Entry-Level Jobs That Pay Well and How to Land One

Start by looking at what new graduates really earn, because pays well only means something next to a real benchmark. In a September 2026 report on its Summer 2026 Salary Survey, NACE put the final overall average starting salary for Class of 2025 bachelor's graduates at $67,983. In the same report computer and information sciences graduates started well above that average and healthcare graduates slightly above it, and this guide walks through roles in those fields plus business and the skilled trades, what the work involves and what to do to get in. Metaintro can then help you find openings that match the role you pick.

What counts as an entry-level job that pays well?

An entry-level job is one you can get without years of prior experience in the field. It may still ask for a degree, a license or a short training program, but it does not ask you to have already done the job. A job pays well only when you compare it to something, and the fairest comparisons are the two below.

The first is the national picture for everyone who works full time. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that median weekly earnings were $1,204 in 2025 for all full-time wage and salary workers in the United States. That group includes people with decades of experience, so many beginners will start below it in their first year. It is still a useful anchor, because it tells you what the typical full-time paycheck looks like across every industry.

The second comparison is the one that matters most to you right now: what people just like you earned when they started. That is where the NACE figures in the next section come in. When you scan a job posting, ask whether the starting pay sits near that new-graduate average, and ask what the pay looks like after your first promotion. A job that starts a little lower but teaches a scarce skill can beat a job that starts higher and stalls.

A good test has three parts:

• The role has a clear way in for people without experience, such as a degree, a certificate, an apprenticeship or a licensing exam.
• The skills you learn are in demand at other employers, so you can move if you need to.
• There is a visible next step, with a title and a raise attached to it.

How much do new graduates actually earn to start?

The best single number for bachelor's-degree holders comes from NACE, the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Its Summer 2026 Salary Survey set the final overall average starting salary for Class of 2025 bachelor's graduates at $67,983. That is an average across every major, so some of your classmates started well below it and others well above it.

Two things make that average useful instead of just interesting. First, it is a starting point and not a ceiling, so a role that begins near it and offers quick promotion can become a high-paying career within a few years. Second, it varies by field. The same NACE report broke out several major groups, including computer and information sciences, math and statistics, engineering, business and healthcare, and NACE reported that each of those groups started above the overall average. This guide covers roles tied to computer and information sciences, healthcare and business below. If your major is not one NACE broke out, do not read that as bad news. It means your path to a strong salary probably runs through a specific skill, a certification or an employer that pays for scarce talent.

If you do not have a four-year degree, the NACE figure does not describe you, and you should not measure yourself against it. Later in this guide there is a section on roles you can reach through an associate degree, an apprenticeship or a short program. For a wider view of who hires graduates, see the best employers for new graduates.

The final overall average starting salary for Class of 2025 bachelor's graduates was $67,983, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Which tech jobs pay well at the start?

Technology is the clearest example in the NACE data of a field where beginners can start high. In the NACE Summer 2026 survey, Class of 2025 bachelor's graduates majoring in computer and information sciences had an overall average starting salary that climbed 2.9% to $91,517. That figure covers one group, computer and information sciences graduates, and not everyone who works in tech, so treat it as a sign of where demand sits and not a promise about any single offer.

Four tech roles are worth a close look for a first job:

• Software developers design, build and test applications. O*NET lists the work as writing and maintaining code, so the best preparation is a small portfolio of projects you can show.
• Computer network support specialists keep local networks, internet connections and connected devices running. The work teaches you how networks behave day to day, which is useful grounding if you want to move toward security work later on.
• Computer systems analysts study how an organization uses technology and recommend improvements. It suits people who like both business questions and technical ones.
• Web developers build and maintain websites, and it is one of the roles where a strong portfolio can matter as much as a diploma.

If you want a gentler entry into the same industry, computer user support specialists answer questions and solve technical problems for customers or coworkers. The job teaches you how real systems break, which is exactly what employers in security, networking and cloud work look for in a promotion candidate.

The next move is the real prize. A person who spends a year or two in support can often apply to a security, systems or developer track. Plan the jump from day one by picking up one new tool or credential each quarter, and look up approved options with the CareerOneStop certification finder.

Which healthcare jobs pay well to start?

Healthcare is one of several major groups NACE broke out in the same report, and among those groups it sat at the lower end, though still above the overall average. The NACE Summer 2026 survey found that Class of 2025 bachelor's graduates in healthcare majors gained 7.4%, lifting their overall average starting salary to $68,341. Again, that describes one group of graduates, and your own offer will depend on your credential, your employer and your location.

What sets healthcare apart is that many of its better-paid roles have a defined entry path. You finish a training program, meet a licensing or certification requirement, and you are hired into a role with a recognizable title. For example, dental hygienists typically need an associate's degree, and all states require them to be licensed. A few examples:

• Registered nurses assess patients, give treatments and coordinate care. Nursing has a ladder of specialties above the entry role.
• Dental hygienists clean teeth, examine patients and teach oral health. The route runs through a dental hygiene program and a license.
• Radiation therapists deliver prescribed radiation treatments to patients, usually as part of a cancer care team.
• Diagnostic medical sonographers use imaging equipment to produce the scans clinicians read, and the role mixes patient contact with technical skill.

Licensing rules differ from state to state, so check yours before you commit to a program. The CareerOneStop license finder lets you search licenses by occupation and state, which is a quick way to see what a role requires where you live.

