High-paying jobs aren’t just for seasoned experts.
There are actually quite a few entry-level high-paying jobs that start with outstanding salaries! You don’t have to have years of experience to land a well-compensated role. Fortunately—and especially with the increased popularity of remote work—there are companies and industries that are willing to acquire new talent and offer a competitive salary.
So, if you're a recent college graduate, trying to switch fields, these jobs offer an ideal opportunity to begin your new career on a stable financial foundation without requiring a lot of prior experience.
Let’s explore eight high-paying entry-level jobs across a range of industries, talking about the required skills, certifications, and strategies you’ll need to get started in each role. And don’t worry—these are jobs that are not just profitable but also in-demand, from technology and healthcare to business and creative industries. You’ll also feel confident making sure you have the tools and know-how to get started.
But wait, there’s more! We’ll also go over the possible career routes for each position so you have an understanding of the growth opportunities as you gain experience and knowledge.
Download our free Salary Negotiation Template
Something that will help you no matter where you’re at in your career journey is understanding how to negotiate for a higher salary. Salary negotiations can have a big impact on your long-term earning potential, even at the entry-level.
Here’s a simple salary negotiation email template you can use when you’re ready to take the next step ⬇️
Now that you’re armed with the right approach, let’s look at those high-paying entry-level jobs and how you can land them!
1. Ethical hacker
Average salary: $212,000
Why it pays well: Want to make some good money and have a positive impact? Cyber threats are only continuing to rise, and businesses are investing extensively in cybersecurity to safeguard their critical systems and data. As a result, ethical (white hat) hackers are a hot commodity. In order to find vulnerabilities in a company's systems and protect them against possible breaches, this position entails employing the same methods as malevolent hackers, but with authorization.
How to get started: To demonstrate your proficiency in cybersecurity and begin working as an ethical hacker, you must earn certifications like CompTIA Security+ or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH). Additionally, you can refine your skills on websites that provide practical ethical hacking labs, such as TryHackMe or Hack The Box.
Career path: As you acquire experience, your career path could evolve from a penetration tester, to a cybersecurity analyst, and ultimately, to a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).
Find cybersecurity jobs here.
2. User experience (UX) designer
Average salary: $126,000
Why it pays well: Developing intuitive, user-friendly experiences is essential for a business's success in the modern digital age, and that’s where UX designers come in! UX designers make sure that applications and websites are user-friendly, visually attractive, and responsive to user needs. This is a great choice for anyone who wishes to enter the tech industry with a high-paying job because UX skills are definitely in demand.
How to get started: While you may not need an intensive coding or design background to get started, you will need to learn design tools such as Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD. Completing a UX design boot camp, such as SkillCrush, offers the necessary knowledge for the position. Building a portfolio is also important, so whether you go the self-taught or course route, make sure you’re able to demonstrate to prospective employers how you solve user problems by documenting your design process and case studies.
Career path: With experience, you can advance to positions such as UX researcher, UX/UI designer, and, ultimately, a design lead.
Find UX designer jobs here.
3. Tech sales representative
Average salary: $176,000
Why it pays well: Tech sales is a vibrant and attractive sector with high earning potential, particularly for charismatic or extroverted individuals in entry-level roles. Many tech companies provide lucrative prospects for representatives who excel at sealing deals and generating revenue growth. Depending on the exact company, you’ll generally be selling within a wide range of products and services, including software, hardware, and IT solutions to both businesses and consumers.
How to get started: Successful tech sales reps have excellent communication skills, a thorough understanding of technology, and the ability to create relationships with customers. With commissions and bonuses often included, the earning potential in tech sales can be substantial, even early in your career. Through training programs like Sandler or Winning by Design, you will develop your sales skills in preparation for entering this sector.
Career path: To get your foot in the door, look for entry-level positions in tech startups or SaaS companies. You can go from a Sales Development Representative (SDR) to an Account Executive and eventually a Sales Director if you have excellent communication and persuasion skills.
Find tech sales jobs here.
4. Renewable energy technician
Average salary: $76,000
Why it pays well: Technicians continue to be a great career option, and any technicians with a background in renewable energy are in high demand as the world moves increasingly toward sustainable energy sources. In order to meet the world's energy needs in an environmentally responsible way, these technicians are in charge of installing and maintaining equipment like wind turbines, electric vehicle chargers, and solar panels.
How to get started: You need to earn qualifications in wind or solar technology to begin working as a renewable energy technician. Additionally, a lot of programs provide internships or apprenticeships which offer hands-on experience.
