High paying entry level jobs in Tucson, AZ

These occupations in Tucson, AZ 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 Tucson, AZ run 3.1% below the national average (2024), so a Tucson, AZ salary is worth about 1.03× 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 Tucson, AZ

OccupationMedian, Tucson, AZ · Employed

1Dentists, General$182,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,950 – $267,980330
2Pharmacists$147,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,760 – $175,3701,010
3Veterinarians$131,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,890 – $230,150250
4Physician Assistants$129,880
Master's degree
$99,760 – $206,680290
5Nurse Practitioners$129,340
Master's degree
$104,060 – $173,270820
6Computer Hardware Engineers$129,340
Bachelor's degree
$100,410 – $163,640180
7Software Developers$123,710
Bachelor's degree
$79,090 – $184,8204,060
8Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$119,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,330 – $139,960190
9Electrical Engineers$117,470
Bachelor's degree
$78,390 – $177,1301,690
10Lawyers$107,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,300 – $218,5301,690
11Aerospace Engineers$106,760
Bachelor's degree
$78,250 – $169,9901,720
12Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers$106,220
Bachelor's degree
$97,460 – $230,180140
13Engineers, All Other$104,030
Bachelor's degree
$59,650 – $153,210250
14Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$102,950
Bachelor's degree
$64,740 – $162,780240
15Physical Therapists$102,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,410 – $136,580660
16Occupational Therapists$100,920
Master's degree
$80,550 – $125,060310
17Database Administrators$100,790
Bachelor's degree
$66,690 – $130,920130
18Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$100,650
Bachelor's degree
$71,240 – $144,390430
19Mechanical Engineers$99,750
Bachelor's degree
$75,990 – $155,280980
20Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$99,320
Bachelor's degree
$66,300 – $128,860200
21Computer Systems Analysts$98,100
Bachelor's degree
$64,210 – $132,390910
22Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$96,910
Associate's degree
$77,000 – $117,060230
23Dental Hygienists$96,740
Associate's degree
$85,980 – $102,760490
24Biological Scientists, All Other$96,300
Bachelor's degree
$62,250 – $244,170130
25Materials Engineers$95,930
Bachelor's degree
$82,040 – $159,050150
26Industrial Engineers$95,700
Bachelor's degree
$77,460 – $152,9101,010
27Registered Nurses$94,110
Bachelor's degree
$65,880 – $128,54010,120
28Project Management Specialists$91,500
Bachelor's degree
$58,530 – $154,4802,310
29Computer Programmers$88,990
Bachelor's degree
$61,750 – $128,620230
30Network and Computer Systems Administrators$87,780
Bachelor's degree
$62,700 – $128,290610
31Business Operations Specialists, All Other$84,360
Bachelor's degree
$54,510 – $126,5501,420
32Data Scientists$83,650
Bachelor's degree
$62,830 – $134,280360
33Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$83,290
Associate's degree
$62,340 – $117,540520
34Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$83,200
Bachelor's degree
$57,540 – $134,630320
35Civil Engineers$81,490
Bachelor's degree
$61,850 – $132,430760
36Avionics Technicians$80,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,980 – $97,720240
37Web Developers$79,060
Bachelor's degree
$49,800 – $180,010170
38Respiratory Therapists$78,320
Associate's degree
$60,440 – $93,390540
39Logisticians$77,410
Bachelor's degree
$53,410 – $124,740900
40Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$76,330
Bachelor's degree
$52,140 – $143,690240
41Accountants and Auditors$76,320
Bachelor's degree
$52,580 – $121,6002,570
42Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$76,190
Associate's degree
$39,010 – $168,320260
43Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$75,940
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,890 – $87,8601,150
44Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$75,460
Associate's degree
$59,190 – $94,640560
45Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians$75,230
Associate's degree
$61,530 – $94,390210
46Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$74,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,780 – $99,530390
47Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$73,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,690 – $91,7301,390
48Occupational Therapy Assistants$71,480
Associate's degree
$50,010 – $80,200160
49Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$69,730
Associate's degree
$49,570 – $91,020280
50Architectural and Civil Drafters$68,640
Associate's degree
$46,520 – $99,450210

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

#	Occupation	MedianTucson, AZ	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$182,200	$86,950 – $267,980	330
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$147,420	$72,760 – $175,370	1,010
3	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$131,540	$76,890 – $230,150	250
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$129,880	$99,760 – $206,680	290
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,340	$104,060 – $173,270	820
6	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,340	$100,410 – $163,640	180
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$123,710	$79,090 – $184,820	4,060
8	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$119,630	$63,330 – $139,960	190
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,470	$78,390 – $177,130	1,690
10	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$107,510	$64,300 – $218,530	1,690
11	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,760	$78,250 – $169,990	1,720
12	Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,220	$97,460 – $230,180	140
13	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,030	$59,650 – $153,210	250
14	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$102,950	$64,740 – $162,780	240
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,420	$80,410 – $136,580	660
16	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$100,920	$80,550 – $125,060	310
17	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$100,790	$66,690 – $130,920	130
18	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$100,650	$71,240 – $144,390	430
19	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,750	$75,990 – $155,280	980
20	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,320	$66,300 – $128,860	200
21	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,100	$64,210 – $132,390	910
22	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$96,910	$77,000 – $117,060	230
23	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$96,740	$85,980 – $102,760	490
24	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,300	$62,250 – $244,170	130
25	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,930	$82,040 – $159,050	150
26	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,700	$77,460 – $152,910	1,010
27	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$94,110	$65,880 – $128,540	10,120
28	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,500	$58,530 – $154,480	2,310
29	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$88,990	$61,750 – $128,620	230
30	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$87,780	$62,700 – $128,290	610
31	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,360	$54,510 – $126,550	1,420
32	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$83,650	$62,830 – $134,280	360
33	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$83,290	$62,340 – $117,540	520
34	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,200	$57,540 – $134,630	320
35	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$81,490	$61,850 – $132,430	760
36	Avionics TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,620	$62,980 – $97,720	240
37	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$79,060	$49,800 – $180,010	170
38	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,320	$60,440 – $93,390	540
39	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$77,410	$53,410 – $124,740	900
40	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$76,330	$52,140 – $143,690	240
41	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,320	$52,580 – $121,600	2,570
42	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,190	$39,010 – $168,320	260
43	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,940	$59,890 – $87,860	1,150
44	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,460	$59,190 – $94,640	560
45	Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,230	$61,530 – $94,390	210
46	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$74,750	$61,780 – $99,530	390
47	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,340	$51,690 – $91,730	1,390
48	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$71,480	$50,010 – $80,200	160
49	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,730	$49,570 – $91,020	280
50	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$68,640	$46,520 – $99,450	210

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

High paying entry level jobs in Tucson, AZ

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