High paying entry level jobs in Topeka, KS

These occupations in Topeka, KS 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 Topeka, KS run 11.2% below the national average (2024), so a Topeka, KS 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 Topeka, KS

OccupationMedian, Topeka, KS · Employed

1Dentists, General$164,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,660 – $328,22070
2Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$162,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,060 – $219,10080
3Pharmacists$140,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,420 – $169,310280
4Nurse Practitioners$132,740
Master's degree
$108,930 – $163,660500
5Physician Assistants$129,800
Master's degree
$95,990 – $175,59060
6Electrical Engineers$125,330
Bachelor's degree
$81,600 – $153,480220
7Software Developers$111,870
Bachelor's degree
$67,000 – $158,2101,500
8Veterinarians$107,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,500 – $205,10080
9Lawyers$102,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,480 – $164,170680
10Industrial Engineers$102,480
Bachelor's degree
$77,930 – $160,660180
11Project Management Specialists$100,000
Bachelor's degree
$60,880 – $152,100520
12Occupational Therapists$99,070
Master's degree
$66,720 – $124,540120
13Mechanical Engineers$98,620
Bachelor's degree
$75,730 – $130,540160
14Computer Occupations, All Other$97,680
Bachelor's degree
$56,830 – $139,210140
15Physical Therapists$97,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,490 – $124,700190
16Data Scientists$94,780
Bachelor's degree
$57,190 – $147,42040
17Logisticians$94,200
Bachelor's degree
$62,410 – $124,650130
18Civil Engineers$93,740
Bachelor's degree
$66,560 – $134,530300
19Computer Programmers$92,960
Bachelor's degree
$55,000 – $158,87060
20Budget Analysts$91,350
Bachelor's degree
$70,870 – $117,08040
21Network and Computer Systems Administrators$91,000
Bachelor's degree
$58,510 – $139,860440
22Environmental Engineers$89,110
Bachelor's degree
$66,560 – $108,43040
23Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$88,590
Bachelor's degree
$56,750 – $121,430120
24Dental Hygienists$88,220
Associate's degree
$79,880 – $93,050240
25Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$85,160
Bachelor's degree
$74,530 – $102,07060
26Database Administrators$84,880
Bachelor's degree
$65,610 – $119,93050
27Financial and Investment Analysts$84,500
Bachelor's degree
$61,690 – $127,450160
28Computer Systems Analysts$84,130
Bachelor's degree
$59,820 – $125,320220
29Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$82,040
Associate's degree
$59,670 – $101,580190
30Registered Nurses$81,820
Bachelor's degree
$67,070 – $104,2803,190
31Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$80,670
Bachelor's degree
$55,680 – $118,440110
32Web Developers$77,570
Bachelor's degree
$48,940 – $140,15040
33Respiratory Therapists$77,190
Associate's degree
$51,780 – $84,440120
34Human Resources Specialists$76,690
Bachelor's degree
$49,120 – $113,610720
35Accountants and Auditors$76,280
Bachelor's degree
$51,540 – $118,0801,420
36Business Operations Specialists, All Other$75,550
Bachelor's degree
$43,950 – $125,0801,000
37Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$71,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$55,340 – $97,500110
38Urban and Regional Planners$69,830
Master's degree
$57,430 – $116,14040
39Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$69,740
Associate's degree
$44,010 – $111,57040
40Engineers, All Other$67,720
Bachelor's degree
$48,830 – $139,36080
41Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$65,340
Bachelor's degree
$37,370 – $124,050620
42Operations Research Analysts$65,230
Bachelor's degree
$48,460 – $85,98060
43Physical Therapist Assistants$64,250
Associate's degree
$51,170 – $74,900170
44Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$64,230
Bachelor's degree
$39,950 – $98,200290
45Credit Analysts$63,820
Bachelor's degree
$52,190 – $99,36050
46Medical Records Specialists$62,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,240 – $104,530310
47Public Relations Specialists$62,410
Bachelor's degree
$44,060 – $111,370320
48Health Education Specialists$62,340
Bachelor's degree
$46,090 – $93,06050
49Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,390 – $78,280840
50Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$61,960
Master's degree
$45,830 – $72,940200

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

#	Occupation	MedianTopeka, KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$164,670	$90,660 – $328,220	70
2	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$162,810	$63,060 – $219,100	80
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,820	$74,420 – $169,310	280
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,740	$108,930 – $163,660	500
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$129,800	$95,990 – $175,590	60
6	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$125,330	$81,600 – $153,480	220
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$111,870	$67,000 – $158,210	1,500
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$107,990	$80,500 – $205,100	80
9	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$102,500	$76,480 – $164,170	680
10	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,480	$77,930 – $160,660	180
11	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,000	$60,880 – $152,100	520
12	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,070	$66,720 – $124,540	120
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,620	$75,730 – $130,540	160
14	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,680	$56,830 – $139,210	140
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,570	$73,490 – $124,700	190
16	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$94,780	$57,190 – $147,420	40
17	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$94,200	$62,410 – $124,650	130
18	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,740	$66,560 – $134,530	300
19	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$92,960	$55,000 – $158,870	60
20	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,350	$70,870 – $117,080	40
21	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$91,000	$58,510 – $139,860	440
22	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$89,110	$66,560 – $108,430	40
23	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$88,590	$56,750 – $121,430	120
24	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$88,220	$79,880 – $93,050	240
25	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$85,160	$74,530 – $102,070	60
26	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$84,880	$65,610 – $119,930	50
27	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,500	$61,690 – $127,450	160
28	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,130	$59,820 – $125,320	220
29	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,040	$59,670 – $101,580	190
30	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,820	$67,070 – $104,280	3,190
31	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,670	$55,680 – $118,440	110
32	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$77,570	$48,940 – $140,150	40
33	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$77,190	$51,780 – $84,440	120
34	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,690	$49,120 – $113,610	720
35	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,280	$51,540 – $118,080	1,420
36	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$75,550	$43,950 – $125,080	1,000
37	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,450	$55,340 – $97,500	110
38	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$69,830	$57,430 – $116,140	40
39	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$69,740	$44,010 – $111,570	40
40	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$67,720	$48,830 – $139,360	80
41	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,340	$37,370 – $124,050	620
42	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$65,230	$48,460 – $85,980	60
43	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,250	$51,170 – $74,900	170
44	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$64,230	$39,950 – $98,200	290
45	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$63,820	$52,190 – $99,360	50
46	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,470	$42,240 – $104,530	310
47	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,410	$44,060 – $111,370	320
48	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,340	$46,090 – $93,060	50
49	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,210	$52,390 – $78,280	840
50	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$61,960	$45,830 – $72,940	200

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

High paying entry level jobs in Topeka, KS

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