The 10 Highest Paying Entry-Level Jobs in the U.S. in 2019

Entry-level positions—most of us have to go through them before we can rise to the top. The good news is many entry-level positions pay well enough money. The key is you’d just have to find the entry-level job in the right industry. Whether or not you end up in the field of your dreams is up to you. But you certainly don’t have to settle for crumbs when you could be making real dough. This list changes all the time, but so far this year, these are the 10 highest paying entry-level jobs that could jump-start your career if you give them a chance.

10. Lawyer, mid-market – $50-$70,000

Imagine leaving law school and making $70,000 a year without experience. According to MSN, there’s a huge market for lawyers that make way less than this: public defenders and those who work for nonprofits. At the same time, there are also those who graduate from law school and somehow find themselves working for major law firms while bringing home just under $200,000 annually. Either way you look at it, the average pay is definitely not bad. Just remember that you’d have to stick it through at least 2 years of law school to get there.

9. Financial Analyst – $60-$70,000

Is it any wonder that knowing about money can make you decent money? Being a financial analyst simply means that you advice people on how to manage their wealth. It sounds simple enough, but you really have to know what you’re doing. You’ll essentially be telling people how to save and offering advice on what best to invest their hard-earned dollars in. It’s a big responsibility, but the payout is great even for those who are just starting in the field.

8. Software Developer – $67,000

This is a familiar tech term for most of us. At this point in the history of the modern world, software development is no longer a mystery. It’s basically a fancier term for computer programmer, but the job has been the same for a long time now. Sure, it’s gotten more competitive and highly more creative over the years, but the basic tenet of software development is still the same: design, install, test, and maintain all sorts of software systems. That’s not a bad job description for $67,000 a year.

7. Chemical Engineer – $69,000

According to Michigan Tech, engineering is one of the highest paying fields out there. Of course, there are so many different kinds of engineers, but one of the most lucrative fields happens to be in chemistry. An entry-level chemist could easily make roughly $69,000 a year straight out of college. Chemistry is a difficult field, and you’d most likely need at least a master’s degree in order to become a full-fledged chemical engineer.

6. Security Engineer – $70-$80,000

Security is top priority in this modern world, but we’re not talking about physical security here. A security engineer is responsible for securing online identities. This is one job that’s in high demand even for those straight out of college because all businesses—especially wealthy ones—need online security. On any given day, a security engineer may develop secure online procedures. They also ensure that data transactions happen smoothly and securely across all channels. One of the reasons why any of us can make purchases online is because security engineers have paved the way.

5. SalesForce Developer – $78,000

Tech jobs are in high demand in the modern world, and that field will only continue to grow as technology grows more complex in the future. SalesForce developing didn’t even exist just a couple of decades ago. A SalesForce developer is responsible for creating cloud-based apps. You must be familiar and adept at working with the SalesForce platform, and as a SalesForce developer, you’ll be offering various services to companies. The average salary of $78,000 is impressive, but the job itself is so specific, you need a whole bunch of certifications to be qualified enough.

4. Electrical Engineer – $80,000

Electrical engineering requires a unique knowledge base and skill set. To become an electrical engineer, you’d have to acquire said knowledge and skills. That’s okay, however, because the payoff is worth it. Entry-level electrical engineers make an average of $80,000 per year. Of course, you’d also be responsible for not causing harm to consumers at the end of the day. It’s a big responsibility and one to take into consideration when considering this field.

3. DevOps Engineer – $85,000

Here’s another engineering position, but this one happens to be in the tech industry. DevOps stands for development and operations, and engineers in this field typically work in IT. An entry level DevOps engineer is responsible for coordinating with software developers, system operators, and other branches of IT to automate specific processes. It can be quite a complex job; but if you’ve got a knack for it, DevOps might be worth the try. The entry-level pay is surely good enough to warrant a peek into the field. According to Ziprecruiter, you could easily make at least $85,000 for this job.

2. Sales Manager – $90,000

This particular job title is so widespread, but we all have to admit the $90,000 salary tag is really attractive. Depending on the field, some sales managers are likely to make less than this. But you need to look into lucrative industries such as technology, pharmaceuticals, account management, and so forth in order to make the big bucks. A sales manager has to be a team player because he or she is likely to handle groups on a day-to-day basis.

1. Data Scientist – $114,000

Data science is a modern terminology that gets thrown around nonchalantly. Truth is data science is more complicated than it sounds. Hence, the pay even for an entry-level position is astounding being over the six-figure mark. According to Forbes, you’d have to have less than 3 years of experience under your belt to be considered entry-level. Imagine how much you could make with more experience. There’s so much digital data to sift through and statistics is, well, just statistics. It’s not necessarily boring. But if data and numbers excite you, being a data scientist might be your calling. If anything else, the entry-level salary should entice you at least a little bit. Data science isn’t going anywhere either. Until we’ve figured out a better way to collect and analyze data for growth and profit, entry-level data scientists will only continue to make this much money each year.