High paying entry level jobs in Reading, PA

These occupations in Reading, PA 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 Reading, PA run 2.9% below the national average (2024), so a Reading, PA salary is worth about 1.03× 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 Reading, PA

OccupationMedian, Reading, PA · Employed

1Dentists, General$151,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,090 – $314,070120
2Pharmacists$143,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,360 – $176,890240
3Nurse Practitioners$135,390
Master's degree
$106,120 – $161,540310
4Veterinarians$133,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,710 – $228,170100
5Physician Assistants$130,160
Master's degree
$104,230 – $158,790190
6Lawyers$125,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,510 – $224,190440
7Software Developers$120,920
Bachelor's degree
$75,480 – $164,980640
8Physical Therapists$102,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,580 – $127,860300
9Electrical Engineers$102,500
Bachelor's degree
$76,030 – $157,000260
10Computer Occupations, All Other$102,370
Bachelor's degree
$58,970 – $155,990240
11Data Scientists$100,340
Bachelor's degree
$63,170 – $167,820190
12Computer Systems Analysts$99,980
Bachelor's degree
$72,720 – $132,230460
13Industrial Engineers$99,520
Bachelor's degree
$73,650 – $139,130440
14Civil Engineers$98,890
Bachelor's degree
$76,740 – $149,660320
15Computer Programmers$98,690
Bachelor's degree
$64,240 – $135,08060
16Mechanical Engineers$98,540
Bachelor's degree
$64,510 – $129,980430
17Registered Nurses$98,470
Bachelor's degree
$73,040 – $129,7203,430
18Project Management Specialists$98,040
Bachelor's degree
$61,370 – $148,050780
19Occupational Therapists$95,470
Master's degree
$66,760 – $121,470170
20Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$93,880
Bachelor's degree
$62,500 – $131,440120
21Network and Computer Systems Administrators$87,540
Bachelor's degree
$60,570 – $141,090170
22Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$87,280
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,700 – $131,230100
23Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$86,740
Associate's degree
$73,700 – $106,34070
24Respiratory Therapists$84,330
Associate's degree
$68,460 – $105,820130
25Database Administrators$84,290
Bachelor's degree
$59,880 – $149,35060
26Business Teachers, Postsecondary$83,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,410 – $127,620130
27English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$83,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,870 – $119,22090
28Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$83,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,230 – $102,30070
29Chemists$81,520
Bachelor's degree
$66,560 – $144,98090
30Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$81,120
Bachelor's degree
$60,640 – $98,690780
31Dental Hygienists$80,300
Associate's degree
$77,650 – $99,890220
32Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,250
Bachelor's degree
$52,200 – $95,7401,350
33Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$79,860
Bachelor's degree
$59,420 – $94,7001,780
34Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$79,420
Bachelor's degree
$51,630 – $91,640100
35Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$79,280
Associate's degree
$45,800 – $110,13060
36Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$78,670
Bachelor's degree
$58,110 – $95,960380
37Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$77,230
Bachelor's degree
$55,280 – $98,140280
38Logisticians$76,810
Bachelor's degree
$46,770 – $116,800210
39Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,730
Associate's degree
$50,100 – $102,46080
40Accountants and Auditors$75,550
Bachelor's degree
$48,530 – $123,0001,230
41Financial and Investment Analysts$75,210
Bachelor's degree
$50,790 – $125,480220
42Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$75,200
Master's degree
$39,030 – $123,980120
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$73,010
Associate's degree
$51,250 – $106,670230
44Business Operations Specialists, All Other$71,870
Bachelor's degree
$47,760 – $125,150420
45Mechanical Drafters$69,840
Associate's degree
$50,980 – $84,24060
46Physical Therapist Assistants$69,530
Associate's degree
$52,050 – $78,32090
47Human Resources Specialists$69,410
Bachelor's degree
$46,940 – $106,510940
48Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$67,400
Associate's degree
$58,630 – $97,06070
49Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$65,290
Master's degree
$41,590 – $98,480140
50Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,540 – $76,640990

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

#	Occupation	MedianReading, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$151,850	$76,090 – $314,070	120
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$143,210	$119,360 – $176,890	240
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$135,390	$106,120 – $161,540	310
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$133,110	$94,710 – $228,170	100
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$130,160	$104,230 – $158,790	190
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$125,830	$80,510 – $224,190	440
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$120,920	$75,480 – $164,980	640
8	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,950	$77,580 – $127,860	300
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,500	$76,030 – $157,000	260
10	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$102,370	$58,970 – $155,990	240
11	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$100,340	$63,170 – $167,820	190
12	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,980	$72,720 – $132,230	460
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,520	$73,650 – $139,130	440
14	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,890	$76,740 – $149,660	320
15	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$98,690	$64,240 – $135,080	60
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,540	$64,510 – $129,980	430
17	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$98,470	$73,040 – $129,720	3,430
18	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,040	$61,370 – $148,050	780
19	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$95,470	$66,760 – $121,470	170
20	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,880	$62,500 – $131,440	120
21	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$87,540	$60,570 – $141,090	170
22	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$87,280	$65,700 – $131,230	100
23	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$86,740	$73,700 – $106,340	70
24	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$84,330	$68,460 – $105,820	130
25	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$84,290	$59,880 – $149,350	60
26	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,980	$45,410 – $127,620	130
27	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,460	$52,870 – $119,220	90
28	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,110	$59,230 – $102,300	70
29	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$81,520	$66,560 – $144,980	90
30	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$81,120	$60,640 – $98,690	780
31	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$80,300	$77,650 – $99,890	220
32	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,250	$52,200 – $95,740	1,350
33	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,860	$59,420 – $94,700	1,780
34	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,420	$51,630 – $91,640	100
35	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,280	$45,800 – $110,130	60
36	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,670	$58,110 – $95,960	380
37	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,230	$55,280 – $98,140	280
38	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$76,810	$46,770 – $116,800	210
39	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,730	$50,100 – $102,460	80
40	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,550	$48,530 – $123,000	1,230
41	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$75,210	$50,790 – $125,480	220
42	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$75,200	$39,030 – $123,980	120
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,010	$51,250 – $106,670	230
44	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$71,870	$47,760 – $125,150	420
45	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$69,840	$50,980 – $84,240	60
46	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$69,530	$52,050 – $78,320	90
47	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$69,410	$46,940 – $106,510	940
48	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,400	$58,630 – $97,060	70
49	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$65,290	$41,590 – $98,480	140
50	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,950	$56,540 – $76,640	990

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Reading, PA. 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 Reading, PA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Reading, PA

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