High paying entry level jobs in Salem, OR

These occupations in Salem, OR 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 Salem, OR run 3.6% above the national average (2024), so a Salem, OR salary is worth about 0.96× 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 Salem, OR

OccupationMedian, Salem, OR · Employed

1Dentists, General$212,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$151,040 – $349,290140
2Pharmacists$169,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,900 – $200,000300
3Nurse Practitioners$162,600
Master's degree
$129,780 – $196,880320
4Lawyers$156,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,250 – $225,430780
5Physician Assistants$144,190
Master's degree
$103,470 – $197,380190
6Optometrists$134,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,140 – $159,11060
7Registered Nurses$131,750
Bachelor's degree
$101,180 – $157,9704,010
8Software Developers$131,620
Bachelor's degree
$82,630 – $170,460970
9Veterinarians$130,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,940 – $189,520120
10Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$127,680
Associate's degree
$96,350 – $137,070110
11Electrical Engineers$125,270
Bachelor's degree
$82,500 – $162,860140
12Economists$124,190
Master's degree
$85,150 – $136,99060
13Data Scientists$124,040
Bachelor's degree
$78,040 – $162,57090
14Dental Hygienists$119,050
Associate's degree
$106,970 – $125,660300
15Civil Engineers$115,480
Bachelor's degree
$78,220 – $147,600480
16Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$114,550
Bachelor's degree
$64,300 – $169,910120
17Financial and Investment Analysts$110,500
Bachelor's degree
$78,890 – $198,82090
18Computer Systems Analysts$109,970
Bachelor's degree
$80,000 – $138,930610
19Network and Computer Systems Administrators$109,970
Bachelor's degree
$79,950 – $138,930560
20Occupational Therapists$109,700
Master's degree
$87,540 – $130,360140
21Urban and Regional Planners$107,960
Master's degree
$73,700 – $127,360130
22Database Administrators$105,470
Bachelor's degree
$67,960 – $139,90080
23Engineers, All Other$104,420
Bachelor's degree
$63,090 – $165,15070
24Respiratory Therapists$104,360
Associate's degree
$89,160 – $122,190130
25Computer Programmers$103,040
Bachelor's degree
$70,500 – $138,93070
26Project Management Specialists$102,730
Bachelor's degree
$65,800 – $141,4701,420
27Operations Research Analysts$102,520
Bachelor's degree
$66,130 – $130,500150
28Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$101,580
Associate's degree
$77,280 – $123,610240
29Cartographers and Photogrammetrists$101,350
Bachelor's degree
$71,050 – $119,10060
30Industrial Engineers$100,860
Bachelor's degree
$71,070 – $156,990100
31Financial Specialists, All Other$100,380
Bachelor's degree
$63,840 – $122,210100
32Physical Therapists$99,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,990 – $130,320320
33Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$98,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,880 – $210,840530
34Budget Analysts$98,110
Bachelor's degree
$70,320 – $129,610360
35Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$98,110
Bachelor's degree
$57,640 – $113,35080
36Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$98,050
Bachelor's degree
$64,070 – $128,67080
37Mechanical Engineers$98,010
Bachelor's degree
$73,740 – $139,000150
38Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$97,520
Bachelor's degree
$68,310 – $133,37080
39Massage Therapists$96,080
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,670 – $117,490160
40Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$95,680
Bachelor's degree
$56,560 – $121,670190
41Conservation Scientists$95,470
Bachelor's degree
$70,300 – $115,48090
42Statisticians$93,620
Master's degree
$64,590 – $113,350220
43Soil and Plant Scientists$93,620
Bachelor's degree
$59,780 – $113,350110
44Computer Occupations, All Other$90,270
Bachelor's degree
$57,620 – $136,240140
45Foresters$89,220
Bachelor's degree
$58,200 – $113,350110
46Public Relations Specialists$87,740
Bachelor's degree
$45,380 – $124,190450
47Accountants and Auditors$87,480
Bachelor's degree
$62,300 – $124,1901,510
48Web and Digital Interface Designers$86,330
Bachelor's degree
$68,030 – $176,31070
49Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$86,200
Associate's degree
$58,320 – $115,480140
50Special Education Teachers, All Other$82,140
Bachelor's degree
$63,750 – $96,080100

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

#	Occupation	MedianSalem, OR	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$212,310	$151,040 – $349,290	140
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$169,210	$129,900 – $200,000	300
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$162,600	$129,780 – $196,880	320
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$156,070	$79,250 – $225,430	780
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$144,190	$103,470 – $197,380	190
6	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,590	$105,140 – $159,110	60
7	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$131,750	$101,180 – $157,970	4,010
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$131,620	$82,630 – $170,460	970
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,330	$77,940 – $189,520	120
10	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$127,680	$96,350 – $137,070	110
11	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$125,270	$82,500 – $162,860	140
12	EconomistsMaster's degree	$124,190	$85,150 – $136,990	60
13	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$124,040	$78,040 – $162,570	90
14	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$119,050	$106,970 – $125,660	300
15	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$115,480	$78,220 – $147,600	480
16	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$114,550	$64,300 – $169,910	120
17	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$110,500	$78,890 – $198,820	90
18	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$109,970	$80,000 – $138,930	610
19	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$109,970	$79,950 – $138,930	560
20	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$109,700	$87,540 – $130,360	140
21	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$107,960	$73,700 – $127,360	130
22	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$105,470	$67,960 – $139,900	80
23	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,420	$63,090 – $165,150	70
24	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$104,360	$89,160 – $122,190	130
25	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$103,040	$70,500 – $138,930	70
26	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,730	$65,800 – $141,470	1,420
27	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,520	$66,130 – $130,500	150
28	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$101,580	$77,280 – $123,610	240
29	Cartographers and PhotogrammetristsBachelor's degree	$101,350	$71,050 – $119,100	60
30	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,860	$71,070 – $156,990	100
31	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,380	$63,840 – $122,210	100
32	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,970	$79,990 – $130,320	320
33	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$98,840	$51,880 – $210,840	530
34	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,110	$70,320 – $129,610	360
35	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$98,110	$57,640 – $113,350	80
36	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$98,050	$64,070 – $128,670	80
37	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,010	$73,740 – $139,000	150
38	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$97,520	$68,310 – $133,370	80
39	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$96,080	$62,670 – $117,490	160
40	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$95,680	$56,560 – $121,670	190
41	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$95,470	$70,300 – $115,480	90
42	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$93,620	$64,590 – $113,350	220
43	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$93,620	$59,780 – $113,350	110
44	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,270	$57,620 – $136,240	140
45	ForestersBachelor's degree	$89,220	$58,200 – $113,350	110
46	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,740	$45,380 – $124,190	450
47	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$87,480	$62,300 – $124,190	1,510
48	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$86,330	$68,030 – $176,310	70
49	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$86,200	$58,320 – $115,480	140
50	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,140	$63,750 – $96,080	100

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

High paying entry level jobs in Salem, OR

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