High paying entry level jobs in Odessa, TX

These occupations in Odessa, 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 Odessa, TX run 6.1% below the national average (2024), so a Odessa, TX salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Odessa, TX

OccupationMedian, Odessa, TX · Employed

1Dentists, General$153,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,030 – $301,37040
2Pharmacists$141,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,410 – $170,940100
3Petroleum Engineers$135,620
Bachelor's degree
$78,980 – $218,320220
4Lawyers$133,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,930 – $349,590110
5Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$129,730
Bachelor's degree
$57,910 – $282,97060
6Physician Assistants$129,380
Master's degree
$37,080 – $162,00040
7Software Developers$127,080
Bachelor's degree
$81,060 – $182,310110
8Nurse Practitioners$126,690
Master's degree
$110,920 – $160,61070
9Electrical Engineers$111,750
Bachelor's degree
$59,280 – $166,64070
10Mechanical Engineers$111,700
Bachelor's degree
$75,910 – $173,140120
11Physical Therapists$109,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,660 – $132,08060
12Occupational Therapists$109,220
Master's degree
$84,680 – $132,26040
13Industrial Engineers$105,390
Bachelor's degree
$74,250 – $165,90090
14Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$104,280
Associate's degree
$72,790 – $105,65030
15Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$101,810
Master's degree
$42,230 – $119,980120
16Engineers, All Other$100,600
Bachelor's degree
$52,240 – $165,64040
17Project Management Specialists$98,590
Bachelor's degree
$55,510 – $163,030480
18Business Operations Specialists, All Other$97,720
Bachelor's degree
$49,790 – $124,000360
19Network and Computer Systems Administrators$92,690
Bachelor's degree
$51,820 – $129,740120
20Computer Occupations, All Other$84,750
Bachelor's degree
$50,660 – $152,55050
21Computer Systems Analysts$84,510
Bachelor's degree
$58,490 – $156,50050
22Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$84,260
Master's degree
$59,230 – $99,61030
23Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$82,130
Associate's degree
$56,940 – $107,990110
24Registered Nurses$81,370
Bachelor's degree
$71,690 – $104,0801,140
25Accountants and Auditors$80,260
Bachelor's degree
$53,830 – $138,030550
26Civil Engineers$78,660
Bachelor's degree
$60,670 – $151,200130
27Logisticians$78,150
Bachelor's degree
$47,940 – $132,06070
28Physical Therapist Assistants$70,470
Associate's degree
$37,970 – $89,35060
29Calibration Technologists and Technicians$68,630
Associate's degree
$46,840 – $102,67050
30Special Education Teachers, Middle School$67,910
Bachelor's degree
$49,350 – $71,23030
31Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$66,620
Bachelor's degree
$63,900 – $74,500580
32Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$66,110
Bachelor's degree
$38,880 – $122,230310
33Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$65,840
Associate's degree
$36,530 – $96,810100
34Human Resources Specialists$65,110
Bachelor's degree
$44,870 – $100,690290
35Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$64,870
Associate's degree
$37,130 – $105,42050
36Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,390
Bachelor's degree
$63,260 – $73,590450
37Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,020
Bachelor's degree
$63,020 – $73,920820
38Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,530 – $74,650320
39Financial Specialists, All Other$62,090
Bachelor's degree
$30,370 – $99,01040
40Public Relations Specialists$60,350
Bachelor's degree
$35,730 – $103,04070
41Paralegals and Legal Assistants$59,890
Associate's degree
$39,970 – $79,840100
42Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$56,330
Bachelor's degree
$30,720 – $141,870100
43Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$55,030
Bachelor's degree
$37,910 – $99,060130
44Child, Family, and School Social Workers$54,510
Bachelor's degree
$44,440 – $72,18080
45Medical Records Specialists$50,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,100 – $82,00050
46Coaches and Scouts$49,730
Bachelor's degree
$24,260 – $130,45080
47Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$48,610
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,520 – $72,89050
48Graphic Designers$47,630
Bachelor's degree
$35,490 – $59,47040
49Dental Assistants$44,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,640 – $58,590150
50Medical Assistants$37,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,980 – $47,410280

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

#	Occupation	MedianOdessa, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$153,860	$82,030 – $301,370	40
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$141,260	$95,410 – $170,940	100
3	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$135,620	$78,980 – $218,320	220
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$133,340	$81,930 – $349,590	110
5	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$129,730	$57,910 – $282,970	60
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$129,380	$37,080 – $162,000	40
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$127,080	$81,060 – $182,310	110
8	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,690	$110,920 – $160,610	70
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$111,750	$59,280 – $166,640	70
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$111,700	$75,910 – $173,140	120
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$109,690	$78,660 – $132,080	60
12	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$109,220	$84,680 – $132,260	40
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,390	$74,250 – $165,900	90
14	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$104,280	$72,790 – $105,650	30
15	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$101,810	$42,230 – $119,980	120
16	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,600	$52,240 – $165,640	40
17	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,590	$55,510 – $163,030	480
18	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,720	$49,790 – $124,000	360
19	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$92,690	$51,820 – $129,740	120
20	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,750	$50,660 – $152,550	50
21	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,510	$58,490 – $156,500	50
22	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$84,260	$59,230 – $99,610	30
23	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,130	$56,940 – $107,990	110
24	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,370	$71,690 – $104,080	1,140
25	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$80,260	$53,830 – $138,030	550
26	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$78,660	$60,670 – $151,200	130
27	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$78,150	$47,940 – $132,060	70
28	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$70,470	$37,970 – $89,350	60
29	Calibration Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,630	$46,840 – $102,670	50
30	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$67,910	$49,350 – $71,230	30
31	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$66,620	$63,900 – $74,500	580
32	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$66,110	$38,880 – $122,230	310
33	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,840	$36,530 – $96,810	100
34	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,110	$44,870 – $100,690	290
35	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$64,870	$37,130 – $105,420	50
36	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,390	$63,260 – $73,590	450
37	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,020	$63,020 – $73,920	820
38	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,490	$45,530 – $74,650	320
39	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$62,090	$30,370 – $99,010	40
40	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$60,350	$35,730 – $103,040	70
41	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$59,890	$39,970 – $79,840	100
42	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$56,330	$30,720 – $141,870	100
43	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$55,030	$37,910 – $99,060	130
44	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$54,510	$44,440 – $72,180	80
45	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,410	$35,100 – $82,000	50
46	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$49,730	$24,260 – $130,450	80
47	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,610	$38,520 – $72,890	50
48	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$47,630	$35,490 – $59,470	40
49	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,300	$35,640 – $58,590	150
50	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$37,820	$31,980 – $47,410	280

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

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

High paying entry level jobs in Odessa, TX

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