High paying entry level jobs in Pennsylvania

These occupations in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania run 2.4% below the national average (2024), so a Pennsylvania salary is worth about 1.02× 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 Pennsylvania.

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

Find high paying jobs in Pennsylvania

OccupationMedian, Pennsylvania · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$221,530
Master's degree
$155,250 – $303,6402,500
2Dentists, General$163,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,520 – $316,9504,460
3Lawyers$157,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,100 – $323,37027,170
4Pharmacists$138,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$112,750 – $163,57014,090
5Biochemists and Biophysicists$134,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,890 – $172,8202,750
6Veterinarians$133,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,780 – $268,8703,490
7Nurse Practitioners$130,140
Master's degree
$102,940 – $163,72010,670
8Physician Assistants$127,070
Master's degree
$99,050 – $158,6909,020
9Software Developers$126,550
Bachelor's degree
$77,750 – $178,08055,920
10Electrical Engineers$110,820
Bachelor's degree
$77,650 – $167,2606,970
11Engineers, All Other$108,950
Bachelor's degree
$61,390 – $164,6503,250
12Computer Occupations, All Other$107,230
Bachelor's degree
$59,890 – $167,42014,580
13Data Scientists$106,850
Bachelor's degree
$63,340 – $162,29013,810
14Web and Digital Interface Designers$104,160
Bachelor's degree
$54,450 – $155,2002,820
15Financial Risk Specialists$103,040
Bachelor's degree
$64,700 – $172,8202,370
16Business Teachers, Postsecondary$101,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,820 – $178,6704,630
17Physical Therapists$101,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,960 – $127,06011,710
18Project Management Specialists$100,150
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $160,56036,150
19Database Administrators$100,110
Bachelor's degree
$58,780 – $158,3602,450
20Industrial Engineers$99,560
Bachelor's degree
$69,700 – $143,21013,180
21Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$99,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,490 – $214,69012,630
22Computer Systems Analysts$98,550
Bachelor's degree
$63,910 – $133,67019,450
23Occupational Therapists$98,440
Master's degree
$69,120 – $128,7906,560
24Mechanical Engineers$97,920
Bachelor's degree
$65,770 – $150,95013,550
25Civil Engineers$97,850
Bachelor's degree
$67,930 – $141,31015,870
26Registered Nurses$96,430
Bachelor's degree
$70,800 – $117,900146,520
27Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$93,030
Bachelor's degree
$58,970 – $133,1204,530
28Computer Programmers$89,180
Bachelor's degree
$60,070 – $134,7103,120
29Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$87,050
Bachelor's degree
$60,270 – $132,2504,890
30Network and Computer Systems Administrators$86,140
Bachelor's degree
$61,380 – $130,1607,750
31Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$85,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,810 – $130,3302,410
32Financial and Investment Analysts$84,460
Bachelor's degree
$57,260 – $155,32013,310
33Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,710
Associate's degree
$68,370 – $103,5702,980
34Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$82,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,790 – $126,7902,000
35Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$82,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$36,770 – $143,5602,990
36Health Education Specialists$80,670
Bachelor's degree
$45,720 – $120,6402,690
37English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$80,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,290 – $122,7002,530
38Dental Hygienists$80,610
Associate's degree
$63,130 – $103,5407,970
39Business Operations Specialists, All Other$80,590
Bachelor's degree
$48,280 – $138,71027,250
40Operations Research Analysts$79,640
Bachelor's degree
$55,220 – $129,4203,220
41Logisticians$79,340
Bachelor's degree
$50,960 – $122,5609,980
42Accountants and Auditors$79,000
Bachelor's degree
$50,680 – $130,27054,290
43Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,800
Bachelor's degree
$51,440 – $102,36052,240
44Financial Specialists, All Other$78,610
Bachelor's degree
$46,680 – $134,7104,030
45Respiratory Therapists$78,490
Associate's degree
$62,440 – $95,5206,530
46Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$78,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,560 – $136,5102,080
47Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$77,930
Bachelor's degree
$48,610 – $105,33022,720
48Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$77,280
Master's degree
$38,460 – $122,2104,170
49Chemists$77,090
Bachelor's degree
$49,800 – $144,8606,800
50Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,060
Bachelor's degree
$51,990 – $99,63048,370

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

#	Occupation	MedianPennsylvania	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$221,530	$155,250 – $303,640	2,500
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$163,390	$65,520 – $316,950	4,460
3	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$157,180	$77,100 – $323,370	27,170
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,160	$112,750 – $163,570	14,090
5	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,090	$82,890 – $172,820	2,750
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$133,520	$79,780 – $268,870	3,490
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,140	$102,940 – $163,720	10,670
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,070	$99,050 – $158,690	9,020
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$126,550	$77,750 – $178,080	55,920
10	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,820	$77,650 – $167,260	6,970
11	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$108,950	$61,390 – $164,650	3,250
12	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,230	$59,890 – $167,420	14,580
13	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$106,850	$63,340 – $162,290	13,810
14	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$104,160	$54,450 – $155,200	2,820
15	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,040	$64,700 – $172,820	2,370
16	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,760	$46,820 – $178,670	4,630
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,380	$76,960 – $127,060	11,710
18	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,150	$61,600 – $160,560	36,150
19	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$100,110	$58,780 – $158,360	2,450
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,560	$69,700 – $143,210	13,180
21	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,190	$61,490 – $214,690	12,630
22	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,550	$63,910 – $133,670	19,450
23	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,440	$69,120 – $128,790	6,560
24	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,920	$65,770 – $150,950	13,550
25	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,850	$67,930 – $141,310	15,870
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$96,430	$70,800 – $117,900	146,520
27	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$93,030	$58,970 – $133,120	4,530
28	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$89,180	$60,070 – $134,710	3,120
29	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,050	$60,270 – $132,250	4,890
30	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$86,140	$61,380 – $130,160	7,750
31	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$85,970	$57,810 – $130,330	2,410
32	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,460	$57,260 – $155,320	13,310
33	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$82,710	$68,370 – $103,570	2,980
34	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,170	$49,790 – $126,790	2,000
35	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,070	$36,770 – $143,560	2,990
36	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,670	$45,720 – $120,640	2,690
37	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,670	$49,290 – $122,700	2,530
38	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$80,610	$63,130 – $103,540	7,970
39	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,590	$48,280 – $138,710	27,250
40	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$79,640	$55,220 – $129,420	3,220
41	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$79,340	$50,960 – $122,560	9,980
42	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$79,000	$50,680 – $130,270	54,290
43	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,800	$51,440 – $102,360	52,240
44	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,610	$46,680 – $134,710	4,030
45	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,490	$62,440 – $95,520	6,530
46	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,000	$48,560 – $136,510	2,080
47	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$77,930	$48,610 – $105,330	22,720
48	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$77,280	$38,460 – $122,210	4,170
49	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$77,090	$49,800 – $144,860	6,800
50	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$77,060	$51,990 – $99,630	48,370

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

Metro areas in Pennsylvania

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

By field in Pennsylvania

Without a degree

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

High paying entry level jobs in Pennsylvania

More for Pennsylvania

Metro areas in Pennsylvania

By field in Pennsylvania

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state