specialists$76,610
Bachelor's degree
$45,500 – $130,910140

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

#	Occupation	MedianModesto, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$173,380	$138,470 – $249,600	380
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$167,050	$95,950 – $280,730	160
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$165,730	$92,540 – $224,310	210
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$164,010	$93,120 – $300,040	370
5	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$162,160	$74,000 – $258,400	120
6	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$160,520	$130,320 – $211,820	380
7	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$143,760	$120,240 – $166,260	160
8	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$141,210	$80,400 – $177,780	200
9	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$137,480	$105,610 – $208,170	90
10	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$132,590	$102,770 – $197,800	4,850
11	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$129,080	$49,910 – $129,450	70
12	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$129,030	$78,660 – $172,850	370
13	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$126,600	$87,730 – $163,360	400
14	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$123,910	$103,450 – $133,640	390
15	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$121,110	$83,410 – $158,690	170
16	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$119,770	$78,540 – $174,220	300
17	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$105,400	$62,460 – $173,170	80
18	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,990	$67,720 – $162,820	120
19	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$104,990	$54,240 – $189,840	80
20	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$104,890	$59,290 – $173,470	190
21	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$103,910	$64,100 – $128,700	290
22	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$103,870	$83,010 – $134,280	270
23	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$103,790	$60,580 – $127,630	160
24	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,490	$64,790 – $166,640	670
25	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$101,890	$78,440 – $127,340	1,900
26	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,740	$73,840 – $150,090	130
27	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$101,720	$49,880 – $167,820	290
28	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$101,640	$64,670 – $128,290	2,450
29	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$101,250	$66,310 – $125,060	740
30	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$101,030	$76,740 – $125,540	90
31	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,000	$73,780 – $167,190	320
32	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,760	$72,330 – $136,490	140
33	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$99,000	$70,660 – $147,810	160
34	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,560	$70,450 – $130,410	150
35	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$98,170	$72,040 – $125,590	220
36	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,910	$61,160 – $144,070	180
37	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$94,370	$51,810 – $129,880	430
38	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$85,130	$52,260 – $127,500	200
39	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$83,560	$60,620 – $134,750	1,200
40	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$83,450	$58,800 – $127,640	150
41	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$83,120	$52,160 – $134,720	90
42	Food Scientists and TechnologistsBachelor's degree	$80,960	$52,320 – $138,780	80
43	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$80,860	$55,990 – $141,690	80
44	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$80,570	$64,350 – $118,530	270
45	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,350	$46,580 – $130,870	1,330
46	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,240	$60,260 – $123,920	80
47	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,950	$50,230 – $102,990	120
48	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,200	$61,940 – $102,830	1,120
49	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,070	$48,890 – $120,330	730
50	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,610	$45,500 – $130,910	140

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

High paying entry level jobs in Modesto, CA

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