High paying entry level jobs in America

These occupations in America 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.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025

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OccupationMedian, America · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$236,590
Master's degree
$155,250 – $339,50051,840
2Dentists, General$170,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,250 – $319,630124,390
3Computer Hardware Engineers$161,740
Bachelor's degree
$92,940 – $225,33076,660
4Lawyers$159,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,360 – $351,600754,500
5Pharmacists$140,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,290 – $174,230321,970
6Software Developers$135,980
Bachelor's degree
$82,460 – $214,6701.7M
7Physician Assistants$135,880
Master's degree
$99,380 – $190,280162,150
8Aerospace Engineers$134,960
Bachelor's degree
$86,700 – $205,89067,710
9Nurse Practitioners$132,300
Master's degree
$101,340 – $174,420323,040
10Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,220
Bachelor's degree
$81,840 – $206,96096,900
11Veterinarians$130,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,920 – $215,70083,900
12Engineers, All Other$122,930
Bachelor's degree
$66,810 – $189,950154,070
13Electrical Engineers$120,630
Bachelor's degree
$76,550 – $184,300198,750
14Data Scientists$120,230
Bachelor's degree
$67,240 – $199,130262,440
15Financial Risk Specialists$117,330
Bachelor's degree
$64,820 – $196,11063,850
16Computer Occupations, All Other$116,580
Bachelor's degree
$55,940 – $188,470435,370
17Computer Systems Analysts$105,850
Bachelor's degree
$67,340 – $167,710519,530
18Database Administrators$104,620
Bachelor's degree
$60,230 – $163,32069,990
19Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$104,300
Bachelor's degree
$61,440 – $167,010186,740
20Mechanical Engineers$104,110
Bachelor's degree
$73,990 – $164,340296,810
21Web and Digital Interface Designers$104,000
Bachelor's degree
$53,750 – $201,550113,330
22Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,800 – $177,780172,340
23Physical Therapists$102,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,140 – $135,140267,330
24Financial and Investment Analysts$102,740
Bachelor's degree
$63,720 – $180,860361,980
25Industrial Engineers$102,440
Bachelor's degree
$74,370 – $159,860365,740
26Project Management Specialists$102,320
Bachelor's degree
$61,580 – $167,9701.1M
27Civil Engineers$100,840
Bachelor's degree
$68,240 – $163,220367,840
28Computer Programmers$100,390
Bachelor's degree
$57,710 – $160,46092,230
29Occupational Therapists$100,330
Master's degree
$71,690 – $131,950162,450
30Network and Computer Systems Administrators$99,130
Bachelor's degree
$62,640 – $155,050314,340
31Business Teachers, Postsecondary$99,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,180 – $209,47082,150
32Biological Scientists, All Other$98,920
Bachelor's degree
$60,430 – $168,01055,850
33Dental Hygienists$98,100
Associate's degree
$74,880 – $126,050222,740
34Registered Nurses$97,550
Bachelor's degree
$68,940 – $137,4703.4M
35Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$96,590
Associate's degree
$67,820 – $129,37090,160
36Web Developers$92,650
Bachelor's degree
$48,100 – $162,29070,190
37Chemists$91,240
Bachelor's degree
$58,460 – $160,83082,770
38Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,150
Bachelor's degree
$55,000 – $134,950140,610
39Operations Research Analysts$88,940
Bachelor's degree
$57,060 – $159,910108,510
40Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$84,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,150 – $169,90050,190
41Accountants and Auditors$83,680
Bachelor's degree
$56,020 – $144,0901.4M
42Credit Analysts$83,510
Bachelor's degree
$56,250 – $169,23064,390
43Business Operations Specialists, All Other$83,050
Bachelor's degree
$47,880 – $150,0101.1M
44Logisticians$82,320
Bachelor's degree
$50,890 – $133,160251,040
45Respiratory Therapists$82,280
Associate's degree
$63,660 – $118,050139,790
46Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220
Bachelor's degree
$52,520 – $140,01089,250
47Financial Specialists, All Other$81,100
Bachelor's degree
$48,460 – $151,490132,130
48Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,110
Associate's degree
$55,980 – $118,660230,490
49Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$79,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,780 – $128,890138,090
50Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$78,760
Bachelor's degree
$43,390 – $155,480899,580

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

#	Occupation	MedianAmerica	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$236,590	$155,250 – $339,500	51,840
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,950	$86,250 – $319,630	124,390
3	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$161,740	$92,940 – $225,330	76,660
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$159,670	$78,360 – $351,600	754,500
5	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,910	$99,290 – $174,230	321,970
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$135,980	$82,460 – $214,670	1.7M
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,880	$99,380 – $190,280	162,150
8	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$134,960	$86,700 – $205,890	67,710
9	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,300	$101,340 – $174,420	323,040
10	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$130,220	$81,840 – $206,960	96,900
11	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,100	$73,920 – $215,700	83,900
12	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$122,930	$66,810 – $189,950	154,070
13	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$120,630	$76,550 – $184,300	198,750
14	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$120,230	$67,240 – $199,130	262,440
15	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$117,330	$64,820 – $196,110	63,850
16	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$116,580	$55,940 – $188,470	435,370
17	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,850	$67,340 – $167,710	519,530
18	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$104,620	$60,230 – $163,320	69,990
19	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$104,300	$61,440 – $167,010	186,740
20	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,110	$73,990 – $164,340	296,810
21	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$104,000	$53,750 – $201,550	113,330
22	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$103,410	$64,800 – $177,780	172,340
23	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,760	$77,140 – $135,140	267,330
24	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,740	$63,720 – $180,860	361,980
25	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,440	$74,370 – $159,860	365,740
26	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,320	$61,580 – $167,970	1.1M
27	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,840	$68,240 – $163,220	367,840
28	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$100,390	$57,710 – $160,460	92,230
29	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$100,330	$71,690 – $131,950	162,450
30	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$99,130	$62,640 – $155,050	314,340
31	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$99,080	$47,180 – $209,470	82,150
32	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$98,920	$60,430 – $168,010	55,850
33	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,100	$74,880 – $126,050	222,740
34	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$97,550	$68,940 – $137,470	3.4M
35	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$96,590	$67,820 – $129,370	90,160
36	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$92,650	$48,100 – $162,290	70,190
37	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$91,240	$58,460 – $160,830	82,770
38	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$90,150	$55,000 – $134,950	140,610
39	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$88,940	$57,060 – $159,910	108,510
40	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,620	$52,150 – $169,900	50,190
41	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$83,680	$56,020 – $144,090	1.4M
42	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,510	$56,250 – $169,230	64,390
43	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,050	$47,880 – $150,010	1.1M
44	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$82,320	$50,890 – $133,160	251,040
45	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$82,280	$63,660 – $118,050	139,790
46	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$82,220	$52,520 – $140,010	89,250
47	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,100	$48,460 – $151,490	132,130
48	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,110	$55,980 – $118,660	230,490
49	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,870	$48,780 – $128,890	138,090
50	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,760	$43,390 – $155,480	899,580

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

High paying entry level jobs in America

More for America

By field

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state