High paying entry level jobs in Rochester, NY

These occupations in Rochester, NY 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 Rochester, NY run 3.0% below the national average (2024), so a Rochester, NY 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 Rochester, NY

OccupationMedian, Rochester, NY · Employed

1Dentists, General$167,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,840 – $230,380430
2Lawyers$148,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,190 – $325,2801,710
3Pharmacists$136,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,610 – $156,7701,070
4Physician Assistants$130,430
Master's degree
$109,130 – $155,3901,230
5Nurse Practitioners$128,110
Master's degree
$105,340 – $154,6101,890
6Veterinarians$127,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$93,010 – $200,440200
7Software Developers$122,770
Bachelor's degree
$79,580 – $170,1704,650
8Electrical Engineers$108,160
Bachelor's degree
$78,860 – $163,6501,000
9Project Management Specialists$103,520
Bachelor's degree
$66,240 – $159,2103,350
10Business Teachers, Postsecondary$102,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,170 – $215,320410
11Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$100,570
Bachelor's degree
$74,340 – $149,660260
12Mechanical Engineers$100,160
Bachelor's degree
$69,810 – $135,7301,040
13Industrial Engineers$100,150
Bachelor's degree
$75,140 – $136,0501,920
14Engineers, All Other$100,080
Bachelor's degree
$59,690 – $157,300670
15Civil Engineers$99,460
Bachelor's degree
$68,830 – $149,270890
16Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$99,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,370 – $211,980280
17Environmental Engineers$98,240
Bachelor's degree
$67,220 – $151,290200
18Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$97,840
Bachelor's degree
$64,200 – $132,460490
19Computer Systems Analysts$97,240
Bachelor's degree
$64,990 – $146,100910
20Computer Occupations, All Other$96,750
Bachelor's degree
$54,630 – $170,870440
21Credit Analysts$96,390
Bachelor's degree
$58,930 – $137,140160
22Financial and Investment Analysts$94,940
Bachelor's degree
$62,150 – $153,1801,160
23Network and Computer Systems Administrators$94,130
Bachelor's degree
$64,400 – $132,4501,130
24Dental Hygienists$93,650
Associate's degree
$80,290 – $95,160940
25Data Scientists$92,800
Bachelor's degree
$49,070 – $155,2001,190
26Web and Digital Interface Designers$91,540
Bachelor's degree
$56,240 – $165,120400
27Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$89,230
Bachelor's degree
$71,330 – $98,160190
28Registered Nurses$86,570
Bachelor's degree
$79,340 – $106,35012,340
29Financial Risk Specialists$85,540
Bachelor's degree
$59,010 – $151,090210
30Operations Research Analysts$84,980
Bachelor's degree
$60,800 – $159,950170
31Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$84,570
Bachelor's degree
$58,240 – $128,760480
32Chemists$84,030
Bachelor's degree
$67,090 – $150,580300
33Computer Programmers$83,420
Bachelor's degree
$56,680 – $132,260290
34Physical Therapists$83,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,070 – $112,7401,140
35Respiratory Therapists$82,990
Associate's degree
$74,580 – $100,900410
36Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,070
Associate's degree
$75,530 – $102,780400
37Social Workers, All Other$81,890
Bachelor's degree
$52,790 – $96,780220
38Occupational Therapists$81,750
Master's degree
$57,940 – $109,810740
39Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$81,290
Bachelor's degree
$46,330 – $99,8601,140
40Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$81,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,450 – $140,570190
41Logisticians$80,910
Bachelor's degree
$53,520 – $121,400400
42Accountants and Auditors$80,890
Bachelor's degree
$58,030 – $130,6904,370
43Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$80,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,870 – $132,460160
44Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$79,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$53,750 – $126,470290
45English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$78,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,130 – $108,400300
46Interpreters and Translators$77,770
Bachelor's degree
$52,820 – $115,340450
47Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,280
Associate's degree
$48,070 – $98,790390
48Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$77,170
Bachelor's degree
$46,030 – $127,6202,550
49Human Resources Specialists$76,590
Bachelor's degree
$51,760 – $122,7602,460
50Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$76,390
Associate's degree
$63,050 – $95,870650

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

#	Occupation	MedianRochester, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$167,480	$66,840 – $230,380	430
2	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$148,150	$82,190 – $325,280	1,710
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,310	$123,610 – $156,770	1,070
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$130,430	$109,130 – $155,390	1,230
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,110	$105,340 – $154,610	1,890
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$127,580	$93,010 – $200,440	200
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,770	$79,580 – $170,170	4,650
8	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,160	$78,860 – $163,650	1,000
9	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,520	$66,240 – $159,210	3,350
10	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,320	$56,170 – $215,320	410
11	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$100,570	$74,340 – $149,660	260
12	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,160	$69,810 – $135,730	1,040
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,150	$75,140 – $136,050	1,920
14	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,080	$59,690 – $157,300	670
15	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,460	$68,830 – $149,270	890
16	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$99,050	$60,370 – $211,980	280
17	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,240	$67,220 – $151,290	200
18	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$97,840	$64,200 – $132,460	490
19	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,240	$64,990 – $146,100	910
20	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,750	$54,630 – $170,870	440
21	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,390	$58,930 – $137,140	160
22	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$94,940	$62,150 – $153,180	1,160
23	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$94,130	$64,400 – $132,450	1,130
24	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$93,650	$80,290 – $95,160	940
25	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$92,800	$49,070 – $155,200	1,190
26	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$91,540	$56,240 – $165,120	400
27	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$89,230	$71,330 – $98,160	190
28	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$86,570	$79,340 – $106,350	12,340
29	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,540	$59,010 – $151,090	210
30	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,980	$60,800 – $159,950	170
31	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,570	$58,240 – $128,760	480
32	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$84,030	$67,090 – $150,580	300
33	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$83,420	$56,680 – $132,260	290
34	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$83,070	$66,070 – $112,740	1,140
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$82,990	$74,580 – $100,900	410
36	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$82,070	$75,530 – $102,780	400
37	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,890	$52,790 – $96,780	220
38	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$81,750	$57,940 – $109,810	740
39	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$81,290	$46,330 – $99,860	1,140
40	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$81,120	$58,450 – $140,570	190
41	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$80,910	$53,520 – $121,400	400
42	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$80,890	$58,030 – $130,690	4,370
43	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,250	$57,870 – $132,460	160
44	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,170	$53,750 – $126,470	290
45	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,200	$62,130 – $108,400	300
46	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$77,770	$52,820 – $115,340	450
47	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,280	$48,070 – $98,790	390
48	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,170	$46,030 – $127,620	2,550
49	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,590	$51,760 – $122,760	2,460
50	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,390	$63,050 – $95,870	650

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

High paying entry level jobs in Rochester, NY

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