Money / Jobs

50 Highest-Paying Jobs With No Experience Required

Jan 28, 2021

5 min Read

The employment picture through the first half of 2020 has been indescribably grim. In May, the unemployment rate reached levels near the time of the Great Depression. Fortunately, the job market appears to be recovering — if at a very slow pace. In September the unemployment rate was sitting closer to 8.5%, though many are still struggling as provisions of the CARES Act expire.

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If you’re unemployed or looking for a better-paying career, there are still jobs out there that offer salaries well above the national average. To help identify these opportunities, GOBankingRates sourced data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupation Finder tool and Occupational Outlook Handbook. After screening for jobs with annual salaries above $60,000 that required a bachelor’s degree but no experience, GOBankingRates ranked the 50 highest-paying ones.

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Whether you’re looking for your first job out of college or a new job after being laid off, use this list as a starting point to learn about available, high-paying careers. You can also search online for companies that are currently hiring for these roles. Even in times of economic uncertainty, you can find a number of entry-level jobs that pay at least $60,000.

Last updated: Jan. 28, 2021

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50. Special Education Teachers – Middle School

2019 median annual wage: $61,030
2018-2028 projected job growth: 3%

49. Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

2019 median annual wage: $61,030
2018-2028 projected job growth: 3%

48. Public Relations Specialists

2019 median annual wage: $61,150
2018-2028 projected job growth: 6%

47. Secondary School Teachers

2019 median annual wage: $61,660
2018-2028 projected job growth: 4%

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46. Human Resources Specialists

2019 median annual wage: $61,920
2018-2028 projected job growth: 5%

45. Conservation Scientists

2019 median annual wage: $62,410
2018-2028 projected job growth: 3%

44. Foresters

2019 median annual wage: $62,410
2018-2028 projected job growth: 3%

43. Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

2019 median annual wage: $63,270
2018-2028 projected job growth: 5%

42. Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

2019 median annual wage: $63,790
2018-2028 projected job growth: 20%

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41. Food Scientists and Technologists

2019 median annual wage: $65,160
2018-2028 projected job growth: 7%

40. Soil and Plant Scientists

2019 median annual wage: $65,160
2018-2028 projected job growth: 7%

39. Animal Scientists

2019 median annual wage: $65,160
2018-2028 projected job growth: 7%

38. Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

2019 median annual wage: $65,470
2018-2028 projected job growth: 15%

37. Commercial and Industrial Designers

2019 median annual wage: $68,890
2018-2028 projected job growth: 3%

36. Environmental Scientists and Specialists

2019 median annual wage: $71,360
2018-2028 projected job growth: -8%

35. Accountants and Auditors

2019 median annual wage: $71,550
2018-2028 projected job growth: 6%

34. Registered Nurses

2019 median annual wage: $73,300
2018-2028 projected job growth: 12%

33. Credit Analysts

2019 median annual wage: $73,650
2018-2028 projected job growth: 5%

32. Fashion Designers

2019 median annual wage: $73,790
2018-2028 projected job growth: 1%

31. Logisticians

2019 median annual wage: $74,750
2018-2028 projected job growth: 5%

30. Multimedia Artists and Animators

2019 median annual wage: $75,270
2018-2028 projected job growth: 4%

29. Microbiologists

2019 median annual wage: $75,650
2018-2028 projected job growth: 5%

28. Budget Analysts

2019 median annual wage: $76,540
2018-2028 projected job growth: 4%

27. Materials Scientists

2019 median annual wage: $78,790
2018-2028 projected job growth: 4%

26. Chemists

2019 median annual wage: $78,790
2018-2028 projected job growth: 4%

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25. Agricultural Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $80,720
2018-2028 projected job growth: 5%

24. Hydrologists

2019 median annual wage: $81,270
2018-2028 projected job growth: 7%

23. Geographers

2019 median annual wage: $81,540
2018-2028 projected job growth: 3%

22. Network and Computer Systems Administrators

2019 median annual wage: $83,510
2018-2028 projected job growth: 5%

21. Operations Research Analysts

2019 median annual wage: $84,810
2018-2028 projected job growth: 26%

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20. Computer Programmers

2019 median annual wage: $86,550
2018-2028 projected job growth: -7%

19. Civil Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $87,060
2018-2028 projected job growth: 6%

18. Industrial Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $88,020
2018-2028 projected job growth: 8%

17. Mechanical Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $88,430
2018-2028 projected job growth: 4%

16. Environmental Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $88,860
2018-2028 projected job growth: 5%

15. Computer Systems Analysts

2019 median annual wage: $90,920
2018-2028 projected job growth: 9%

14. Mining and Geological Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $91,160
2018-2028 projected job growth: 3%

13. Health and Safety Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $91,410
2018-2028 projected job growth: 5%

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12. Biomedical Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $91,410
2018-2028 projected job growth: 4%

11. Geoscientists

2019 median annual wage: $92,040
2018-2028 projected job growth: 6%

10. Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

2019 median annual wage: $92,400
2018-2028 projected job growth: 9%

9. Materials Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $93,360
2018-2028 projected job growth: 0%

8. Database Administrators

2019 median annual wage: $93,750
2018-2028 projected job growth: 9%

7. Atmospheric and Space Scientists

2019 median annual wage: $95,380
2018-2028 projected job growth: 8%

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6. Electrical Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $101,250
2018-2028 projected job growth: 2%

5. Chemical Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $108,770
2018-2028 projected job growth: 6%

4. Nuclear Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $113,460
2018-2028 projected job growth: -1%

3. Aerospace Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $116,500
2018-2028 projected job growth: 2%

2. Computer Hardware Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $117,220
2018-2028 projected job growth: 6%

1. Petroleum Engineers

2019 median annual wage: $137,720
2018-2028 projected job growth: 3%

More From GOBankingRates

Methodology: To find the highest-paying entry level jobs in the U.S., GOBankingRates used the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupation Finder tool and Occupational Outlook Handbook to analyze all jobs with 2019 average annual wages above $60,000 and a minimum education requirement of a bachelor’s degree, no related experience required and no on-the-job training. The top 50 highest-paying jobs were then ranked with No. 1 being the highest-paying entry-level job in the U.S. BLS occupation titles that did not reference a specific job, like categorical and “all other” categories, were excluded from ranking. GOBankingRates provided each job’s 2019 average hourly wage, 2018 employment, and projected growth between 2018 and 2028 as supplemental information. All data was collected on and up to date as of June 17, 2020.

About the Author

John Csiszar

After earning a B.A. in English with a Specialization in Business from UCLA, John Csiszar worked in the financial services industry as a registered representative for 18 years. Along the way, Csiszar earned both Certified Financial Planner and Registered Investment Adviser designations, in addition to being licensed as a life agent, while working for both a major Wall Street wirehouse and for his own investment advisory firm. During his time as an advisor, Csiszar managed over $100 million in client assets while providing individualized investment plans for hundreds of clients.