High paying entry level jobs in Santa Fe, NM

These occupations in Santa Fe, NM 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 Santa Fe, NM run 1.2% below the national average (2024), so a Santa Fe, NM salary is worth about 1.01× 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 Santa Fe, NM

OccupationMedian, Santa Fe, NM · Employed

1Dentists, General$154,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,400 – $323,85060
2Pharmacists$150,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$118,800 – $169,760110
3Nurse Practitioners$144,250
Master's degree
$120,230 – $183,000140
4Veterinarians$129,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$93,220 – $212,85070
5Physician Assistants$127,730
Master's degree
$73,140 – $160,39050
6Physical Therapists$124,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,570 – $152,34080
7Lawyers$122,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,000 – $179,210530
8Software Developers$112,380
Bachelor's degree
$80,610 – $195,680180
9Occupational Therapists$112,240
Master's degree
$91,580 – $132,06050
10Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$111,360
Bachelor's degree
$87,360 – $193,03040
11Civil Engineers$110,470
Bachelor's degree
$72,450 – $159,980150
12Computer Systems Analysts$102,900
Bachelor's degree
$77,620 – $190,670220
13Computer Occupations, All Other$101,520
Bachelor's degree
$74,650 – $162,59050
14Registered Nurses$100,790
Bachelor's degree
$74,300 – $131,8301,090
15Database Administrators$99,860
Bachelor's degree
$74,360 – $124,990160
16Dental Hygienists$99,260
Associate's degree
$93,210 – $120,880120
17Network and Computer Systems Administrators$95,740
Bachelor's degree
$70,680 – $128,030200
18Computer Programmers$91,600
Bachelor's degree
$54,780 – $125,17050
19Project Management Specialists$89,380
Bachelor's degree
$63,180 – $140,420240
20Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$87,920
Bachelor's degree
$69,430 – $106,520130
21Financial and Investment Analysts$86,860
Bachelor's degree
$66,690 – $183,340160
22Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$86,000
Associate's degree
$61,040 – $125,50060
23Web and Digital Interface Designers$83,880
Bachelor's degree
$36,480 – $130,53030
24Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$82,590
Bachelor's degree
$63,080 – $105,83050
25English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$81,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,220 – $136,08030
26Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$78,880
Bachelor's degree
$62,500 – $95,050170
27Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$77,260
Bachelor's degree
$59,430 – $87,630630
28Urban and Regional Planners$76,730
Master's degree
$60,460 – $115,85040
29Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$75,400
Master's degree
$49,350 – $103,110180
30Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$75,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$44,810 – $117,23030
31Budget Analysts$74,730
Bachelor's degree
$58,840 – $104,50050
32Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$73,750
Bachelor's degree
$56,930 – $90,360320
33Interior Designers$72,800
Bachelor's degree
$53,960 – $179,99040
34Accountants and Auditors$72,780
Bachelor's degree
$55,230 – $118,290620
35Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$72,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,930 – $85,90070
36Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$72,450
Associate's degree
$56,260 – $93,140140
37Conservation Scientists$72,280
Bachelor's degree
$45,850 – $108,22060
38Human Resources Specialists$71,300
Bachelor's degree
$51,560 – $100,060320
39Physical Therapist Assistants$70,200
Associate's degree
$59,660 – $93,60040
40Teachers and Instructors, All Other$70,180
Bachelor's degree
$40,030 – $109,72030
41Fundraisers$70,020
Bachelor's degree
$46,990 – $100,37060
42Public Relations Specialists$69,410
Bachelor's degree
$46,340 – $113,060130
43Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$67,870
Bachelor's degree
$50,920 – $76,29040
44Business Operations Specialists, All Other$67,560
Bachelor's degree
$49,570 – $114,720850
45Operations Research Analysts$67,480
Bachelor's degree
$58,810 – $104,75060
46Anthropologists and Archeologists$67,040
Master's degree
$47,840 – $98,53040
47Architectural and Civil Drafters$65,370
Associate's degree
$38,300 – $82,96070
48Curators$64,520
Master's degree
$51,710 – $77,57030
49Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$64,500
Master's degree
$52,580 – $82,67070
50Tutors$62,400
Some college, no degree
$37,930 – $102,030110

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

#	Occupation	MedianSanta Fe, NM	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$154,960	$101,400 – $323,850	60
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$150,580	$118,800 – $169,760	110
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$144,250	$120,230 – $183,000	140
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$129,380	$93,220 – $212,850	70
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,730	$73,140 – $160,390	50
6	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$124,870	$97,570 – $152,340	80
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$122,430	$90,000 – $179,210	530
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$112,380	$80,610 – $195,680	180
9	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$112,240	$91,580 – $132,060	50
10	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$111,360	$87,360 – $193,030	40
11	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,470	$72,450 – $159,980	150
12	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,900	$77,620 – $190,670	220
13	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$101,520	$74,650 – $162,590	50
14	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$100,790	$74,300 – $131,830	1,090
15	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$99,860	$74,360 – $124,990	160
16	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$99,260	$93,210 – $120,880	120
17	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$95,740	$70,680 – $128,030	200
18	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$91,600	$54,780 – $125,170	50
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$89,380	$63,180 – $140,420	240
20	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$87,920	$69,430 – $106,520	130
21	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$86,860	$66,690 – $183,340	160
22	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$86,000	$61,040 – $125,500	60
23	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$83,880	$36,480 – $130,530	30
24	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$82,590	$63,080 – $105,830	50
25	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$81,960	$60,220 – $136,080	30
26	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,880	$62,500 – $95,050	170
27	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$77,260	$59,430 – $87,630	630
28	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$76,730	$60,460 – $115,850	40
29	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$75,400	$49,350 – $103,110	180
30	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$75,110	$44,810 – $117,230	30
31	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$74,730	$58,840 – $104,500	50
32	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$73,750	$56,930 – $90,360	320
33	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$72,800	$53,960 – $179,990	40
34	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$72,780	$55,230 – $118,290	620
35	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,750	$52,930 – $85,900	70
36	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,450	$56,260 – $93,140	140
37	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$72,280	$45,850 – $108,220	60
38	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,300	$51,560 – $100,060	320
39	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$70,200	$59,660 – $93,600	40
40	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$70,180	$40,030 – $109,720	30
41	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$70,020	$46,990 – $100,370	60
42	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$69,410	$46,340 – $113,060	130
43	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$67,870	$50,920 – $76,290	40
44	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$67,560	$49,570 – $114,720	850
45	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$67,480	$58,810 – $104,750	60
46	Anthropologists and ArcheologistsMaster's degree	$67,040	$47,840 – $98,530	40
47	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$65,370	$38,300 – $82,960	70
48	CuratorsMaster's degree	$64,520	$51,710 – $77,570	30
49	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$64,500	$52,580 – $82,670	70
50	TutorsSome college, no degree	$62,400	$37,930 – $102,030	110

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Santa Fe, NM. 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 Santa Fe, NM to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Santa Fe, NM

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