High paying entry level jobs in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

These occupations in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA run 6.4% below the national average (2024), so a Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

OccupationMedian, Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA · Employed

1Dentists, General$195,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,110 – $334,250170
2Optometrists$133,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$93,010 – $174,09080
3Pharmacists$130,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$108,010 – $153,290570
4Veterinarians$126,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,780 – $215,970100
5Nurse Practitioners$126,820
Master's degree
$85,990 – $152,910430
6Physician Assistants$126,230
Master's degree
$103,940 – $154,110310
7Software Developers$119,960
Bachelor's degree
$71,630 – $167,410730
8Electrical Engineers$103,640
Bachelor's degree
$73,510 – $150,120120
9Lawyers$100,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,440 – $207,710810
10Physical Therapists$99,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,050 – $124,910500
11Business Teachers, Postsecondary$97,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,060 – $159,740170
12Engineers, All Other$96,410
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $134,66090
13Civil Engineers$95,730
Bachelor's degree
$68,970 – $130,420450
14Computer Occupations, All Other$93,830
Bachelor's degree
$52,210 – $142,480360
15Occupational Therapists$93,750
Master's degree
$65,510 – $130,980330
16Industrial Engineers$93,100
Bachelor's degree
$71,330 – $127,500510
17Project Management Specialists$91,820
Bachelor's degree
$57,280 – $138,610870
18Chemists$88,530
Bachelor's degree
$56,900 – $176,97080
19Computer Programmers$88,180
Bachelor's degree
$63,190 – $122,780130
20Computer Systems Analysts$84,820
Bachelor's degree
$52,500 – $123,960540
21Data Scientists$84,750
Bachelor's degree
$50,400 – $137,410200
22Mechanical Engineers$83,920
Bachelor's degree
$63,320 – $133,910360
23Registered Nurses$82,650
Bachelor's degree
$63,620 – $103,1805,400
24Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$82,220
Bachelor's degree
$55,760 – $122,820180
25Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$82,150
Associate's degree
$53,220 – $99,850130
26Network and Computer Systems Administrators$81,160
Bachelor's degree
$58,100 – $121,300240
27Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$80,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,640 – $122,580360
28Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$80,400
Bachelor's degree
$43,760 – $92,160140
29Credit Analysts$80,270
Bachelor's degree
$50,630 – $95,900100
30Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,030
Bachelor's degree
$48,320 – $96,6401,560
31Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$79,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,370 – $92,130100
32Respiratory Therapists$78,380
Associate's degree
$59,950 – $92,160230
33Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$77,680
Associate's degree
$60,420 – $94,740120
34Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$77,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,100 – $129,600100
35Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$76,590
Bachelor's degree
$48,220 – $91,6701,780
36Financial and Investment Analysts$76,340
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $128,750210
37Special Education Teachers, Middle School$75,230
Bachelor's degree
$50,770 – $89,490130
38Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$75,050
Bachelor's degree
$50,160 – $94,0801,850
39Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$72,600
Bachelor's degree
$49,760 – $90,160320
40Logisticians$72,090
Bachelor's degree
$47,930 – $98,450240
41Health Education Specialists$71,860
Bachelor's degree
$37,020 – $120,640110
42Dental Hygienists$70,730
Associate's degree
$36,690 – $78,710400
43Accountants and Auditors$70,480
Bachelor's degree
$46,350 – $110,1201,640
44Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$68,740
Associate's degree
$59,620 – $91,190360
45Business Operations Specialists, All Other$67,200
Bachelor's degree
$37,840 – $112,150800
46Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$65,870
Associate's degree
$47,740 – $104,69080
47Human Resources Specialists$65,360
Bachelor's degree
$46,240 – $104,7501,130
48Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,180
Associate's degree
$45,410 – $92,370140
49Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$61,940
Bachelor's degree
$53,260 – $90,630290
50Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$61,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,820 – $74,3402,270

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

#	Occupation	MedianScranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$195,480	$59,110 – $334,250	170
2	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,010	$93,010 – $174,090	80
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$130,950	$108,010 – $153,290	570
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$126,960	$72,780 – $215,970	100
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,820	$85,990 – $152,910	430
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$126,230	$103,940 – $154,110	310
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$119,960	$71,630 – $167,410	730
8	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,640	$73,510 – $150,120	120
9	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$100,420	$50,440 – $207,710	810
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,520	$76,050 – $124,910	500
11	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,340	$37,060 – $159,740	170
12	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,410	$52,000 – $134,660	90
13	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,730	$68,970 – $130,420	450
14	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$93,830	$52,210 – $142,480	360
15	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$93,750	$65,510 – $130,980	330
16	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,100	$71,330 – $127,500	510
17	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,820	$57,280 – $138,610	870
18	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$88,530	$56,900 – $176,970	80
19	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$88,180	$63,190 – $122,780	130
20	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,820	$52,500 – $123,960	540
21	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$84,750	$50,400 – $137,410	200
22	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$83,920	$63,320 – $133,910	360
23	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$82,650	$63,620 – $103,180	5,400
24	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,220	$55,760 – $122,820	180
25	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,150	$53,220 – $99,850	130
26	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$81,160	$58,100 – $121,300	240
27	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$80,980	$49,640 – $122,580	360
28	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$80,400	$43,760 – $92,160	140
29	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,270	$50,630 – $95,900	100
30	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,030	$48,320 – $96,640	1,560
31	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$79,910	$64,370 – $92,130	100
32	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,380	$59,950 – $92,160	230
33	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$77,680	$60,420 – $94,740	120
34	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$77,530	$38,100 – $129,600	100
35	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$76,590	$48,220 – $91,670	1,780
36	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$76,340	$52,000 – $128,750	210
37	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$75,230	$50,770 – $89,490	130
38	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$75,050	$50,160 – $94,080	1,850
39	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$72,600	$49,760 – $90,160	320
40	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$72,090	$47,930 – $98,450	240
41	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,860	$37,020 – $120,640	110
42	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$70,730	$36,690 – $78,710	400
43	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$70,480	$46,350 – $110,120	1,640
44	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,740	$59,620 – $91,190	360
45	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$67,200	$37,840 – $112,150	800
46	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$65,870	$47,740 – $104,690	80
47	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,360	$46,240 – $104,750	1,130
48	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,180	$45,410 – $92,370	140
49	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$61,940	$53,260 – $90,630	290
50	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,740	$53,820 – $74,340	2,270

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA. 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.

More for Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

Other metro areas in PA

By field in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

More for Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

Other metro areas in PA

By field in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state