Best High-Paying Entry-Level Jobs in 2024

After graduating with any degree, one question that leaves many students stressed is what kind of job they will get. The main worry is sometimes how long they will have to wait to find a job, even though most believe it will happen at some point. Others wonder about the salary they will earn in their entry-level job. Some people believe that entry-level positions all have a low starting salary, but that is not the case. There are plenty of entry-level opportunities that pay well. You only have to know where to look.

Today, most entry-level jobs focus on skill growth and development. They require you to spend most days in the office performing basic tasks while learning on the go. These opportunities allow for individual growth, if not career advancement. Nevertheless, there are plenty of entry-level jobs that start you off with a decent salary. Some of the top ones to consider are a data scientist, software developer, product designer, financial analyst, paralegal, human resource specialist, and sales representative.

If you are concerned about money and looking for a job that will give you over $50,000 a year, there are many possibilities. For instance, a data engineer takes home approximately $59,663 per year, while a physical therapist banks around $62,120. A database administrator and a registered nurse earn about $53,000 per year.  These salary ranges usually increase as one advances in terms of experience.

Another concern worth addressing is how to get these well-paying jobs. Landing a job is not easy for everyone, especially for someone looking to work from home. Some companies offer this option, but others don’t. If you’re looking to work at home, look for these alternatives when searching for job listings. Computer programmers and consultants at various levels are better suited to work from home.

Highest-Paying Entry-Level Jobs for Recent College Graduates

Many graduates step into a world full of opportunities in industries that are actively recruiting. However, finding the right job immediately after college is quite challenging. There are many hurdles in the job market. One common question is if the earnings in an entry-level position adequately support their basic needs, lifestyle, paying back education grants and loans, and contributing to savings plans. We’re going to present an analysis of the best start-up salaries, highest-paying jobs of recent graduates, and the bachelor’s degrees that are likely to increase your chances of landing the highest-paying entry-level jobs. 

What Is a Good Starting Salary for A Recent College Graduate? 

Most graduates are optimistic about landing jobs with higher salaries immediately after they leave college. One survey reported that most graduates expect to earn an average of $57,000 once they step into the job market after graduating from their respective colleges and universities. Regrettably, some of these expectations are always unrealistic. According to a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), fresh graduates’ average starting salary stood at $50,944 in 2019. This report was based on a study of over 300 universities and colleges with the information provided by more than 80,000 bachelors’ degree graduates. This report is an indication that recent graduates are likely to earn less than their expected salaries. Hence, we can conclude that an annual salary of $51,000 is a decent starting salary for graduates landing entry-level jobs. 

What Jobs Pay the Most Right Out of College? 

• Investment Bankers: Even though recent financial crises significantly impacted the banking industry, investment banking remains among the most lucrative professions due to the hefty salary packages that investment bankers earn annually. However, fresh graduates eyeing investment banking jobs should be ready to work for long hours due to the intense pressure and career demands. In this role, you are likely to earn an average salary of $112,000, among other benefits. Those looking for jobs with high wages at the entry-level should consider pursuing this career. 
• Software Engineer: With the rapid growth of the technology industry, being a software developer is undoubtedly a smart career choice. Technology giants such as Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle are in high demand for well-trained and highly skilled software engineers. Besides, these companies and other players in the market pay highly for the services of software engineers. Currently, the average starting salary for software engineers stands at $83,000. 
• Actuary: As an actuary, you are tasked with risk evaluation, mainly for insurance companies. Actuaries have a strong background in statistics and finance, which is needed to qualify for the job. They rank highly among the top-paying jobs, both for entry-level positions and those in advanced levels of their career. Those joining the profession in entry-level positions earn an average of $79,000. What could be more satisfying than this position for a new graduate, especially those in the field of finance? 
• Engineer: The engineering profession, especially civil, nuclear, and chemical engineers, has always been among careers with the highest-paid entry-level jobs. Hence, those who have excelled in math and science should consider pursuing a career in engineering. The salary depends on the branch of engineering one is practicing, but all entry-level positions have an average salary of around $72,000. 
• Registered Nurses: The increased nursing shortages across the globe have led to high demand for nurses. A nursing career is a rewarding and satisfying career choice. You enjoy a decent salary and the opportunity to provide care to other people, leading to improved patient outcomes. Nurses in entry-level roles have an average salary of $47,000. 

