High paying entry level jobs in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

These occupations in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD run 2.6% above the national average (2024), so a Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD salary is worth about 0.98× 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

OccupationMedian, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$238,540
Master's degree
$155,250 – $370,8801,190
2Lawyers$170,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,840 – $344,16019,040
3Dentists, General$163,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,520 – $331,9502,570
4Pharmacists$148,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,840 – $167,2706,460
5Veterinarians$139,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,130 – $281,7301,790
6Nurse Practitioners$135,700
Master's degree
$104,000 – $169,3906,590
7Physician Assistants$135,640
Master's degree
$103,720 – $170,1403,390
8Biochemists and Biophysicists$134,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,890 – $172,8203,050
9Software Developers$133,040
Bachelor's degree
$82,960 – $190,18028,480
10Financial Risk Specialists$130,880
Bachelor's degree
$73,590 – $187,1402,340
11Environmental Engineers$129,390
Bachelor's degree
$67,380 – $149,9901,040
12Electrical Engineers$127,730
Bachelor's degree
$81,380 – $180,3903,520
13Computer Occupations, All Other$121,990
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $171,8507,360
14Data Scientists$109,910
Bachelor's degree
$67,950 – $181,5606,480
15Business Teachers, Postsecondary$107,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,240 – $207,7802,260
16Biological Scientists, All Other$106,670
Bachelor's degree
$65,880 – $175,3101,140
17Statisticians$105,820
Master's degree
$66,080 – $171,620920
18Physical Therapists$105,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,240 – $131,7606,250
19Computer Systems Analysts$105,050
Bachelor's degree
$72,150 – $156,8708,520
20Database Administrators$104,930
Bachelor's degree
$65,150 – $166,9601,580
21Web and Digital Interface Designers$104,840
Bachelor's degree
$55,760 – $164,9901,420
22Mechanical Engineers$104,410
Bachelor's degree
$75,160 – $157,9204,850
23Project Management Specialists$104,160
Bachelor's degree
$65,240 – $167,77017,210
24Industrial Engineers$103,370
Bachelor's degree
$78,600 – $160,4906,170
25Occupational Therapists$103,140
Master's degree
$77,130 – $131,6703,410
26Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$102,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,230 – $210,1308,020
27Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$102,740
Bachelor's degree
$63,240 – $144,4702,650
28Computer Programmers$101,420
Bachelor's degree
$58,280 – $172,4501,770
29Registered Nurses$101,180
Bachelor's degree
$79,160 – $121,90073,790
30Dental Hygienists$100,820
Associate's degree
$83,590 – $103,9204,180
31Network and Computer Systems Administrators$100,460
Bachelor's degree
$64,960 – $148,1104,050
32Operations Research Analysts$100,460
Bachelor's degree
$63,030 – $142,0101,700
33Civil Engineers$99,410
Bachelor's degree
$75,830 – $147,9606,160
34Engineers, All Other$97,590
Bachelor's degree
$61,510 – $164,6502,160
35Chemists$95,440
Bachelor's degree
$63,150 – $163,8204,520
36Financial and Investment Analysts$95,400
Bachelor's degree
$57,260 – $165,60010,050
37Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$95,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,760 – $174,1301,070
38Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$94,640
Associate's degree
$80,530 – $115,6401,660
39Credit Analysts$92,460
Bachelor's degree
$61,570 – $169,4901,430
40Respiratory Therapists$88,790
Associate's degree
$67,730 – $103,6402,990
41Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$88,090
Bachelor's degree
$58,290 – $132,9402,210
42Business Operations Specialists, All Other$86,900
Bachelor's degree
$51,600 – $152,99016,370
43Logisticians$86,900
Bachelor's degree
$56,730 – $128,8404,670
44Accountants and Auditors$85,990
Bachelor's degree
$59,560 – $139,42029,370
45Financial Specialists, All Other$84,680
Bachelor's degree
$59,200 – $138,1203,050
46Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$84,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,710 – $136,5101,280
47English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$83,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,400 – $127,9001,220
48Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,220
Associate's degree
$52,400 – $106,4301,430
49Therapists, All Other$81,170
Bachelor's degree
$57,410 – $137,8401,330
50Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,560
Bachelor's degree
$58,870 – $103,48025,460

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

#	Occupation	MedianPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$238,540	$155,250 – $370,880	1,190
2	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$170,660	$84,840 – $344,160	19,040
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$163,390	$65,520 – $331,950	2,570
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$148,740	$119,840 – $167,270	6,460
5	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$139,810	$89,130 – $281,730	1,790
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$135,700	$104,000 – $169,390	6,590
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,640	$103,720 – $170,140	3,390
8	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,090	$82,890 – $172,820	3,050
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$133,040	$82,960 – $190,180	28,480
10	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$130,880	$73,590 – $187,140	2,340
11	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,390	$67,380 – $149,990	1,040
12	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$127,730	$81,380 – $180,390	3,520
13	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$121,990	$61,600 – $171,850	7,360
14	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$109,910	$67,950 – $181,560	6,480
15	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$107,170	$49,240 – $207,780	2,260
16	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,670	$65,880 – $175,310	1,140
17	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$105,820	$66,080 – $171,620	920
18	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$105,790	$80,240 – $131,760	6,250
19	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,050	$72,150 – $156,870	8,520
20	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$104,930	$65,150 – $166,960	1,580
21	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$104,840	$55,760 – $164,990	1,420
22	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,410	$75,160 – $157,920	4,850
23	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,160	$65,240 – $167,770	17,210
24	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,370	$78,600 – $160,490	6,170
25	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$103,140	$77,130 – $131,670	3,410
26	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,950	$63,230 – $210,130	8,020
27	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$102,740	$63,240 – $144,470	2,650
28	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$101,420	$58,280 – $172,450	1,770
29	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$101,180	$79,160 – $121,900	73,790
30	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$100,820	$83,590 – $103,920	4,180
31	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$100,460	$64,960 – $148,110	4,050
32	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$100,460	$63,030 – $142,010	1,700
33	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,410	$75,830 – $147,960	6,160
34	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,590	$61,510 – $164,650	2,160
35	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$95,440	$63,150 – $163,820	4,520
36	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,400	$57,260 – $165,600	10,050
37	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$95,260	$56,760 – $174,130	1,070
38	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$94,640	$80,530 – $115,640	1,660
39	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,460	$61,570 – $169,490	1,430
40	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$88,790	$67,730 – $103,640	2,990
41	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$88,090	$58,290 – $132,940	2,210
42	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$86,900	$51,600 – $152,990	16,370
43	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$86,900	$56,730 – $128,840	4,670
44	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$85,990	$59,560 – $139,420	29,370
45	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,680	$59,200 – $138,120	3,050
46	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$84,100	$49,710 – $136,510	1,280
47	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,500	$49,400 – $127,900	1,220
48	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,220	$52,400 – $106,430	1,430
49	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,170	$57,410 – $137,840	1,330
50	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,560	$58,870 – $103,480	25,460

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD. 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

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