High paying entry level jobs in Syracuse, NY

These occupations in Syracuse, NY 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 Syracuse, NY run 4.3% below the national average (2024), so a Syracuse, NY salary is worth about 1.04× 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 Syracuse, NY

OccupationMedian, Syracuse, NY · Employed

1Dentists, General$191,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,790 – $359,080190
2Optometrists$153,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,930 – $350,060100
3Pharmacists$149,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,060 – $171,850740
4Nuclear Engineers$141,200
Bachelor's degree
$120,600 – $162,690110
5Computer Hardware Engineers$141,180
Bachelor's degree
$84,050 – $192,260100
6Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$138,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,410 – $299,430160
7Physician Assistants$133,000
Master's degree
$101,200 – $170,600590
8Nurse Practitioners$132,010
Master's degree
$101,290 – $161,490910
9Software Developers$129,100
Bachelor's degree
$82,200 – $172,8302,180
10Lawyers$128,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,750 – $311,9601,190
11Engineers, All Other$126,400
Bachelor's degree
$79,290 – $172,920340
12Veterinarians$124,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,030 – $200,610130
13Financial Risk Specialists$122,740
Bachelor's degree
$74,990 – $183,740100
14Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$121,260
Bachelor's degree
$81,530 – $175,390190
15Electrical Engineers$111,070
Bachelor's degree
$76,100 – $162,590700
16Data Scientists$108,680
Bachelor's degree
$63,640 – $166,930350
17Project Management Specialists$105,390
Bachelor's degree
$65,370 – $165,6501,800
18Mechanical Engineers$105,020
Bachelor's degree
$77,140 – $156,890620
19Industrial Engineers$104,360
Bachelor's degree
$78,980 – $136,650830
20Financial and Investment Analysts$103,900
Bachelor's degree
$71,810 – $168,080500
21Business Teachers, Postsecondary$102,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,300 – $171,240290
22Civil Engineers$102,330
Bachelor's degree
$72,110 – $164,830830
23Computer Programmers$99,920
Bachelor's degree
$65,480 – $128,810210
24History Teachers, Postsecondary$98,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,390 – $132,180100
25Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$97,950
Bachelor's degree
$58,810 – $131,510200
26Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$97,910
Associate's degree
$77,180 – $119,850210
27Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$97,900
Associate's degree
$57,940 – $111,260100
28Computer Systems Analysts$95,380
Bachelor's degree
$66,690 – $137,290650
29Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$95,180
Bachelor's degree
$63,250 – $126,620280
30Environmental Engineers$94,330
Bachelor's degree
$67,220 – $132,590220
31Computer Occupations, All Other$94,200
Bachelor's degree
$55,570 – $152,690240
32Dental Hygienists$93,640
Associate's degree
$79,660 – $102,760580
33Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$93,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,740 – $174,340300
34Physical Therapists$92,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,290 – $121,730700
35Network and Computer Systems Administrators$92,050
Bachelor's degree
$64,650 – $131,300520
36Social Workers, All Other$91,370
Bachelor's degree
$52,030 – $114,650120
37Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$90,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,950 – $132,580140
38Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$87,860
Associate's degree
$66,150 – $107,600660
39Registered Nurses$86,960
Bachelor's degree
$70,350 – $108,8308,180
40Occupational Therapists$86,110
Master's degree
$64,830 – $119,980470
41Respiratory Therapists$85,860
Associate's degree
$68,330 – $102,720280
42Logisticians$84,040
Bachelor's degree
$63,390 – $127,780260
43Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$82,830
Associate's degree
$48,760 – $125,820360
44Accountants and Auditors$82,230
Bachelor's degree
$58,230 – $133,4102,710
45Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$81,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,020 – $131,120100
46Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$81,420
Master's degree
$49,000 – $212,480320
47Business Operations Specialists, All Other$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$46,900 – $133,520920
48Web and Digital Interface Designers$80,710
Bachelor's degree
$43,310 – $156,540180
49Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$79,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,540 – $114,000220
50Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$79,250
Bachelor's degree
$47,640 – $109,950480

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

#	Occupation	MedianSyracuse, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$191,830	$82,790 – $359,080	190
2	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$153,790	$100,930 – $350,060	100
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$149,510	$114,060 – $171,850	740
4	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$141,200	$120,600 – $162,690	110
5	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$141,180	$84,050 – $192,260	100
6	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,940	$73,410 – $299,430	160
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,000	$101,200 – $170,600	590
8	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,010	$101,290 – $161,490	910
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$129,100	$82,200 – $172,830	2,180
10	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$128,910	$74,750 – $311,960	1,190
11	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$126,400	$79,290 – $172,920	340
12	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,400	$86,030 – $200,610	130
13	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$122,740	$74,990 – $183,740	100
14	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$121,260	$81,530 – $175,390	190
15	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$111,070	$76,100 – $162,590	700
16	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$108,680	$63,640 – $166,930	350
17	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$105,390	$65,370 – $165,650	1,800
18	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,020	$77,140 – $156,890	620
19	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,360	$78,980 – $136,650	830
20	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,900	$71,810 – $168,080	500
21	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,480	$54,300 – $171,240	290
22	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,330	$72,110 – $164,830	830
23	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$99,920	$65,480 – $128,810	210
24	History Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$98,720	$78,390 – $132,180	100
25	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$97,950	$58,810 – $131,510	200
26	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$97,910	$77,180 – $119,850	210
27	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$97,900	$57,940 – $111,260	100
28	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,380	$66,690 – $137,290	650
29	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$95,180	$63,250 – $126,620	280
30	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,330	$67,220 – $132,590	220
31	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,200	$55,570 – $152,690	240
32	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$93,640	$79,660 – $102,760	580
33	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,470	$60,740 – $174,340	300
34	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$92,080	$67,290 – $121,730	700
35	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$92,050	$64,650 – $131,300	520
36	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$91,370	$52,030 – $114,650	120
37	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$90,670	$50,950 – $132,580	140
38	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$87,860	$66,150 – $107,600	660
39	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$86,960	$70,350 – $108,830	8,180
40	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$86,110	$64,830 – $119,980	470
41	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$85,860	$68,330 – $102,720	280
42	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$84,040	$63,390 – $127,780	260
43	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,830	$48,760 – $125,820	360
44	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$82,230	$58,230 – $133,410	2,710
45	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$81,540	$64,020 – $131,120	100
46	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$81,420	$49,000 – $212,480	320
47	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,330	$46,900 – $133,520	920
48	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$80,710	$43,310 – $156,540	180
49	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,420	$47,540 – $114,000	220
50	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$79,250	$47,640 – $109,950	480

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

High paying entry level jobs in Syracuse, NY

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