Which Degrees Increase Your Chance of Getting a High-Paying Entry-Level Job?

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science: To gain the knowledge and skills needed to be a software developer, one needs to undergo a computer science course. Besides software engineering, you might gain the understanding required for web development among other software engineering professions. 
• Nursing Degree: The minimum requirement needed to qualify as a registered nurse is an associate’s degree or diploma, though most employers prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. If you want to be able to work anywhere as a nurse, a bachelor’s degree is recommended.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering: Engineering is a vast professional field with numerous branches, including aeronautical, civil, mechanical, chemical, electrical, nuclear engineering, among other branches. These programs will likely land you into high rewarding engineering jobs. 
• Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial Science: To qualify as an actuary, you need to pursue an actuarial science course. These programs take four years to complete and involve intense training in risk evaluation and financial analysis. A degree in this field coupled with other certifications will likely land you an actuary job in some of the leading insurance companies.

If you are headed to the university or already pursuing a degree course, you know that a bachelor’s degree increases your chances of landing a top-paying job.  But not every bachelor’s degree is equal. It is essential to know what some of the most paying jobs are and the degrees leading to such employment, as discussed above such as investment bankers, registered nurses, software engineers, actuaries, and engineers.

High-Paying Entry-Level Jobs You Can Do from Home 

Working from home has become the new normal. Just like any other job, a work from home job requires that you have a particular set of skills and tools. Those that meet these requirements will earn more. The good news is that there are many entry-level gigs for online workers that pay well despite having limited work experience. We’re going to show you some of the best entry-level remote-jobs, how you can find them, and the companies that offer these jobs. Read on.

What Are The Best Work From Home Jobs?

Depending on the skills that you already have, the following are some of the high paying entry-level jobs that you can do from the comfort of your home.

• Transcription: In simple terms, transcription is listening to an audio recording and typing what is said. You will get transcription jobs mostly from the legal, medical, and media industries. High accuracy and good typing speed are needed for this job.
• Tutoring: If you have a bachelor’s degree in any subject, tutoring can be one of the most lucrative long-term remote work for you. Some students seek one-on-one tutoring on complex subjects like computer science, so if you are good at coding and programming, for instance, you would earn a lot from teaching students online. On average online tutors earn a salary of about $30 an hour.
• Translation: Several entry-level job openings seek native speakers to translate, an excellent opportunity if you can speak multiple languages. You can make an average of $20 an hour as a translator.
• Data Entry: Numerous companies are frequently in search of people who can input figures into a company’s computer system. The companies will hire people with high integrity levels who will not disclose company records to unauthorized parties. Most data entry workers will earn, on average, $28,000 per year.
• Social Media Influencers: In the modern era of business, having an online presence benefits your company immensely. Many businesses seek to hire people with strong social media influence to help promote their brand online. If you are active on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook, here is an excellent job for you.
• Virtual Assistant: This role includes offering administrative services to clients online, performing tasks such as scheduling meetings, making phone calls, travel arrangements, and the management of email accounts.  On average, you can make $16.15 per hour working as a virtual assistant.

With time as you gain more experience, you can become an online business manager and oversee things like the company’s project and operations for busy online business owners. From the recent Glassdoor data, the business management salary for people who work online to manage other people’s business is $ 63,388 per year.

How Do You Find High-Paying Jobs You Can Do from Your Home?

The best place to find high paying remote jobs is online. Just take your computer and search for remote jobs. LinkedIn and Indeed are two platforms that can be your starting points. After finding all the available remote positions, you can narrow down what you’re looking for.

Another way to land these jobs is to ensure that you package yourself to stand out from the rest of the applicants. Entry-level jobs attract many applicants, and those with an outstanding resume and profile page get picked by the client.

Keep your profile decent. Do not bid too low as that can appear desperate. You should instead tailor your resume to match the key phrases included in the job posting. Also, ensure that you indicate your working hours and that your computer and internet speed match the client’s requirements.