The long-run advantage in healthcare is that credentials stack. A nurse can add a specialty, move into education or step into management, and each move comes with its own pay step. If you are choosing between two offers, the one that sits inside a credentialed ladder is often the better bet even if the first paycheck is slightly smaller.

Class of 2025 bachelor's graduates majoring in computer and information sciences had an overall average starting salary that climbed 2.9% to $91,517, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Which business and finance roles pay well early on?

Business is another major group NACE broke out in the same report, and NACE put business graduates' overall average starting salary above the overall average for all bachelor's graduates. These roles reward people who are good with numbers and clear writing. These are jobs where a bachelor's degree is common, and where a strong first-year performance can put you on a promotion track quickly.

• Financial and investment analysts evaluate investment opportunities and financial data to guide decisions. Entry roles often involve building models and summarizing findings for senior colleagues.
• Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records. Finishing a professional exam such as the CPA often raises your pay and your title, and the exam gives you something concrete to work toward in your first years.
• Market research analysts study consumer behavior and market conditions. The job suits people who like surveys, data and storytelling.
• Logisticians manage how products move through a supply chain. Supply chain skills transfer across industries, which keeps your options open.

What these roles share is that your first job is partly an apprenticeship in judgment. You are paid to learn how a business decides things, and that knowledge is worth more with each year you add. When you compare postings, notice which ones mention modeling, reporting or process improvement. Those words usually signal that you will be handed meaningful work early.

If you are not sure which of these fits, the CareerOneStop skills matcher lets you rate your skills and see occupations that line up with them. It will not give you a perfect answer, but it often surfaces a role you had not considered.

Can you earn well without a four-year degree?

Yes, though the route is different. The NACE figures above describe bachelor's graduates, so they do not tell you what a worker with an associate degree, an apprenticeship or a certificate will earn. What they do not rule out is that several strong careers start without a bachelor's.

Skilled trades are the clearest example, and the model is earning while you learn. An apprenticeship pairs paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction, so you collect a paycheck from day one and finish with a recognized credential. Electricians are a well-known example. Be aware that this work is hands-on and active, so it suits you only if you want to work with tools and on job sites. You can search registered programs with the apprenticeship job finder on Apprenticeship.gov.

Healthcare also has doors that do not require a four-year degree. Tech has its own version, because employers often hire support and web roles on the strength of a portfolio and a certification. The CareerOneStop local training finder can point you to community colleges and programs near you.

A final point for anyone without a degree: the first job is rarely the last. Many people use a modest first role to build a record, then step into a better-paid position within the same field. The pay you want is often one smart move away, not one diploma away.

What does this mean for your pay and your next move?

The practical takeaway is that the starting number matters less than what the job does for the next one. Two offers with the same salary can lead to very different places, depending on whether you learn a scarce skill, work under someone who promotes people and earn a credential that employers elsewhere recognize.

Before you accept any offer, do some homework on what the role normally pays. The CareerOneStop salary finder lets you look up wages by occupation and location, and it gives you a range you can bring to the conversation. As Lacey Kaelani, CEO of Metaintro, puts it, "Your salary is decided by the homework you do before the offer call, not the call itself."

When it is time to talk numbers, use the CareerOneStop guide to negotiating your salary to prepare your points. Three habits help most:

• Name the range you researched instead of waiting for the employer to name one first.
• Ask about the review cycle and the criteria for promotion, because that is where the next raise comes from.
• Weigh benefits, training budgets and schedule flexibility, which can be worth as much as a small bump in base pay.

Then plan your first eighteen months backward from the role you want. If you aim for a security job, a support role that touches network issues is a stepping stone. If you aim for senior nursing, a unit that offers specialty training is a stepping stone. Write down the skill, the credential and the person who can vouch for you, and treat every project as a chance to collect all three.

How do you actually land one of these jobs?

Pick two or three target roles and tailor your search around them. Start with the O*NET summaries linked above, because they list the tasks, tools and skills employers expect, and that language is exactly what should appear on your resume. The CareerOneStop resume guide walks through how to present limited experience, including class projects, volunteer work and internships.

Next, talk to people who already do the job. A short informational interview can tell you what a role is like day to day and what hiring managers value, and it often leads to a referral. Many entry-level openings are filled by someone a team already trusts, so a good conversation can move you ahead of dozens of strangers.

Practice before the interview itself. The CareerOneStop interview tips cover what to prepare.

If you need in-person help, a local American Job Center can connect you with free career counseling, training referrals and job search support. Combine that with a steady stream of relevant listings from Metaintro, and you can apply to a handful of well-matched roles each week instead of dozens of poor fits. It also helps to know what the Class of 2026 wants from a first job.

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People Also Asked

Q: What is the highest-paying entry-level job?

A: There is no single winner, because pay depends on your field, credential and location. In its Summer 2026 survey, NACE found that Class of 2025 bachelor's graduates majoring in computer and information sciences had an overall average starting salary of $91,517, which is the figure NACE reported for that major. Healthcare and finance roles are also worth comparing.

Q: Can I get a well-paid entry-level job without experience?

A: Yes, if you pick roles with a defined way in. Apprenticeships, licensed healthcare programs and portfolio-based tech roles all hire people who have not held the job before. Use the apprenticeship job finder on Apprenticeship.gov or your local training options to find a program, and build proof of skill through projects.

Q: How do I know if an entry-level salary offer is fair?

A: Look up the occupation and your location in a wage tool such as the CareerOneStop salary finder, then compare the offer to that range. Ask about benefits, training and the path to promotion before you answer, since those often decide how much the job is really worth over time.

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