High paying entry level jobs in Waco, TX

These occupations in Waco, TX 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 Waco, TX run 7.5% below the national average (2024), so a Waco, TX salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Waco, TX

OccupationMedian, Waco, TX · Employed

1Pharmacists$150,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$118,600 – $173,500180
2Dentists, General$145,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,120 – $285,990100
3Physician Assistants$131,000
Master's degree
$99,010 – $161,47090
4Lawyers$130,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,940 – $244,060280
5Nurse Practitioners$128,920
Master's degree
$100,590 – $163,880210
6Software Developers$123,080
Bachelor's degree
$74,740 – $160,880490
7Veterinarians$122,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,170 – $196,63050
8Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$117,700
Bachelor's degree
$68,580 – $191,00040
9Electrical Engineers$108,940
Bachelor's degree
$70,890 – $159,810140
10Social Workers, All Other$105,830
Bachelor's degree
$46,150 – $125,67050
11Engineers, All Other$103,670
Bachelor's degree
$61,220 – $159,56060
12Industrial Engineers$101,910
Bachelor's degree
$63,500 – $134,550250
13Occupational Therapists$101,500
Master's degree
$70,850 – $131,820130
14Physical Therapists$100,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,120 – $131,060250
15Physical Scientists, All Other$97,400
Bachelor's degree
$63,900 – $125,32050
16Mechanical Engineers$96,680
Bachelor's degree
$68,750 – $156,520200
17Data Scientists$95,730
Bachelor's degree
$56,370 – $154,090100
18Computer Systems Analysts$95,470
Bachelor's degree
$65,490 – $142,110180
19Dental Hygienists$95,340
Associate's degree
$80,960 – $100,530150
20Registered Nurses$92,890
Bachelor's degree
$69,690 – $118,4602,570
21Computer Occupations, All Other$89,190
Bachelor's degree
$48,380 – $153,710200
22Network and Computer Systems Administrators$87,000
Bachelor's degree
$56,730 – $127,710260
23Computer Programmers$86,900
Bachelor's degree
$61,150 – $116,85070
24Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$83,150
Bachelor's degree
$48,610 – $133,00080
25Financial and Investment Analysts$81,350
Bachelor's degree
$60,770 – $163,100140
26Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$80,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,720 – $93,020350
27Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$80,580
Associate's degree
$44,540 – $107,40040
28Business Operations Specialists, All Other$79,440
Bachelor's degree
$45,150 – $121,260810
29Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$79,360
Associate's degree
$36,520 – $104,82080
30Project Management Specialists$78,580
Bachelor's degree
$51,650 – $129,430920
31Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,260
Associate's degree
$47,120 – $101,720190
32Occupational Therapy Assistants$77,170
Associate's degree
$60,900 – $90,88050
33Physical Therapist Assistants$76,340
Associate's degree
$42,240 – $100,270140
34Accountants and Auditors$76,140
Bachelor's degree
$52,590 – $122,330860
35Respiratory Therapists$75,370
Associate's degree
$65,360 – $91,760100
36Civil Engineers$75,120
Bachelor's degree
$58,990 – $126,570200
37Massage Therapists$72,560
Postsecondary nondegree award
$29,530 – $105,49060
38Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$72,500
Associate's degree
$46,530 – $107,01070
39Logisticians$70,730
Bachelor's degree
$47,100 – $111,300110
40Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$70,220
Bachelor's degree
$46,490 – $113,350140
41Conservation Scientists$68,620
Bachelor's degree
$53,440 – $81,31040
42Surgical Technologists$66,020
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,730 – $80,35090
43Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$65,630
Master's degree
$43,590 – $96,520380
44Financial Specialists, All Other$65,170
Bachelor's degree
$45,300 – $106,920100
45Tutors$64,750
Some college, no degree
$32,670 – $64,75050
46Fundraisers$64,120
Bachelor's degree
$47,950 – $86,28070
47Human Resources Specialists$63,320
Bachelor's degree
$39,990 – $106,810590
48Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$63,290
Master's degree
$34,930 – $93,960130
49Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,050 – $78,570780
50Chemists$61,880
Bachelor's degree
$48,590 – $96,22050

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

#	Occupation	MedianWaco, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$150,710	$118,600 – $173,500	180
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$145,630	$55,120 – $285,990	100
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,000	$99,010 – $161,470	90
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$130,230	$80,940 – $244,060	280
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,920	$100,590 – $163,880	210
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$123,080	$74,740 – $160,880	490
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$122,920	$97,170 – $196,630	50
8	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$117,700	$68,580 – $191,000	40
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,940	$70,890 – $159,810	140
10	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$105,830	$46,150 – $125,670	50
11	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$103,670	$61,220 – $159,560	60
12	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,910	$63,500 – $134,550	250
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$101,500	$70,850 – $131,820	130
14	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,390	$76,120 – $131,060	250
15	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,400	$63,900 – $125,320	50
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,680	$68,750 – $156,520	200
17	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$95,730	$56,370 – $154,090	100
18	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,470	$65,490 – $142,110	180
19	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$95,340	$80,960 – $100,530	150
20	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$92,890	$69,690 – $118,460	2,570
21	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$89,190	$48,380 – $153,710	200
22	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$87,000	$56,730 – $127,710	260
23	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$86,900	$61,150 – $116,850	70
24	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$83,150	$48,610 – $133,000	80
25	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$81,350	$60,770 – $163,100	140
26	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,580	$44,720 – $93,020	350
27	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,580	$44,540 – $107,400	40
28	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,440	$45,150 – $121,260	810
29	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,360	$36,520 – $104,820	80
30	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,580	$51,650 – $129,430	920
31	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,260	$47,120 – $101,720	190
32	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$77,170	$60,900 – $90,880	50
33	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$76,340	$42,240 – $100,270	140
34	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,140	$52,590 – $122,330	860
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$75,370	$65,360 – $91,760	100
36	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$75,120	$58,990 – $126,570	200
37	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,560	$29,530 – $105,490	60
38	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$72,500	$46,530 – $107,010	70
39	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$70,730	$47,100 – $111,300	110
40	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,220	$46,490 – $113,350	140
41	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$68,620	$53,440 – $81,310	40
42	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,020	$51,730 – $80,350	90
43	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$65,630	$43,590 – $96,520	380
44	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$65,170	$45,300 – $106,920	100
45	TutorsSome college, no degree	$64,750	$32,670 – $64,750	50
46	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$64,120	$47,950 – $86,280	70
47	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,320	$39,990 – $106,810	590
48	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$63,290	$34,930 – $93,960	130
49	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,070	$51,050 – $78,570	780
50	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$61,880	$48,590 – $96,220	50

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

High paying entry level jobs in Waco, TX

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