What Companies Hire Work-From-Home Employees?

Many companies post online daily looking for remote workers, from companies like Toggl, Toptal, and GitHub that consistently hire remote software engineers to many other industries. Below is a list of other companies where you can get online jobs.

• Amazon
• Achieve Test Prep
• K12
• Hopper
• Kaplan
• Trusted Health
• Study.com
• Duolingo
• Day Translations
• Time Doctor
• RevLocal
• Keyword studios

Apart from companies, here are work-from-home websites that can help you find entry-level online jobs.

• Remote OK
• Indeed.com
• Remote.co.
• FlexJobs.
• We Work Remotely
• Zip Recruiter
• Upwork
• Remotive
• Textbroker
• LinkedIn

Working online can also be a great way to supplement your income. As an entry-level job seeker, it is essential to understand the number of well-paying online jobs that match your skills and how to get those jobs.  Although there are so many sites and companies online offering remote jobs, you still need a presentable resume and profile page to make yourself stand out to potential employers.

How To Land A High-Paying Entry-Level Job

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree, everyone wants to land a high-paying entry-level job. It allows you to pay off all your student loans and start building for your future early enough. Unfortunately, it isn’t always straight forward, and only the select few get to land these high paying jobs. So, how do you ensure you are part of the select few? Below are a few tips to help you.

Why Education is Important 

In today’s job market, the level of education is increasingly becoming a critical factor that employers consider. In your job search, 90% of the companies you talk to will inquire about your education level, among other qualifications.

The average bachelor’s degree holder has a higher salary than the average associate degree holder, and someone with a master’s degree earns more than the other two. Education is very important when trying to land a well-paying entry-level job, and here’s why:

• Educated Individuals Have A Better Skill Set: Someone who has gone through school and graduated with a master’s degree has learned a lot during their time in school. They acquire many skills that let them do their job even better once they enter the job market. Employers are usually more inclined to such people. 
• You Can Build A Social Network: Education doesn’t just help you improve your knowledge and increase your skills. In a classroom setting, you have the opportunity to interact and get acquainted with other students and professors. With this networking, you build professional networks, which may come in handy once you’ve graduated and are looking for a job.
• Demonstrates A Strong Work Ethic: Pursuing education and successfully graduating with your degree takes a lot of hard work and determination. Employers take note of these small things and are more likely to hire you because they are convinced you will have the grit it takes to succeed in the workplace.

What Can You Do to Make Your Resume Stand Out in A Competitive Market? 

For every job opening, there are hundreds of applicants hoping to secure the position. It takes something special to catch the employer’s eye in such a scenario, so you have to stand out from the other applicants.

Your resume provides you with the perfect opportunity to stand out because it’s the tool that most employers use to narrow down the number of applicants. Therefore, you must try as much as possible to make your resume special if you are to have any chance of securing the job.

• The first thing you should do is to custom-design your resume specifically for the job in question. Many people make the mistake of generalizing their resume to fit every job they apply for. Avoid doing that. Tailor your resume towards the attributes, past experiences, and educational qualifications that make you perfect for the job in question.
• Quantify your accomplishments. Employers love hard numbers and statistics, so be sure to use that to your advantage. For instance, if you are applying for an engineering job, state by what percentage you’ve managed to increase productivity and so forth.
• Lastly, ignore irrelevant information. Remember that knowing what to leave out on your resume is as important as knowing what to include.

To land a high-paying entry-level job, there are a few soft skills that you need to make yourself stand out. Such skills include teamwork, leadership skills, time management, problem-solving skills, and multi-task ability.

Saying you have such skills won’t be enough; you need to back it up. References from professors and internship supervisors tend to be very powerful. You can also get certification for other skills such as leadership. Online financial certification will also play to your advantage, so be keen on that.

In a nutshell, you need to always be on top of your game to land a high-paying entry-level job. Always be proactive and try as much as possible to stand out from the rest of the pack because that is the only way to get employers to notice you among hundreds of other candidates.

