High paying entry level jobs in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

These occupations in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA run 7.8% above the national average (2024), so a Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA salary is worth about 0.93× 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 Rosa-Petaluma, CA

OccupationMedian, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA · Employed

1Lawyers$181,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$96,860 – $294,230590
2Registered Nurses$174,550
Bachelor's degree
$110,800 – $225,9403,720
3Physician Assistants$172,750
Master's degree
$89,380 – $223,660140
4Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$172,290
Bachelor's degree
$103,930 – $195,490290
5Pharmacists$170,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$138,320 – $218,160330
6Dentists, General$169,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,720 – $258,350230
7Nurse Practitioners$167,040
Master's degree
$116,450 – $236,950280
8Optometrists$165,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,310 – $227,77080
9Electrical Engineers$164,880
Bachelor's degree
$95,940 – $201,740100
10Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$161,570
Associate's degree
$103,280 – $206,22090
11Veterinarians$158,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,500 – $289,330210
12Software Developers$148,630
Bachelor's degree
$94,080 – $214,360560
13Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$145,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,090 – $168,860150
14Environmental Engineers$141,560
Bachelor's degree
$87,740 – $193,260100
15Physical Therapists$140,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,600 – $167,530290
16Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$137,530
Associate's degree
$85,830 – $174,150200
17Dental Hygienists$136,210
Associate's degree
$130,010 – $151,580310
18Occupational Therapists$128,010
Master's degree
$87,120 – $161,910130
19Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$124,400
Bachelor's degree
$76,550 – $168,97080
20Respiratory Therapists$123,220
Associate's degree
$93,540 – $138,750200
21Urban and Regional Planners$123,090
Master's degree
$86,270 – $175,450110
22Industrial Engineers$121,660
Bachelor's degree
$78,160 – $170,850230
23Mechanical Engineers$120,650
Bachelor's degree
$76,470 – $170,890150
24Data Scientists$119,930
Bachelor's degree
$64,410 – $176,510130
25Computer Systems Analysts$113,520
Bachelor's degree
$53,420 – $153,310330
26Civil Engineers$111,740
Bachelor's degree
$79,370 – $174,900490
27Biological Scientists, All Other$110,330
Bachelor's degree
$66,130 – $157,55070
28Financial and Investment Analysts$109,780
Bachelor's degree
$77,420 – $173,650150
29Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$109,710
Bachelor's degree
$75,150 – $165,430190
30Computer Programmers$108,060
Bachelor's degree
$67,520 – $153,75080
31Project Management Specialists$107,340
Bachelor's degree
$64,480 – $172,6801,000
32Special Education Teachers, All Other$106,650
Bachelor's degree
$66,260 – $136,320100
33Engineers, All Other$104,750
Bachelor's degree
$76,880 – $172,900160
34Network and Computer Systems Administrators$103,170
Bachelor's degree
$62,710 – $142,290230
35Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$102,270
Bachelor's degree
$61,220 – $142,070150
36Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,730
Bachelor's degree
$74,970 – $131,9301,040
37Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$100,880
Bachelor's degree
$61,000 – $125,280150
38Surgical Technologists$99,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,470 – $121,010120
39Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$99,060
Bachelor's degree
$60,130 – $119,5602,180
40Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$98,480
Master's degree
$55,390 – $140,490500
41Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,020
Bachelor's degree
$64,110 – $116,780380
42Web and Digital Interface Designers$97,420
Bachelor's degree
$58,090 – $159,46070
43Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$97,410
Associate's degree
$62,970 – $124,420130
44Accountants and Auditors$94,690
Bachelor's degree
$62,180 – $151,7901,740
45Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$92,910
Bachelor's degree
$54,190 – $116,310130
46Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$92,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$74,280 – $110,300870
47Chemists$92,240
Bachelor's degree
$63,420 – $151,27080
48Logisticians$89,740
Bachelor's degree
$60,170 – $130,710210
49Computer Occupations, All Other$87,530
Bachelor's degree
$42,620 – $166,840380
50Physical Therapist Assistants$87,300
Associate's degree
$65,420 – $109,27090

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

#	Occupation	MedianSanta Rosa-Petaluma, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$181,560	$96,860 – $294,230	590
2	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$174,550	$110,800 – $225,940	3,720
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$172,750	$89,380 – $223,660	140
4	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$172,290	$103,930 – $195,490	290
5	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$170,570	$138,320 – $218,160	330
6	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$169,160	$94,720 – $258,350	230
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$167,040	$116,450 – $236,950	280
8	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$165,360	$122,310 – $227,770	80
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$164,880	$95,940 – $201,740	100
10	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$161,570	$103,280 – $206,220	90
11	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$158,770	$70,500 – $289,330	210
12	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$148,630	$94,080 – $214,360	560
13	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$145,340	$114,090 – $168,860	150
14	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$141,560	$87,740 – $193,260	100
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,100	$103,600 – $167,530	290
16	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$137,530	$85,830 – $174,150	200
17	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$136,210	$130,010 – $151,580	310
18	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$128,010	$87,120 – $161,910	130
19	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$124,400	$76,550 – $168,970	80
20	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$123,220	$93,540 – $138,750	200
21	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$123,090	$86,270 – $175,450	110
22	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$121,660	$78,160 – $170,850	230
23	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$120,650	$76,470 – $170,890	150
24	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$119,930	$64,410 – $176,510	130
25	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$113,520	$53,420 – $153,310	330
26	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$111,740	$79,370 – $174,900	490
27	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,330	$66,130 – $157,550	70
28	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$109,780	$77,420 – $173,650	150
29	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$109,710	$75,150 – $165,430	190
30	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$108,060	$67,520 – $153,750	80
31	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$107,340	$64,480 – $172,680	1,000
32	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,650	$66,260 – $136,320	100
33	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,750	$76,880 – $172,900	160
34	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$103,170	$62,710 – $142,290	230
35	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,270	$61,220 – $142,070	150
36	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$101,730	$74,970 – $131,930	1,040
37	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$100,880	$61,000 – $125,280	150
38	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,960	$61,470 – $121,010	120
39	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$99,060	$60,130 – $119,560	2,180
40	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$98,480	$55,390 – $140,490	500
41	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,020	$64,110 – $116,780	380
42	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$97,420	$58,090 – $159,460	70
43	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$97,410	$62,970 – $124,420	130
44	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$94,690	$62,180 – $151,790	1,740
45	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$92,910	$54,190 – $116,310	130
46	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$92,580	$74,280 – $110,300	870
47	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$92,240	$63,420 – $151,270	80
48	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$89,740	$60,170 – $130,710	210
49	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$87,530	$42,620 – $166,840	380
50	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$87,300	$65,420 – $109,270	90

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

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