High paying entry level jobs in Roanoke, VA

These occupations in Roanoke, VA 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 Roanoke, VA run 6.4% below the national average (2024), so a Roanoke, VA salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Roanoke, VA

OccupationMedian, Roanoke, VA · Employed

1Physician Assistants$135,940
Master's degree
$106,150 – $162,800360
2Nurse Practitioners$134,920
Master's degree
$101,640 – $147,520440
3Lawyers$134,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,870 – $253,750480
4Pharmacists$133,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,720 – $168,290360
5Veterinarians$121,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,360 – $205,510100
6Software Developers$121,110
Bachelor's degree
$70,940 – $164,070770
7Electrical Engineers$108,930
Bachelor's degree
$75,650 – $153,830270
8Computer Systems Analysts$105,430
Bachelor's degree
$60,300 – $158,630440
9Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$104,150
Bachelor's degree
$65,640 – $130,41050
10Computer Occupations, All Other$103,520
Bachelor's degree
$48,820 – $153,570170
11Operations Research Analysts$102,930
Bachelor's degree
$57,080 – $139,66050
12Mechanical Engineers$102,160
Bachelor's degree
$77,280 – $131,750280
13Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$99,600
Bachelor's degree
$65,560 – $140,26080
14Physical Therapists$98,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,280 – $121,390270
15Dental Hygienists$98,550
Associate's degree
$80,020 – $121,990170
16Occupational Therapists$98,010
Master's degree
$68,160 – $119,030180
17Engineers, All Other$95,370
Bachelor's degree
$54,280 – $157,00070
18Industrial Engineers$93,520
Bachelor's degree
$65,120 – $130,190370
19Computer Programmers$92,830
Bachelor's degree
$49,060 – $152,63050
20Web Developers$91,390
Bachelor's degree
$68,410 – $148,03050
21Project Management Specialists$91,170
Bachelor's degree
$57,060 – $137,750930
22Civil Engineers$90,720
Bachelor's degree
$66,450 – $131,260250
23Network and Computer Systems Administrators$90,130
Bachelor's degree
$58,990 – $130,210260
24Database Administrators$87,990
Bachelor's degree
$45,270 – $153,41070
25Chemists$86,720
Bachelor's degree
$49,440 – $142,02050
26Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$83,140
Associate's degree
$75,420 – $99,720110
27Credit Analysts$81,680
Bachelor's degree
$59,300 – $122,08050
28Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$80,260
Bachelor's degree
$52,440 – $128,160130
29Registered Nurses$80,090
Bachelor's degree
$66,740 – $120,1004,670
30Logisticians$78,870
Bachelor's degree
$55,070 – $122,340190
31Respiratory Therapists$78,820
Associate's degree
$63,460 – $91,160190
32Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,740
Associate's degree
$50,130 – $112,340120
33Business Teachers, Postsecondary$77,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,360 – $99,06060
34Accountants and Auditors$77,240
Bachelor's degree
$51,210 – $124,8401,200
35Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,710
Associate's degree
$51,780 – $93,810340
36Financial and Investment Analysts$75,500
Bachelor's degree
$44,990 – $125,820210
37Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$75,330
Bachelor's degree
$54,720 – $107,810140
38Occupational Therapy Assistants$72,870
Associate's degree
$54,990 – $87,81060
39Commercial and Industrial Designers$71,920
Bachelor's degree
$48,490 – $105,02050
40Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$69,210
Master's degree
$44,490 – $93,490170
41Human Resources Specialists$67,450
Bachelor's degree
$45,130 – $111,550780
42Physical Therapist Assistants$67,140
Associate's degree
$49,010 – $81,350130
43Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$66,990
Bachelor's degree
$35,510 – $86,22080
44Mechanical Drafters$66,560
Associate's degree
$50,560 – $89,39060
45Business Operations Specialists, All Other$65,190
Bachelor's degree
$37,690 – $103,680890
46Financial Specialists, All Other$65,170
Bachelor's degree
$34,460 – $90,210150
47Urban and Regional Planners$64,440
Master's degree
$53,850 – $102,37060
48Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$64,340
Bachelor's degree
$37,690 – $120,650700
49Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,120
Associate's degree
$50,210 – $77,490160
50Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$63,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,170 – $79,97060

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

#	Occupation	MedianRoanoke, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,940	$106,150 – $162,800	360
2	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$134,920	$101,640 – $147,520	440
3	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$134,440	$76,870 – $253,750	480
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,980	$100,720 – $168,290	360
5	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$121,940	$79,360 – $205,510	100
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$121,110	$70,940 – $164,070	770
7	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,930	$75,650 – $153,830	270
8	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,430	$60,300 – $158,630	440
9	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$104,150	$65,640 – $130,410	50
10	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$103,520	$48,820 – $153,570	170
11	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,930	$57,080 – $139,660	50
12	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,160	$77,280 – $131,750	280
13	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$99,600	$65,560 – $140,260	80
14	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,770	$67,280 – $121,390	270
15	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,550	$80,020 – $121,990	170
16	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,010	$68,160 – $119,030	180
17	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,370	$54,280 – $157,000	70
18	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,520	$65,120 – $130,190	370
19	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$92,830	$49,060 – $152,630	50
20	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$91,390	$68,410 – $148,030	50
21	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,170	$57,060 – $137,750	930
22	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$90,720	$66,450 – $131,260	250
23	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$90,130	$58,990 – $130,210	260
24	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$87,990	$45,270 – $153,410	70
25	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$86,720	$49,440 – $142,020	50
26	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$83,140	$75,420 – $99,720	110
27	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$81,680	$59,300 – $122,080	50
28	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,260	$52,440 – $128,160	130
29	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$80,090	$66,740 – $120,100	4,670
30	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$78,870	$55,070 – $122,340	190
31	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,820	$63,460 – $91,160	190
32	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,740	$50,130 – $112,340	120
33	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$77,410	$38,360 – $99,060	60
34	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,240	$51,210 – $124,840	1,200
35	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,710	$51,780 – $93,810	340
36	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$75,500	$44,990 – $125,820	210
37	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$75,330	$54,720 – $107,810	140
38	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,870	$54,990 – $87,810	60
39	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$71,920	$48,490 – $105,020	50
40	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$69,210	$44,490 – $93,490	170
41	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$67,450	$45,130 – $111,550	780
42	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$67,140	$49,010 – $81,350	130
43	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,990	$35,510 – $86,220	80
44	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$66,560	$50,560 – $89,390	60
45	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$65,190	$37,690 – $103,680	890
46	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$65,170	$34,460 – $90,210	150
47	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$64,440	$53,850 – $102,370	60
48	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,340	$37,690 – $120,650	700
49	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,120	$50,210 – $77,490	160
50	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$63,410	$38,170 – $79,970	60

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

High paying entry level jobs in Roanoke, VA

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