High-Paying Jobs that Require Little or No Experience

It’s normally quite difficult to land a job without having an associate’s degree or adequate experience. In the past, many skillful individuals have complained about remaining unemployed simply because they don’t have enough experience on paper. Although many individuals have suffered a similar fate, you don’t have to fall victim to it as there are plenty of well-paying jobs that require little to zero experience. If you’re looking for an entry-level job that requires minimal or zero experience, here are some of the jobs you should consider.

• Sales: It’s said that the perfect salespeople are born and not taught. It is not uncommon for first-year sales employees to earn over $100,000 for meeting annual goals. For someone to be a fantastic salesperson, they must be convincing and effective communicators. Given that these skills can’t be taught, it comes as no surprise that some companies’ best salespeople are not some of the most learned or experienced. 
• Transcriptionist: A transcriptionist transcribes letters or other documents from recorded dictation. To become a superb transcriptionist, you don’t need an associate’s degree or even immense work experience. Instead, you must have good typing speed, excellent reading skills, and a superb work ethic. You should also be proficient in MS Office, Express Scribe, and other software. Given that a huge number of transcriptionists earn a median salary of $60,000 annually, it’s safe to say that this is a high-earning occupation.
• Translator: Freelance translation is one of the most booming online jobs because it doesn’t require an individual to have a high education level. Anyone with a high school diploma and functional knowledge of two languages can do it. That being the case, so long as you have decent language skills, you can make tons of money without having any work experience.

If none of the occupations mentioned above sounds appealing to you, you can also consider being a police officer, recruiter, or even a claims adjuster.

How To Get A Job Without Any Experience Or References

Most companies only hire individuals who’ve got the adequate experience and a sizable list of references. A substantial number of fantastic professionals have been denied opportunities simply because they don’t have references or enough experience. If you’re one such individual, here are some of the ways you can get a job.

• Choose A Former Mentor or Teacher as Your Reference: When many individuals lack references, they tend to list family members and close friends, but this shouldn’t be the case. If you’ve never had a job, select a teacher or mentor to act as your reference. Many companies consider teachers reliable references as they can attest to the character of an individual.
• Networking: There are several individuals, who, despite having low education levels, have landed well-paying jobs. If you ask them their secret, they’ll often tell you it is because they are strong networkers. For someone to succeed, they must have a strong network. Thus, to get a job without experience or references, you should improve your networking skills.
• Seek A Job Coach: Over the past few years, many individuals have been assisted in getting suitable jobs by their job coaches. By hiring a job coach, you’d be hiring an ally who’ll not only help you sharpen your qualities but also assist you in looking for a job.

Jobs You Can Earn $80,000 Without A Degree

Annually earning $80,000 is the goal for many individuals. It’s worth noting that not many people usually earn this much without a bachelor’s degree. However, a few lucky individuals do earn $80000 or even more without a degree. If you’d like to be one of the lucky few, here are some of the professions you should consider pursuing.

• Quality Assurance Inspector: Quality assurance inspectors are normally charged with the responsibility of ensuring the quality of a given product. Inspectors normally earn about $80,000 a year. Although you don’t have to have an associate’s degree to be a fantastic inspector, you must be keen.  
• Gas Station Manager: Successfully running a gas station requires one to have sharp business acumen. Top-notch gas station managers usually earn way over $100,000. If you’re certain you’ve got the necessary skills, you should give it a try.

Other high–earning jobs that don’t require degrees include being a pharmaceutical salesperson, private chef, and law enforcement officer. 

In Summary

Getting a job is stressful, especially when someone is looking for high-paying-entry-level opportunities, and standing out from the crowd of prospects is vital. One tool that saves someone in the job search is the resume. It’s your chance to show your potential employer why you are the right fit.

So, it is only prudent to always make it as impressive as possible. In the resume, include relevant information and details that make you stand out, like your work experience. Include references that can vouch for you positively, and stay updated on the market trends.

Honestly, without work experience or references, the chances of getting a job are very low. But you can always take your chances by networking with professionals who know you at a personal level, get helpful connections, and, above all, be helpful in the community by volunteering. You never know when a good opportunity may come your way.