High paying entry level jobs in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

These occupations in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA run 15.6% above the national average (2024), so a San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA salary is worth about 0.86× 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

OccupationMedian, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA · Employed

1Nurse Practitioners$219,080
Master's degree
$153,280 – $273,9603,110
2Lawyers$212,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,280 – $375,58018,470
3Veterinarians$208,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,130 – $295,4201,350
4Computer Hardware Engineers$203,890
Bachelor's degree
$130,800 – $284,5802,810
5Dentists, General$202,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,750 – $322,9302,090
6Software Developers$186,640
Bachelor's degree
$128,090 – $273,40069,030
7Registered Nurses$186,610
Bachelor's degree
$119,290 – $223,77041,750
8Physician Assistants$184,380
Master's degree
$106,150 – $237,9801,830
9Pharmacists$177,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$135,580 – $229,2203,670
10Computer and Information Research Scientists$171,440
Master's degree
$96,440 – $281,0201,670
11Data Scientists$170,110
Bachelor's degree
$99,170 – $272,43010,460
12Financial Risk Specialists$167,440
Bachelor's degree
$92,710 – $214,9301,380
13Electrical Engineers$166,030
Bachelor's degree
$97,500 – $219,0702,470
14Biochemists and Biophysicists$165,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,380 – $223,7401,380
15Web and Digital Interface Designers$163,810
Bachelor's degree
$81,120 – $230,7006,630
16Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$162,440
Bachelor's degree
$96,930 – $264,3202,000
17Computer Occupations, All Other$161,700
Bachelor's degree
$63,340 – $255,39016,930
18Mechanical Engineers$161,370
Bachelor's degree
$102,710 – $212,3805,150
19Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$160,270
Associate's degree
$94,600 – $204,1401,300
20Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$160,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,910 – $213,0307,310
21Engineers, All Other$159,800
Bachelor's degree
$86,080 – $273,7804,850
22Web Developers$152,450
Bachelor's degree
$80,190 – $216,0601,420
23Dental Hygienists$146,760
Associate's degree
$109,460 – $156,5803,780
24Optometrists$142,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,780 – $221,3501,180
25Physical Therapists$141,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,860 – $188,0703,140
26Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$141,780
Associate's degree
$89,980 – $176,8002,850
27Biological Scientists, All Other$138,160
Bachelor's degree
$84,200 – $215,8604,280
28Occupational Therapists$136,770
Master's degree
$96,250 – $171,4601,560
29Special Effects Artists and Animators$136,770
Bachelor's degree
$86,370 – $205,8101,440
30Urban and Regional Planners$136,250
Master's degree
$90,030 – $179,0901,250
31Project Management Specialists$135,040
Bachelor's degree
$79,990 – $206,24020,770
32Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$134,630
Bachelor's degree
$75,100 – $205,9905,880
33Computer Systems Analysts$134,460
Bachelor's degree
$91,480 – $209,15011,180
34Industrial Engineers$132,230
Bachelor's degree
$90,240 – $198,5605,470
35Computer Programmers$130,730
Bachelor's degree
$74,110 – $174,7702,440
36Financial and Investment Analysts$130,520
Bachelor's degree
$82,570 – $217,1609,910
37Respiratory Therapists$130,220
Associate's degree
$95,450 – $158,1002,010
38Civil Engineers$130,160
Bachelor's degree
$90,860 – $202,73010,990
39Network and Computer Systems Administrators$129,680
Bachelor's degree
$82,760 – $193,2503,910
40Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$127,800
Master's degree
$63,140 – $221,5301,050
41Chemists$127,790
Bachelor's degree
$76,110 – $194,7302,180
42Database Administrators$127,760
Bachelor's degree
$66,750 – $210,8101,470
43Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$127,210
Bachelor's degree
$76,490 – $179,4701,320
44Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$126,860
Bachelor's degree
$76,590 – $194,9202,550
45Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$123,250
Bachelor's degree
$60,680 – $211,14024,120
46Credit Analysts$122,590
Bachelor's degree
$63,330 – $217,340850
47Budget Analysts$117,360
Bachelor's degree
$78,800 – $169,380760
48Accountants and Auditors$110,730
Bachelor's degree
$73,420 – $180,06025,170
49Operations Research Analysts$110,560
Bachelor's degree
$76,090 – $176,8502,050
50Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$105,290
Bachelor's degree
$74,560 – $123,5903,440

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

#	Occupation	MedianSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$219,080	$153,280 – $273,960	3,110
2	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$212,500	$98,280 – $375,580	18,470
3	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$208,080	$89,130 – $295,420	1,350
4	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$203,890	$130,800 – $284,580	2,810
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$202,060	$119,750 – $322,930	2,090
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$186,640	$128,090 – $273,400	69,030
7	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$186,610	$119,290 – $223,770	41,750
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$184,380	$106,150 – $237,980	1,830
9	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$177,410	$135,580 – $229,220	3,670
10	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$171,440	$96,440 – $281,020	1,670
11	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$170,110	$99,170 – $272,430	10,460
12	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$167,440	$92,710 – $214,930	1,380
13	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$166,030	$97,500 – $219,070	2,470
14	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$165,050	$104,380 – $223,740	1,380
15	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$163,810	$81,120 – $230,700	6,630
16	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$162,440	$96,930 – $264,320	2,000
17	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$161,700	$63,340 – $255,390	16,930
18	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$161,370	$102,710 – $212,380	5,150
19	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$160,270	$94,600 – $204,140	1,300
20	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$160,180	$98,910 – $213,030	7,310
21	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$159,800	$86,080 – $273,780	4,850
22	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$152,450	$80,190 – $216,060	1,420
23	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$146,760	$109,460 – $156,580	3,780
24	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,580	$107,780 – $221,350	1,180
25	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$141,980	$103,860 – $188,070	3,140
26	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$141,780	$89,980 – $176,800	2,850
27	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$138,160	$84,200 – $215,860	4,280
28	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$136,770	$96,250 – $171,460	1,560
29	Special Effects Artists and AnimatorsBachelor's degree	$136,770	$86,370 – $205,810	1,440
30	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$136,250	$90,030 – $179,090	1,250
31	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$135,040	$79,990 – $206,240	20,770
32	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$134,630	$75,100 – $205,990	5,880
33	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$134,460	$91,480 – $209,150	11,180
34	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$132,230	$90,240 – $198,560	5,470
35	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$130,730	$74,110 – $174,770	2,440
36	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$130,520	$82,570 – $217,160	9,910
37	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$130,220	$95,450 – $158,100	2,010
38	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,160	$90,860 – $202,730	10,990
39	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$129,680	$82,760 – $193,250	3,910
40	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$127,800	$63,140 – $221,530	1,050
41	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$127,790	$76,110 – $194,730	2,180
42	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$127,760	$66,750 – $210,810	1,470
43	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$127,210	$76,490 – $179,470	1,320
44	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$126,860	$76,590 – $194,920	2,550
45	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$123,250	$60,680 – $211,140	24,120
46	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$122,590	$63,330 – $217,340	850
47	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$117,360	$78,800 – $169,380	760
48	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$110,730	$73,420 – $180,060	25,170
49	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$110,560	$76,090 – $176,850	2,050
50	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$105,290	$74,560 – $123,590	3,440

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA. 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

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