High paying entry level jobs in New York

These occupations in New York 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 New York run 7.9% above the national average (2024), so a New York salary is worth about 0.93× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in New York.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in New York

OccupationMedian, New York · Employed

1Lawyers$207,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,200 – $391,42091,870
2Dentists, General$183,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,410 – $375,7407,340
3Software Developers$166,180
Bachelor's degree
$97,430 – $224,590113,510
4Physician Assistants$160,880
Master's degree
$106,440 – $201,41019,140
5Nurse Practitioners$153,510
Master's degree
$112,730 – $198,06022,890
6Pharmacists$142,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$92,910 – $174,55019,760
7Financial Risk Specialists$136,830
Bachelor's degree
$84,550 – $220,26012,060
8Credit Analysts$133,270
Bachelor's degree
$76,730 – $241,2207,960
9Veterinarians$131,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,130 – $251,0003,390
10Data Scientists$130,460
Bachelor's degree
$73,330 – $214,08023,970
11Financial and Investment Analysts$127,930
Bachelor's degree
$77,540 – $225,38052,380
12Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$121,240
Bachelor's degree
$58,180 – $182,91010,460
13Project Management Specialists$121,040
Bachelor's degree
$74,580 – $192,16068,020
14Web and Digital Interface Designers$120,990
Bachelor's degree
$63,960 – $204,51016,560
15Electrical Engineers$119,010
Bachelor's degree
$74,870 – $168,8208,770
16Engineers, All Other$117,600
Bachelor's degree
$73,410 – $192,9005,760
17Computer Occupations, All Other$116,990
Bachelor's degree
$59,740 – $203,04011,460
18Computer Systems Analysts$109,610
Bachelor's degree
$67,220 – $171,36024,100
19Registered Nurses$109,440
Bachelor's degree
$79,760 – $157,090205,810
20Operations Research Analysts$108,610
Bachelor's degree
$62,780 – $175,8005,890
21Respiratory Therapists$107,810
Associate's degree
$81,270 – $131,5007,010
22Financial Specialists, All Other$107,490
Bachelor's degree
$55,370 – $230,7709,750
23Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$106,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,140 – $213,5703,240
24Dental Hygienists$106,130
Associate's degree
$77,680 – $126,64013,660
25Database Administrators$105,900
Bachelor's degree
$60,090 – $178,5803,590
26Network and Computer Systems Administrators$105,810
Bachelor's degree
$69,930 – $166,81018,220
27Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$104,770
Bachelor's degree
$67,210 – $138,5903,410
28Business Teachers, Postsecondary$104,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,420 – $206,3607,480
29Computer Programmers$103,980
Bachelor's degree
$65,970 – $172,0207,020
30Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$103,920
Associate's degree
$79,630 – $127,1206,880
31Civil Engineers$103,760
Bachelor's degree
$77,290 – $169,05017,500
32Film and Video Editors$103,440
Bachelor's degree
$55,990 – $172,2803,710
33Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$102,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$63,380 – $240,3104,300
34Accountants and Auditors$102,640
Bachelor's degree
$63,700 – $171,030109,830
35Industrial Engineers$102,640
Bachelor's degree
$77,030 – $152,78011,810
36Mechanical Engineers$102,440
Bachelor's degree
$74,990 – $160,2208,590
37Environmental Engineers$101,270
Bachelor's degree
$67,370 – $157,4903,170
38News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$100,770
Bachelor's degree
$49,500 – $327,6405,750
39Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$100,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,110 – $204,4904,070
40Physical Therapists$100,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,580 – $136,12020,940
41Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$98,850
Master's degree
$58,140 – $272,12014,920
42Fashion Designers$98,640
Bachelor's degree
$62,610 – $177,4305,760
43Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$98,580
Bachelor's degree
$56,070 – $165,92080,500
44Web Developers$98,580
Bachelor's degree
$32,510 – $185,6103,990
45Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$98,470
Associate's degree
$67,540 – $129,31013,450
46Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$98,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,520 – $205,8703,870
47Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$97,280
Bachelor's degree
$50,060 – $132,53016,460
48Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$97,070
Bachelor's degree
$60,070 – $136,45070,660
49Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$96,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,180 – $170,2003,170
50Occupational Therapists$96,390
Master's degree
$64,770 – $133,70011,690

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

#	Occupation	MedianNew York	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$207,860	$85,200 – $391,420	91,870
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$183,060	$75,410 – $375,740	7,340
3	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$166,180	$97,430 – $224,590	113,510
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$160,880	$106,440 – $201,410	19,140
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$153,510	$112,730 – $198,060	22,890
6	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,090	$92,910 – $174,550	19,760
7	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$136,830	$84,550 – $220,260	12,060
8	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$133,270	$76,730 – $241,220	7,960
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$131,830	$89,130 – $251,000	3,390
10	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$130,460	$73,330 – $214,080	23,970
11	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$127,930	$77,540 – $225,380	52,380
12	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$121,240	$58,180 – $182,910	10,460
13	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$121,040	$74,580 – $192,160	68,020
14	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$120,990	$63,960 – $204,510	16,560
15	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,010	$74,870 – $168,820	8,770
16	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$117,600	$73,410 – $192,900	5,760
17	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$116,990	$59,740 – $203,040	11,460
18	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$109,610	$67,220 – $171,360	24,100
19	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$109,440	$79,760 – $157,090	205,810
20	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$108,610	$62,780 – $175,800	5,890
21	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$107,810	$81,270 – $131,500	7,010
22	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,490	$55,370 – $230,770	9,750
23	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,240	$61,140 – $213,570	3,240
24	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$106,130	$77,680 – $126,640	13,660
25	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$105,900	$60,090 – $178,580	3,590
26	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$105,810	$69,930 – $166,810	18,220
27	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,770	$67,210 – $138,590	3,410
28	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,490	$50,420 – $206,360	7,480
29	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$103,980	$65,970 – $172,020	7,020
30	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$103,920	$79,630 – $127,120	6,880
31	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,760	$77,290 – $169,050	17,500
32	Film and Video EditorsBachelor's degree	$103,440	$55,990 – $172,280	3,710
33	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$102,800	$63,380 – $240,310	4,300
34	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$102,640	$63,700 – $171,030	109,830
35	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,640	$77,030 – $152,780	11,810
36	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,440	$74,990 – $160,220	8,590
37	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,270	$67,370 – $157,490	3,170
38	News Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsBachelor's degree	$100,770	$49,500 – $327,640	5,750
39	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,720	$63,110 – $204,490	4,070
40	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,660	$73,580 – $136,120	20,940
41	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$98,850	$58,140 – $272,120	14,920
42	Fashion DesignersBachelor's degree	$98,640	$62,610 – $177,430	5,760
43	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,580	$56,070 – $165,920	80,500
44	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$98,580	$32,510 – $185,610	3,990
45	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$98,470	$67,540 – $129,310	13,450
46	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$98,180	$56,520 – $205,870	3,870
47	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$97,280	$50,060 – $132,530	16,460
48	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$97,070	$60,070 – $136,450	70,660
49	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$96,450	$51,180 – $170,200	3,170
50	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$96,390	$64,770 – $133,700	11,690

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in New York. 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 New York

Metro areas in New York

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in New York

Without a degree

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

High paying entry level jobs in New York

More for New York

Metro areas in New York

By field in New York

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state