High paying entry level jobs in Springfield, MO

These occupations in Springfield, MO 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 Springfield, MO run 11.4% below the national average (2024), so a Springfield, MO salary is worth about 1.13× 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 Springfield, MO

OccupationMedian, Springfield, MO · Employed

1Dentists, General$214,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,550 – $354,750250
2Optometrists$138,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,990 – $174,21070
3Pharmacists$134,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,700 – $161,750560
4Physician Assistants$129,270
Master's degree
$110,180 – $159,360300
5Nurse Practitioners$125,630
Master's degree
$95,290 – $152,960660
6Electrical Engineers$110,610
Bachelor's degree
$72,780 – $167,39080
7Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$106,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,770 – $176,42080
8Lawyers$103,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,700 – $221,020710
9Veterinarians$102,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,090 – $176,360140
10Software Developers$102,350
Bachelor's degree
$62,000 – $155,750690
11Physical Therapists$97,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,850 – $117,120410
12Occupational Therapists$97,200
Master's degree
$71,720 – $123,860270
13Financial and Investment Analysts$93,310
Bachelor's degree
$62,510 – $149,640160
14Dental Hygienists$85,840
Associate's degree
$53,530 – $97,050360
15Database Administrators$85,130
Bachelor's degree
$51,770 – $134,98070
16Industrial Engineers$84,320
Bachelor's degree
$61,500 – $130,870270
17Civil Engineers$82,800
Bachelor's degree
$65,070 – $134,450350
18Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$81,490
Associate's degree
$67,070 – $102,970130
19Data Scientists$81,310
Bachelor's degree
$54,910 – $124,510190
20Computer Programmers$80,640
Bachelor's degree
$50,690 – $125,38090
21Mechanical Engineers$80,020
Bachelor's degree
$60,520 – $131,500210
22Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$79,560
Bachelor's degree
$42,270 – $116,950170
23Network and Computer Systems Administrators$79,420
Bachelor's degree
$47,510 – $128,790260
24Registered Nurses$79,370
Bachelor's degree
$64,560 – $101,1706,820
25Business Teachers, Postsecondary$78,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,280 – $175,250180
26Computer Systems Analysts$78,200
Bachelor's degree
$51,590 – $125,950350
27Project Management Specialists$78,060
Bachelor's degree
$49,860 – $126,3501,230
28Computer Occupations, All Other$76,430
Bachelor's degree
$45,450 – $144,610690
29Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$75,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,040 – $130,71090
30Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$74,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,460 – $139,18080
31Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$74,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,970 – $148,29080
32Accountants and Auditors$73,020
Bachelor's degree
$48,850 – $120,7202,070
33Business Operations Specialists, All Other$72,700
Bachelor's degree
$46,870 – $123,840570
34Respiratory Therapists$72,490
Associate's degree
$63,160 – $82,320310
35Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$72,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,390 – $115,760130
36Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$70,130
Master's degree
$45,030 – $107,760180
37Logisticians$69,740
Bachelor's degree
$47,390 – $120,240210
38Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$67,720
Associate's degree
$36,640 – $127,410130
39Massage Therapists$66,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,630 – $111,890120
40English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$65,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,800 – $105,450150
41Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$64,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$41,180 – $107,64070
42Mechanical Drafters$64,330
Associate's degree
$48,220 – $80,82090
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$63,810
Associate's degree
$39,210 – $95,520540
44Credit Analysts$63,290
Bachelor's degree
$47,760 – $101,90080
45Human Resources Specialists$63,140
Bachelor's degree
$40,920 – $99,2401,270
46Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$62,800
Associate's degree
$45,400 – $96,100110
47Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$62,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,820 – $77,610200
48Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$61,600
Bachelor's degree
$50,130 – $101,320130
49Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$61,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,610 – $127,360140
50Physical Therapist Assistants$61,420
Associate's degree
$49,020 – $76,800190

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

#	Occupation	MedianSpringfield, MO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$214,100	$124,550 – $354,750	250
2	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,160	$95,990 – $174,210	70
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,990	$79,700 – $161,750	560
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$129,270	$110,180 – $159,360	300
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$125,630	$95,290 – $152,960	660
6	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,610	$72,780 – $167,390	80
7	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,630	$59,770 – $176,420	80
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$103,790	$73,700 – $221,020	710
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$102,740	$62,090 – $176,360	140
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$102,350	$62,000 – $155,750	690
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,270	$75,850 – $117,120	410
12	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$97,200	$71,720 – $123,860	270
13	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,310	$62,510 – $149,640	160
14	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$85,840	$53,530 – $97,050	360
15	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$85,130	$51,770 – $134,980	70
16	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,320	$61,500 – $130,870	270
17	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$82,800	$65,070 – $134,450	350
18	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$81,490	$67,070 – $102,970	130
19	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$81,310	$54,910 – $124,510	190
20	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$80,640	$50,690 – $125,380	90
21	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$80,020	$60,520 – $131,500	210
22	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,560	$42,270 – $116,950	170
23	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$79,420	$47,510 – $128,790	260
24	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,370	$64,560 – $101,170	6,820
25	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,640	$49,280 – $175,250	180
26	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$78,200	$51,590 – $125,950	350
27	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,060	$49,860 – $126,350	1,230
28	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,430	$45,450 – $144,610	690
29	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$75,250	$52,040 – $130,710	90
30	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$74,880	$49,460 – $139,180	80
31	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$74,270	$48,970 – $148,290	80
32	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$73,020	$48,850 – $120,720	2,070
33	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$72,700	$46,870 – $123,840	570
34	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$72,490	$63,160 – $82,320	310
35	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$72,160	$55,390 – $115,760	130
36	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$70,130	$45,030 – $107,760	180
37	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$69,740	$47,390 – $120,240	210
38	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,720	$36,640 – $127,410	130
39	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,150	$44,630 – $111,890	120
40	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$65,490	$46,800 – $105,450	150
41	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$64,960	$41,180 – $107,640	70
42	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$64,330	$48,220 – $80,820	90
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,810	$39,210 – $95,520	540
44	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$63,290	$47,760 – $101,900	80
45	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,140	$40,920 – $99,240	1,270
46	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,800	$45,400 – $96,100	110
47	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,770	$46,820 – $77,610	200
48	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$61,600	$50,130 – $101,320	130
49	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$61,540	$48,610 – $127,360	140
50	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,420	$49,020 – $76,800	190

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Springfield, MO. 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 Springfield, MO to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Springfield, MO

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