High paying entry level jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

These occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC run 2.1% below the national average (2024), so a Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC salary is worth about 1.02× 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

OccupationMedian, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC · Employed

1Dentists, General$177,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,470 – $298,950720
2Aerospace Engineers$139,010
Bachelor's degree
$92,930 – $193,250800
3Engineers, All Other$138,590
Bachelor's degree
$83,660 – $188,2801,250
4Pharmacists$136,280
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,810 – $166,4001,470
5Lawyers$133,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,690 – $313,6802,280
6Computer and Information Research Scientists$132,870
Master's degree
$87,340 – $181,400460
7Computer Hardware Engineers$131,710
Bachelor's degree
$81,700 – $193,040280
8Software Developers$129,090
Bachelor's degree
$80,090 – $178,8307,160
9Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$127,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,060 – $215,090360
10Physician Assistants$126,430
Master's degree
$96,360 – $172,860780
11Nurse Practitioners$124,530
Master's degree
$101,530 – $143,5301,300
12Veterinarians$122,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,850 – $212,610500
13Physical Scientists, All Other$117,640
Bachelor's degree
$65,670 – $193,250310
14Computer Occupations, All Other$116,920
Bachelor's degree
$75,030 – $152,5703,490
15Operations Research Analysts$114,070
Bachelor's degree
$65,040 – $164,280470
16Physicists$110,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$92,930 – $191,360240
17Nuclear Engineers$110,510
Bachelor's degree
$77,520 – $160,6201,260
18Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$107,910
Bachelor's degree
$75,030 – $139,030440
19Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$105,970
Bachelor's degree
$69,300 – $152,580720
20Project Management Specialists$104,920
Bachelor's degree
$62,550 – $166,1806,040
21Business Teachers, Postsecondary$103,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,440 – $281,030480
22Computer Systems Analysts$103,760
Bachelor's degree
$68,660 – $185,1002,290
23Web Developers$103,440
Bachelor's degree
$62,060 – $162,840400
24Electrical Engineers$103,210
Bachelor's degree
$79,820 – $152,5801,410
25Computer Programmers$103,070
Bachelor's degree
$66,150 – $153,350280
26Environmental Engineers$102,110
Bachelor's degree
$66,820 – $139,030270
27Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$102,060
Bachelor's degree
$80,700 – $162,690810
28Industrial Engineers$101,500
Bachelor's degree
$72,490 – $138,2401,060
29Physical Therapists$100,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,650 – $128,1501,470
30Data Scientists$100,300
Bachelor's degree
$60,740 – $158,210770
31Mechanical Engineers$100,280
Bachelor's degree
$77,520 – $135,5502,210
32Surgical Assistants$99,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,670 – $126,560270
33Occupational Therapists$99,400
Master's degree
$48,000 – $131,370830
34Dental Hygienists$98,890
Associate's degree
$93,630 – $105,730940
35Network and Computer Systems Administrators$98,640
Bachelor's degree
$64,440 – $148,4401,670
36Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$96,870
Associate's degree
$59,290 – $131,2101,430
37Financial and Investment Analysts$95,170
Bachelor's degree
$62,940 – $143,870940
38Civil Engineers$94,680
Bachelor's degree
$65,770 – $136,5101,990
39Social Workers, All Other$94,220
Bachelor's degree
$62,240 – $123,220260
40Database Administrators$92,800
Bachelor's degree
$54,190 – $145,940460
41Logisticians$91,460
Bachelor's degree
$63,000 – $127,9002,600
42Budget Analysts$90,020
Bachelor's degree
$64,080 – $127,810440
43Biological Scientists, All Other$90,020
Bachelor's degree
$55,300 – $116,920300
44Financial Specialists, All Other$89,920
Bachelor's degree
$50,690 – $121,2001,210
45Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$89,920
Bachelor's degree
$56,050 – $123,470940
46Registered Nurses$89,450
Bachelor's degree
$63,750 – $114,61016,870
47Business Operations Specialists, All Other$87,530
Bachelor's degree
$47,640 – $127,9508,670
48Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$86,630
Associate's degree
$75,620 – $104,770370
49Urban and Regional Planners$82,760
Master's degree
$59,960 – $121,830340
50Teachers and Instructors, All Other$82,530
Bachelor's degree
$57,390 – $116,920790

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

#	Occupation	MedianVirginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$177,400	$106,470 – $298,950	720
2	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$139,010	$92,930 – $193,250	800
3	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$138,590	$83,660 – $188,280	1,250
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,280	$109,810 – $166,400	1,470
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$133,380	$75,690 – $313,680	2,280
6	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$132,870	$87,340 – $181,400	460
7	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$131,710	$81,700 – $193,040	280
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$129,090	$80,090 – $178,830	7,160
9	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$127,540	$65,060 – $215,090	360
10	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$126,430	$96,360 – $172,860	780
11	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,530	$101,530 – $143,530	1,300
12	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$122,010	$54,850 – $212,610	500
13	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$117,640	$65,670 – $193,250	310
14	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$116,920	$75,030 – $152,570	3,490
15	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$114,070	$65,040 – $164,280	470
16	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$110,930	$92,930 – $191,360	240
17	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,510	$77,520 – $160,620	1,260
18	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,910	$75,030 – $139,030	440
19	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$105,970	$69,300 – $152,580	720
20	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,920	$62,550 – $166,180	6,040
21	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,860	$42,440 – $281,030	480
22	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,760	$68,660 – $185,100	2,290
23	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$103,440	$62,060 – $162,840	400
24	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,210	$79,820 – $152,580	1,410
25	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$103,070	$66,150 – $153,350	280
26	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,110	$66,820 – $139,030	270
27	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$102,060	$80,700 – $162,690	810
28	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,500	$72,490 – $138,240	1,060
29	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,840	$67,650 – $128,150	1,470
30	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$100,300	$60,740 – $158,210	770
31	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,280	$77,520 – $135,550	2,210
32	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,530	$50,670 – $126,560	270
33	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,400	$48,000 – $131,370	830
34	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,890	$93,630 – $105,730	940
35	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$98,640	$64,440 – $148,440	1,670
36	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$96,870	$59,290 – $131,210	1,430
37	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,170	$62,940 – $143,870	940
38	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,680	$65,770 – $136,510	1,990
39	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,220	$62,240 – $123,220	260
40	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$92,800	$54,190 – $145,940	460
41	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$91,460	$63,000 – $127,900	2,600
42	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,020	$64,080 – $127,810	440
43	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,020	$55,300 – $116,920	300
44	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$89,920	$50,690 – $121,200	1,210
45	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$89,920	$56,050 – $123,470	940
46	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$89,450	$63,750 – $114,610	16,870
47	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$87,530	$47,640 – $127,950	8,670
48	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$86,630	$75,620 – $104,770	370
49	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$82,760	$59,960 – $121,830	340
50	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,530	$57,390 – $116,920	790

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

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