High paying entry level jobs in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI

These occupations in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI run 7.1% below the national average (2024), so a South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI salary is worth about 1.08× 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI

OccupationMedian, South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI · Employed

1Dentists, General$173,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,010 – $341,020100
2Pharmacists$144,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,800 – $164,290270
3Physician Assistants$129,620
Master's degree
$101,990 – $206,490100
4Veterinarians$127,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,370 – $170,17070
5Nurse Practitioners$126,220
Master's degree
$97,840 – $163,800310
6Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$106,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,200 – $135,400150
7Lawyers$103,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,810 – $239,640280
8Electrical Engineers$98,870
Bachelor's degree
$73,360 – $134,350110
9Physical Therapists$98,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,070 – $124,230200
10Civil Engineers$96,180
Bachelor's degree
$71,840 – $142,710180
11Software Developers$95,500
Bachelor's degree
$67,020 – $152,210350
12Industrial Engineers$93,940
Bachelor's degree
$62,850 – $124,320340
13Registered Nurses$93,540
Bachelor's degree
$66,870 – $141,3903,370
14Occupational Therapists$92,680
Master's degree
$59,830 – $115,610140
15Computer Systems Analysts$90,860
Bachelor's degree
$57,830 – $132,990360
16Mechanical Engineers$88,770
Bachelor's degree
$60,780 – $146,410190
17Project Management Specialists$84,820
Bachelor's degree
$51,020 – $133,320410
18Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$84,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,640 – $136,430150
19Network and Computer Systems Administrators$82,890
Bachelor's degree
$60,610 – $117,120190
20Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,840
Associate's degree
$58,820 – $98,32070
21Computer Programmers$82,750
Bachelor's degree
$62,180 – $125,08050
22Dental Hygienists$82,650
Associate's degree
$78,530 – $97,060280
23Data Scientists$81,570
Bachelor's degree
$57,590 – $114,550130
24Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$80,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,540 – $136,240100
25Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$79,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,360 – $113,260100
26Respiratory Therapists$79,450
Associate's degree
$65,190 – $92,020110
27History Teachers, Postsecondary$79,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,640 – $128,71060
28Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$79,090
Associate's degree
$40,170 – $100,97060
29Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$78,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,350 – $95,68060
30Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$78,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,600 – $130,610160
31Accountants and Auditors$77,940
Bachelor's degree
$51,310 – $120,9101,020
32Financial and Investment Analysts$77,690
Bachelor's degree
$54,150 – $119,390120
33Business Teachers, Postsecondary$76,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,380 – $167,460300
34Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$75,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,740 – $131,090110
35Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary$75,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,270 – $144,82060
36Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary$75,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,140 – $118,43090
37Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$74,930
Associate's degree
$54,070 – $90,290250
38Chemists$74,890
Bachelor's degree
$53,500 – $129,65070
39Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$74,800
Master's degree
$48,640 – $151,820350
40Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$73,200
Bachelor's degree
$51,980 – $116,300100
41Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$72,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,560 – $127,610130
42Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$71,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,440 – $121,87090
43Logisticians$71,360
Bachelor's degree
$50,710 – $119,20070
44English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$69,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,870 – $101,590170
45Surgical Technologists$67,660
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,470 – $114,200170
46Physical Therapist Assistants$66,300
Associate's degree
$42,030 – $77,740110
47Teachers and Instructors, All Other$65,790
Bachelor's degree
$37,670 – $103,02070
48Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,970 – $77,680610
49Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$64,000
Bachelor's degree
$38,530 – $109,990620
50Human Resources Specialists$63,700
Bachelor's degree
$46,900 – $101,470670

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

#	Occupation	MedianSouth Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$173,140	$76,010 – $341,020	100
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$144,030	$110,800 – $164,290	270
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$129,620	$101,990 – $206,490	100
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$127,650	$81,370 – $170,170	70
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,220	$97,840 – $163,800	310
6	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,010	$81,200 – $135,400	150
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$103,050	$61,810 – $239,640	280
8	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,870	$73,360 – $134,350	110
9	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,270	$78,070 – $124,230	200
10	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,180	$71,840 – $142,710	180
11	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$95,500	$67,020 – $152,210	350
12	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,940	$62,850 – $124,320	340
13	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$93,540	$66,870 – $141,390	3,370
14	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$92,680	$59,830 – $115,610	140
15	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,860	$57,830 – $132,990	360
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,770	$60,780 – $146,410	190
17	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,820	$51,020 – $133,320	410
18	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,750	$62,640 – $136,430	150
19	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$82,890	$60,610 – $117,120	190
20	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$82,840	$58,820 – $98,320	70
21	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$82,750	$62,180 – $125,080	50
22	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$82,650	$78,530 – $97,060	280
23	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$81,570	$57,590 – $114,550	130
24	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,260	$52,540 – $136,240	100
25	Philosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,740	$59,360 – $113,260	100
26	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$79,450	$65,190 – $92,020	110
27	History Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,240	$62,640 – $128,710	60
28	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,090	$40,170 – $100,970	60
29	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$78,530	$50,350 – $95,680	60
30	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,080	$50,600 – $130,610	160
31	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,940	$51,310 – $120,910	1,020
32	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$77,690	$54,150 – $119,390	120
33	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,690	$62,380 – $167,460	300
34	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$75,960	$47,740 – $131,090	110
35	Sociology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$75,580	$46,270 – $144,820	60
36	Social Work Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$75,550	$61,140 – $118,430	90
37	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,930	$54,070 – $90,290	250
38	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$74,890	$53,500 – $129,650	70
39	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$74,800	$48,640 – $151,820	350
40	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$73,200	$51,980 – $116,300	100
41	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$72,980	$58,560 – $127,610	130
42	Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$71,950	$52,440 – $121,870	90
43	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$71,360	$50,710 – $119,200	70
44	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$69,180	$46,870 – $101,590	170
45	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,660	$52,470 – $114,200	170
46	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,300	$42,030 – $77,740	110
47	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$65,790	$37,670 – $103,020	70
48	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,240	$51,970 – $77,680	610
49	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,000	$38,530 – $109,990	620
50	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,700	$46,900 – $101,470	670

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI. 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI

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