High paying entry level jobs in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD

These occupations in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 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 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD run 13.5% below the national average (2024), so a Sioux City, IA-NE-SD salary is worth about 1.16× 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 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD

OccupationMedian, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD · Employed

1Dentists, General$191,280
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,460 – $275,80060
2Pharmacists$139,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$108,080 – $163,680120
3Physician Assistants$130,970
Master's degree
$112,570 – $191,84070
4Nurse Practitioners$129,060
Master's degree
$106,750 – $162,540150
5Lawyers$120,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,960 – $276,320150
6Computer Occupations, All Other$108,820
Bachelor's degree
$39,640 – $172,640130
7Industrial Engineers$105,660
Bachelor's degree
$70,450 – $161,630130
8Software Developers$101,150
Bachelor's degree
$72,170 – $139,990230
9Physical Therapists$100,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,900 – $109,520100
10Mechanical Engineers$95,250
Bachelor's degree
$75,100 – $140,30070
11Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$93,200
Bachelor's degree
$50,990 – $121,97070
12Occupational Therapists$92,600
Master's degree
$65,640 – $103,03050
13Data Scientists$90,030
Bachelor's degree
$54,120 – $145,35040
14Civil Engineers$88,460
Bachelor's degree
$69,760 – $138,99060
15Project Management Specialists$85,130
Bachelor's degree
$60,580 – $135,740200
16Dental Hygienists$83,920
Associate's degree
$79,300 – $95,290120
17Computer Systems Analysts$82,250
Bachelor's degree
$35,260 – $130,770120
18Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$81,450
Associate's degree
$67,410 – $96,66040
19Financial and Investment Analysts$80,940
Bachelor's degree
$50,740 – $162,21040
20Logisticians$80,020
Bachelor's degree
$58,390 – $108,14070
21Accountants and Auditors$78,650
Bachelor's degree
$56,100 – $120,500520
22Food Scientists and Technologists$78,260
Bachelor's degree
$58,420 – $107,75040
23Chiropractors$77,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,320 – $116,78040
24Network and Computer Systems Administrators$77,140
Bachelor's degree
$56,510 – $128,790150
25Commercial and Industrial Designers$76,320
Bachelor's degree
$62,550 – $89,45030
26Registered Nurses$75,840
Bachelor's degree
$62,270 – $96,4401,600
27Special Education Teachers, Middle School$73,110
Bachelor's degree
$44,910 – $89,20050
28Business Operations Specialists, All Other$71,580
Bachelor's degree
$42,350 – $123,180190
29Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,440
Associate's degree
$48,980 – $90,57040
30Fundraisers$68,350
Bachelor's degree
$46,430 – $105,59040
31Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$67,350
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,740 – $79,44040
32Public Relations Specialists$64,770
Bachelor's degree
$41,320 – $98,84060
33Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$64,260
Associate's degree
$51,600 – $78,720150
34Respiratory Therapists$63,800
Associate's degree
$63,760 – $82,01040
35Human Resources Specialists$63,040
Bachelor's degree
$45,900 – $99,990280
36Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$62,270
Bachelor's degree
$46,820 – $78,900890
37Massage Therapists$61,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,760 – $64,25030
38Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$61,830
Bachelor's degree
$47,080 – $88,04050
39Architectural and Civil Drafters$61,630
Associate's degree
$49,210 – $79,46040
40Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$60,570
Bachelor's degree
$46,550 – $76,670170
41Physical Therapist Assistants$60,530
Associate's degree
$48,780 – $76,35040
42Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,510
Bachelor's degree
$47,490 – $77,630460
43Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$60,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,810 – $74,050260
44Surgical Technologists$59,670
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,510 – $107,65090
45Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$58,920
Bachelor's degree
$45,860 – $76,67050
46Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$57,900
Bachelor's degree
$38,350 – $76,600290
47Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$56,340
Master's degree
$47,620 – $83,670120
48Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$56,230
Bachelor's degree
$37,190 – $103,450220
49Paralegals and Legal Assistants$56,100
Associate's degree
$37,740 – $77,11080
50Mechanical Drafters$53,630
Associate's degree
$41,760 – $79,90040

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

#	Occupation	MedianSioux City, IA-NE-SD	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$191,280	$105,460 – $275,800	60
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,600	$108,080 – $163,680	120
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$130,970	$112,570 – $191,840	70
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,060	$106,750 – $162,540	150
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$120,790	$69,960 – $276,320	150
6	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$108,820	$39,640 – $172,640	130
7	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,660	$70,450 – $161,630	130
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$101,150	$72,170 – $139,990	230
9	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,380	$69,900 – $109,520	100
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,250	$75,100 – $140,300	70
11	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,200	$50,990 – $121,970	70
12	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$92,600	$65,640 – $103,030	50
13	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$90,030	$54,120 – $145,350	40
14	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,460	$69,760 – $138,990	60
15	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,130	$60,580 – $135,740	200
16	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$83,920	$79,300 – $95,290	120
17	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,250	$35,260 – $130,770	120
18	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$81,450	$67,410 – $96,660	40
19	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,940	$50,740 – $162,210	40
20	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$80,020	$58,390 – $108,140	70
21	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$78,650	$56,100 – $120,500	520
22	Food Scientists and TechnologistsBachelor's degree	$78,260	$58,420 – $107,750	40
23	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$77,620	$51,320 – $116,780	40
24	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$77,140	$56,510 – $128,790	150
25	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$76,320	$62,550 – $89,450	30
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$75,840	$62,270 – $96,440	1,600
27	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$73,110	$44,910 – $89,200	50
28	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$71,580	$42,350 – $123,180	190
29	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,440	$48,980 – $90,570	40
30	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$68,350	$46,430 – $105,590	40
31	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,350	$33,740 – $79,440	40
32	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,770	$41,320 – $98,840	60
33	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,260	$51,600 – $78,720	150
34	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$63,800	$63,760 – $82,010	40
35	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,040	$45,900 – $99,990	280
36	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,270	$46,820 – $78,900	890
37	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,890	$44,760 – $64,250	30
38	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$61,830	$47,080 – $88,040	50
39	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$61,630	$49,210 – $79,460	40
40	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$60,570	$46,550 – $76,670	170
41	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$60,530	$48,780 – $76,350	40
42	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,510	$47,490 – $77,630	460
43	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,440	$49,810 – $74,050	260
44	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,670	$38,510 – $107,650	90
45	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$58,920	$45,860 – $76,670	50
46	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$57,900	$38,350 – $76,600	290
47	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$56,340	$47,620 – $83,670	120
48	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$56,230	$37,190 – $103,450	220
49	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$56,100	$37,740 – $77,110	80
50	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$53,630	$41,760 – $79,900	40

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD. 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 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD

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