High paying entry level jobs in Winston-Salem, NC

These occupations in Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC run 8.0% below the national average (2024), so a Winston-Salem, NC salary is worth about 1.09× 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 Winston-Salem, NC

OccupationMedian, Winston-Salem, NC · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$216,140
Master's degree
$72,220 – $301,220440
2Dentists, General$168,700
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,060 – $318,200230
3Pharmacists$135,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,100 – $167,2801,010
4Financial Risk Specialists$131,630
Bachelor's degree
$62,230 – $166,570180
5Nurse Practitioners$130,840
Master's degree
$105,120 – $161,520750
6Physician Assistants$130,730
Master's degree
$104,580 – $169,210730
7Veterinarians$128,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,850 – $208,220150
8Lawyers$126,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,010 – $317,580830
9Software Developers$124,130
Bachelor's degree
$78,700 – $169,3601,050
10Data Scientists$101,570
Bachelor's degree
$51,880 – $172,200300
11Computer Systems Analysts$101,320
Bachelor's degree
$71,330 – $136,450770
12Physical Therapists$101,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,020 – $124,670510
13Chemists$98,090
Bachelor's degree
$57,730 – $138,280240
14Industrial Engineers$97,760
Bachelor's degree
$68,830 – $133,940750
15Dental Hygienists$95,930
Associate's degree
$82,090 – $100,540500
16Mechanical Engineers$95,600
Bachelor's degree
$62,560 – $137,370480
17Computer Occupations, All Other$94,600
Bachelor's degree
$42,210 – $149,700520
18Network and Computer Systems Administrators$94,550
Bachelor's degree
$59,210 – $150,620450
19Occupational Therapists$93,780
Master's degree
$65,420 – $115,950260
20Electrical Engineers$91,180
Bachelor's degree
$28,940 – $154,300210
21Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$87,220
Associate's degree
$69,640 – $104,320250
22Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$86,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,120 – $104,560120
23Registered Nurses$86,120
Bachelor's degree
$71,550 – $105,49010,180
24Civil Engineers$84,170
Bachelor's degree
$66,790 – $135,180350
25Computer Programmers$83,760
Bachelor's degree
$63,250 – $128,640230
26Credit Analysts$83,670
Bachelor's degree
$50,410 – $209,300110
27Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$80,280
Bachelor's degree
$53,820 – $119,390270
28Respiratory Therapists$80,250
Associate's degree
$64,370 – $99,380530
29Logisticians$79,930
Bachelor's degree
$57,850 – $111,320360
30Project Management Specialists$79,560
Bachelor's degree
$57,810 – $131,8401,530
31Accountants and Auditors$78,950
Bachelor's degree
$50,020 – $135,9302,030
32Financial and Investment Analysts$78,190
Bachelor's degree
$61,040 – $130,320450
33Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,900
Associate's degree
$62,050 – $99,440770
34Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$76,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,290 – $101,47090
35Fundraisers$75,440
Bachelor's degree
$49,790 – $104,280290
36Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$74,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,710 – $105,300100
37Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$73,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,540 – $115,250240
38Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$73,320
Bachelor's degree
$38,810 – $130,4201,300
39Financial Specialists, All Other$72,480
Bachelor's degree
$55,860 – $124,990120
40Web and Digital Interface Designers$72,170
Bachelor's degree
$33,930 – $141,140110
41Occupational Therapy Assistants$70,150
Associate's degree
$51,140 – $95,33090
42Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$69,390
Bachelor's degree
$62,170 – $122,490190
43Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,870
Associate's degree
$47,700 – $98,830160
44Human Resources Specialists$68,540
Bachelor's degree
$45,780 – $117,8401,370
45Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$67,030
Bachelor's degree
$50,130 – $101,720170
46Physical Therapist Assistants$64,660
Associate's degree
$50,660 – $80,980180
47Business Operations Specialists, All Other$63,560
Bachelor's degree
$45,680 – $118,1101,500
48Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,000 – $72,6001,330
49Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,960
Bachelor's degree
$42,130 – $87,200950
50Medical Records Specialists$62,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,700 – $78,030520

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

#	Occupation	MedianWinston-Salem, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$216,140	$72,220 – $301,220	440
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$168,700	$56,060 – $318,200	230
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$135,710	$65,100 – $167,280	1,010
4	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$131,630	$62,230 – $166,570	180
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,840	$105,120 – $161,520	750
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$130,730	$104,580 – $169,210	730
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$128,530	$75,850 – $208,220	150
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$126,250	$45,010 – $317,580	830
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$124,130	$78,700 – $169,360	1,050
10	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$101,570	$51,880 – $172,200	300
11	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,320	$71,330 – $136,450	770
12	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,270	$78,020 – $124,670	510
13	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$98,090	$57,730 – $138,280	240
14	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,760	$68,830 – $133,940	750
15	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$95,930	$82,090 – $100,540	500
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,600	$62,560 – $137,370	480
17	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,600	$42,210 – $149,700	520
18	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$94,550	$59,210 – $150,620	450
19	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$93,780	$65,420 – $115,950	260
20	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$91,180	$28,940 – $154,300	210
21	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$87,220	$69,640 – $104,320	250
22	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$86,450	$65,120 – $104,560	120
23	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$86,120	$71,550 – $105,490	10,180
24	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,170	$66,790 – $135,180	350
25	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$83,760	$63,250 – $128,640	230
26	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,670	$50,410 – $209,300	110
27	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,280	$53,820 – $119,390	270
28	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$80,250	$64,370 – $99,380	530
29	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$79,930	$57,850 – $111,320	360
30	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,560	$57,810 – $131,840	1,530
31	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$78,950	$50,020 – $135,930	2,030
32	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$78,190	$61,040 – $130,320	450
33	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,900	$62,050 – $99,440	770
34	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,410	$59,290 – $101,470	90
35	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$75,440	$49,790 – $104,280	290
36	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$74,890	$54,710 – $105,300	100
37	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,480	$48,540 – $115,250	240
38	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$73,320	$38,810 – $130,420	1,300
39	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$72,480	$55,860 – $124,990	120
40	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$72,170	$33,930 – $141,140	110
41	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$70,150	$51,140 – $95,330	90
42	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$69,390	$62,170 – $122,490	190
43	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,870	$47,700 – $98,830	160
44	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$68,540	$45,780 – $117,840	1,370
45	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$67,030	$50,130 – $101,720	170
46	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,660	$50,660 – $80,980	180
47	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$63,560	$45,680 – $118,110	1,500
48	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,970	$52,000 – $72,600	1,330
49	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,960	$42,130 – $87,200	950
50	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,590	$36,700 – $78,030	520

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Winston-Salem, NC

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