High paying entry level jobs in Paducah, KY-IL

These occupations in Paducah, KY-IL 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 Paducah, KY-IL run 13.9% below the national average (2024), so a Paducah, KY-IL salary is worth about 1.16× 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 Paducah, KY-IL

OccupationMedian, Paducah, KY-IL · Employed

1Pharmacists$134,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,480 – $161,380130
2Physician Assistants$124,990
Master's degree
$53,830 – $178,21060
3Nurse Practitioners$124,200
Master's degree
$99,790 – $151,380110
4Industrial Engineers$102,270
Bachelor's degree
$70,760 – $178,24080
5Civil Engineers$100,950
Bachelor's degree
$67,110 – $222,75080
6Physical Therapists$99,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,780 – $121,53080
7Software Developers$99,260
Bachelor's degree
$62,680 – $155,570140
8Lawyers$96,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,980 – $163,680150
9Electrical Engineers$95,940
Bachelor's degree
$59,040 – $124,44050
10Computer Systems Analysts$94,550
Bachelor's degree
$59,390 – $127,98080
11Occupational Therapists$94,250
Master's degree
$73,930 – $115,70050
12Mechanical Engineers$94,060
Bachelor's degree
$61,420 – $151,49090
13Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$91,740
Bachelor's degree
$70,400 – $134,17080
14Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$80,480
Associate's degree
$48,400 – $114,92030
15Registered Nurses$79,920
Bachelor's degree
$65,200 – $101,2801,720
16Dental Hygienists$79,610
Associate's degree
$60,630 – $97,40090
17Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$79,340
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $143,88040
18Network and Computer Systems Administrators$78,690
Bachelor's degree
$45,970 – $134,59050
19Project Management Specialists$78,090
Bachelor's degree
$48,320 – $125,560280
20Respiratory Therapists$76,100
Associate's degree
$57,650 – $93,15080
21Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,200
Associate's degree
$52,000 – $99,700120
22Business Operations Specialists, All Other$74,570
Bachelor's degree
$46,350 – $112,79050
23Accountants and Auditors$73,650
Bachelor's degree
$48,890 – $120,790280
24Human Resources Specialists$64,500
Bachelor's degree
$41,580 – $113,840210
25Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$64,350
Master's degree
$40,840 – $77,35070
26Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$62,900
Master's degree
$46,050 – $74,98050
27Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$62,470
Bachelor's degree
$46,070 – $74,080220
28Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,750 – $65,270300
29Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$62,030
Bachelor's degree
$45,700 – $71,160360
30Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,540
Bachelor's degree
$49,130 – $74,260250
31Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$61,530
Bachelor's degree
$42,770 – $73,28060
32Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$60,720
Bachelor's degree
$37,310 – $105,180150
33Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$59,730
Bachelor's degree
$37,990 – $79,630130
34Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$59,410
Bachelor's degree
$44,600 – $77,12050
35Paralegals and Legal Assistants$59,110
Associate's degree
$35,670 – $75,88090
36Special Education Teachers, Middle School$59,040
Bachelor's degree
$47,540 – $70,87040
37Physical Therapist Assistants$58,720
Associate's degree
$35,080 – $77,72060
38Surgical Technologists$57,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,210 – $77,54060
39Child, Family, and School Social Workers$57,280
Bachelor's degree
$37,810 – $78,660170
40Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$56,330
Associate's degree
$44,710 – $78,02050
41Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$52,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,660 – $61,190170
42Public Relations Specialists$50,500
Bachelor's degree
$29,840 – $88,25050
43Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$49,110
Bachelor's degree
$42,770 – $70,93060
44Dental Assistants$46,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,020 – $59,260190
45Medical Records Specialists$45,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,610 – $65,41080
46Coaches and Scouts$43,110
Bachelor's degree
$21,010 – $176,80040
47Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$41,130
Associate's degree
$41,130 – $75,06050
48Medical Assistants$39,360
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,620 – $46,530450
49Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$38,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,770 – $47,41060
50Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$38,520
Bachelor's degree
$23,260 – $71,08070

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

#	Occupation	MedianPaducah, KY-IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,810	$94,480 – $161,380	130
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$124,990	$53,830 – $178,210	60
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,200	$99,790 – $151,380	110
4	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,270	$70,760 – $178,240	80
5	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,950	$67,110 – $222,750	80
6	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,330	$73,780 – $121,530	80
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$99,260	$62,680 – $155,570	140
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$96,960	$59,980 – $163,680	150
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,940	$59,040 – $124,440	50
10	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$94,550	$59,390 – $127,980	80
11	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$94,250	$73,930 – $115,700	50
12	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,060	$61,420 – $151,490	90
13	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,740	$70,400 – $134,170	80
14	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$80,480	$48,400 – $114,920	30
15	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,920	$65,200 – $101,280	1,720
16	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$79,610	$60,630 – $97,400	90
17	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$79,340	$61,600 – $143,880	40
18	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$78,690	$45,970 – $134,590	50
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,090	$48,320 – $125,560	280
20	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$76,100	$57,650 – $93,150	80
21	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,200	$52,000 – $99,700	120
22	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$74,570	$46,350 – $112,790	50
23	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$73,650	$48,890 – $120,790	280
24	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,500	$41,580 – $113,840	210
25	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$64,350	$40,840 – $77,350	70
26	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$62,900	$46,050 – $74,980	50
27	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$62,470	$46,070 – $74,080	220
28	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,060	$50,750 – $65,270	300
29	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,030	$45,700 – $71,160	360
30	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,540	$49,130 – $74,260	250
31	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$61,530	$42,770 – $73,280	60
32	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$60,720	$37,310 – $105,180	150
33	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$59,730	$37,990 – $79,630	130
34	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$59,410	$44,600 – $77,120	50
35	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$59,110	$35,670 – $75,880	90
36	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$59,040	$47,540 – $70,870	40
37	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$58,720	$35,080 – $77,720	60
38	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,570	$41,210 – $77,540	60
39	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$57,280	$37,810 – $78,660	170
40	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$56,330	$44,710 – $78,020	50
41	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$52,170	$48,660 – $61,190	170
42	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$50,500	$29,840 – $88,250	50
43	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$49,110	$42,770 – $70,930	60
44	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,750	$35,020 – $59,260	190
45	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,930	$36,610 – $65,410	80
46	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$43,110	$21,010 – $176,800	40
47	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$41,130	$41,130 – $75,060	50
48	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$39,360	$34,620 – $46,530	450
49	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$38,990	$30,770 – $47,410	60
50	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$38,520	$23,260 – $71,080	70

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Paducah, KY-IL. 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 Paducah, KY-IL to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Paducah, KY-IL

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