High paying entry level jobs in Raleigh-Cary, NC

These occupations in Raleigh-Cary, NC 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC run 1.8% below the national average (2024), so a Raleigh-Cary, NC 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.

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 Raleigh-Cary, NC

OccupationMedian, Raleigh-Cary, NC · Employed

1Dentists, General$207,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$132,880 – $378,9601,000
2Optometrists$163,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,240 – $213,860240
3Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$162,800
Bachelor's degree
$92,840 – $172,300510
4Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$137,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,570 – $173,080510
5Pharmacists$133,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,720 – $165,0601,730
6Software Developers$132,770
Bachelor's degree
$80,080 – $185,11012,580
7Lawyers$131,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,550 – $331,7704,350
8Computer Hardware Engineers$130,540
Bachelor's degree
$75,520 – $205,760310
9Veterinarians$130,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,830 – $213,960520
10Electrical Engineers$130,240
Bachelor's degree
$73,380 – $221,0501,500
11Computer and Information Research Scientists$128,370
Master's degree
$128,370 – $182,000280
12Nurse Practitioners$128,150
Master's degree
$103,200 – $170,5201,510
13Physician Assistants$124,300
Master's degree
$105,730 – $156,0001,220
14Database Administrators$122,950
Bachelor's degree
$76,360 – $163,550510
15Data Scientists$120,710
Bachelor's degree
$72,190 – $180,8501,990
16Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$110,800
Bachelor's degree
$65,970 – $170,7501,760
17Computer Occupations, All Other$110,030
Bachelor's degree
$40,920 – $193,5403,620
18Computer Systems Analysts$108,480
Bachelor's degree
$78,510 – $167,2804,530
19Engineers, All Other$104,910
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $163,180970
20Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$104,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,210 – $167,2501,110
21Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$104,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,530 – $169,030480
22Industrial Engineers$104,030
Bachelor's degree
$78,470 – $152,0101,710
23Business Teachers, Postsecondary$103,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,480 – $222,010300
24Network and Computer Systems Administrators$103,380
Bachelor's degree
$60,650 – $161,2202,730
25Web and Digital Interface Designers$102,860
Bachelor's degree
$58,860 – $170,680770
26Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$102,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,410 – $175,110380
27Biological Scientists, All Other$102,400
Bachelor's degree
$66,220 – $169,440630
28Project Management Specialists$102,280
Bachelor's degree
$65,380 – $166,9707,930
29Civil Engineers$101,440
Bachelor's degree
$74,170 – $163,7104,640
30Financial Risk Specialists$100,260
Bachelor's degree
$48,610 – $179,830310
31Mechanical Engineers$100,000
Bachelor's degree
$59,220 – $160,1701,810
32Physical Therapists$99,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,490 – $127,5301,190
33Financial and Investment Analysts$99,200
Bachelor's degree
$63,060 – $160,7101,380
34Dental Hygienists$98,800
Associate's degree
$74,940 – $105,7301,220
35Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$98,630
Bachelor's degree
$82,280 – $134,630270
36Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$91,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$64,020 – $141,030330
37Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,490
Bachelor's degree
$63,160 – $137,210770
38Respiratory Therapists$87,820
Associate's degree
$67,420 – $108,150430
39Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$86,130
Associate's degree
$72,900 – $109,380430
40Microbiologists$85,010
Bachelor's degree
$54,070 – $137,520330
41Registered Nurses$84,830
Bachelor's degree
$72,460 – $110,22012,780
42Urban and Regional Planners$84,810
Master's degree
$64,340 – $117,560340
43Chemists$84,150
Bachelor's degree
$60,700 – $131,980740
44Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$84,140
Master's degree
$45,460 – $134,530270
45Occupational Therapists$84,080
Master's degree
$61,770 – $121,210680
46Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$83,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,250 – $139,420310
47Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$82,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,780 – $177,740310
48Web Developers$82,250
Bachelor's degree
$54,450 – $138,170430
49Accountants and Auditors$81,950
Bachelor's degree
$57,120 – $134,2209,190
50Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,560
Associate's degree
$56,880 – $100,920260

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

#	Occupation	MedianRaleigh-Cary, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,380	$132,880 – $378,960	1,000
2	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$163,290	$100,240 – $213,860	240
3	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$162,800	$92,840 – $172,300	510
4	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,290	$83,570 – $173,080	510
5	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,120	$101,720 – $165,060	1,730
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$132,770	$80,080 – $185,110	12,580
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,920	$79,550 – $331,770	4,350
8	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,540	$75,520 – $205,760	310
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,350	$79,830 – $213,960	520
10	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,240	$73,380 – $221,050	1,500
11	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$128,370	$128,370 – $182,000	280
12	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,150	$103,200 – $170,520	1,510
13	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$124,300	$105,730 – $156,000	1,220
14	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$122,950	$76,360 – $163,550	510
15	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$120,710	$72,190 – $180,850	1,990
16	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$110,800	$65,970 – $170,750	1,760
17	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,030	$40,920 – $193,540	3,620
18	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$108,480	$78,510 – $167,280	4,530
19	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,910	$63,130 – $163,180	970
20	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$104,500	$65,210 – $167,250	1,110
21	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,290	$62,530 – $169,030	480
22	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,030	$78,470 – $152,010	1,710
23	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,820	$42,480 – $222,010	300
24	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$103,380	$60,650 – $161,220	2,730
25	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$102,860	$58,860 – $170,680	770
26	Agricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,560	$66,410 – $175,110	380
27	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$102,400	$66,220 – $169,440	630
28	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,280	$65,380 – $166,970	7,930
29	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,440	$74,170 – $163,710	4,640
30	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,260	$48,610 – $179,830	310
31	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,000	$59,220 – $160,170	1,810
32	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,900	$78,490 – $127,530	1,190
33	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,200	$63,060 – $160,710	1,380
34	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,800	$74,940 – $105,730	1,220
35	Bioengineers and Biomedical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,630	$82,280 – $134,630	270
36	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$91,600	$64,020 – $141,030	330
37	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$90,490	$63,160 – $137,210	770
38	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$87,820	$67,420 – $108,150	430
39	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$86,130	$72,900 – $109,380	430
40	MicrobiologistsBachelor's degree	$85,010	$54,070 – $137,520	330
41	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$84,830	$72,460 – $110,220	12,780
42	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$84,810	$64,340 – $117,560	340
43	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$84,150	$60,700 – $131,980	740
44	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$84,140	$45,460 – $134,530	270
45	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$84,080	$61,770 – $121,210	680
46	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,760	$52,250 – $139,420	310
47	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,260	$42,780 – $177,740	310
48	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$82,250	$54,450 – $138,170	430
49	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$81,950	$57,120 – $134,220	9,190
50	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,560	$56,880 – $100,920	260

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Raleigh-Cary, NC. 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Raleigh-Cary, NC

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