Career path: You might potentially work as a solar technician, project manager, or even a consultant for renewable energy as you gain experience.
Find technician jobs here.
5. Data analyst
Average salary: $111,000
Why it pays well: Data analysis is a highly sought-after skill in today’s job market, as businesses increasingly rely on data to drive decisions and strategies. Particularly considering the importance of big data in AI and AI-powered technology, data analysts are only going to become more necessary. The link between raw data and useful insights, data analysts are essential for this process. You’ll probably collect, process, and analyze enormous volumes of data, finding correlations, patterns, and trends that support organizations in making data-driven decisions.
Data analysts help companies improve operations, enhance goods and services, and eventually obtain a competitive edge in their sector by transforming complex data sets into easily comprehensible reports. In summary: data analysts are extremely popular in a pretty wide variety of industries!
How to get started: You should become familiar with programs like SQL, Excel, and Tableau in order to begin working as a data analyst. To develop your skills and portfolio, consider completing data analysis projects or online courses on sites like Kaggle.
Career path: As you gain more skills and experience, the career path usually advances from data analyst to business analyst and then to data scientist.
Find data analyst jobs here.
6. E-commerce specialist
Average salary: $68,000
Why it pays well: Online shopping continues to explode, so the demand for e-commerce expertise has also increased as companies seek to maximize their digital presence. These individuals are responsible for managing product listings, making sure they are accurate, engaging, and optimized for search engines. E-commerce specialists also work to improve websites' search engine rankings (SEO) and drive organic traffic to increase revenues. They may also handle digital advertising strategies, which use platforms such as Google Ads and social media to reach potential clients.
Think of it like this: E-commerce specialists help companies increase their online visibility and sales by combining technical skills with marketing strategies. This field isn’t just for B2C either, there are definitely opportunities in the B2B space for these skills!
How to get started: We recommend familiarizing yourself with platforms such as Shopify or Amazon Seller Central in order to begin. Taking paid search and digital marketing courses (like Google Ads certification) will help you develop the skills required for the position.
Career path: You can advance to positions like e-commerce strategist or manager of digital marketing as you get more expertise.
Find e-commerce specialist jobs here.
7. Drone operator
Average salary: $130,000
Why it pays well: Drone technology has advanced dramatically in the last few years, expanding its uses well beyond casual entertainment. Drones are now essential to sectors like construction, media, real estate, and agriculture, and drone operators are in charge of controlling these sophisticated devices in order to record precise aerial footage, monitor vast areas, and collect data instantly. Drones are employed in media to create dynamic movies and photographs, and in real estate to get breathtaking aerial pictures of properties. Drone operators in agriculture collect vital data for precision farming and keep a check on crop health. As the demand for drone services grows, operators with specialized skills are in increasing demand across various sectors.
How to get started: Obtaining an FAA Part 107 certification for commercial drone operations is a prerequisite for beginning drone operations. Gaining traction can be achieved by developing a portfolio of drone footage for sectors such as events or real estate.
Career path: You can eventually move into positions like drone consultant or drone operations manager.
Find drone operator jobs here.
8. Video game tester
Average salary:$66,000
Why it pays well: The gaming industry has expanded dramatically, with millions of new titles released each year, making video game testers indispensable. These professionals are in charge of playing games in their early stages to find glitches, bugs, and other issues that may influence gameplay. Working together with developers, testers assist to prioritize and resolve these issues before the game is made available to the public. Their meticulous attention to detail ensures that players have a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience upon launch, making their work critical in the development cycle.
How to get started: You must acquire knowledge about bug-tracking tools and software testing procedures in order to work in this profession. Ideally, you’ll come in with some existing video game passion, although this isn’t always required. You can also obtain valuable experience by taking part in beta testing programs for well-known video game firms.
Career path: A game tester may potentially become a QA analyst and then a game producer as your career develops.
Find video game testing jobs here.
Landing a high-paying entry-level job
Getting a high-paying job at the beginning of your career doesn't have to be a pipe dream! If you want to start your career on a high note, the above list provides some great opportunities in a wide variety of industries. Land one of these well-paying entry-level jobs and set yourself on the path to success if you have the necessary skills, certifications, and dedication to lifelong learning.
Looking to work remotely from the start of your career? Check out our blog on 7 entry-level work-from-home jobs you can land today.
Start your career strong with rewarding employment and a good salary by looking into these options and working diligently to develop your expertise. Ready to take the next step? We're cheering for you!
