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Highest Paying Entry-level Careers

Ishani Chatterjee Shukla
Fresh out of college with no prior experience but looking for good money? Your search for the highest paid entry-level careers ends here!
An entry-level job is one that is meant for fresh graduates who have no prior work experience. These jobs usually require specific skills and technical knowledge of the field and often offer a higher salary.
Most entry-level jobs that are targeted towards college graduates are full-time employments, though some of them may be part-time, and not include employee benefits. Entry-level jobs often require on-site or on-the-job training to prepare freshers for the organizational challenges.
Some of the highest paying entry-level careers and jobs are enumerated below. These high paying entry-level jobs are great options that you may consider, based upon your individual interest and academic specialization.

Top Highest Paying Careers for Freshers

Petroleum Engineer

The job of a petroleum engineer is one of the best entry-level engineering jobs and requires the engineer to harvest hydrocarbon by extracting crude oil and natural gas reserves from subsurface reservoirs that are located at inaccessible terrains such as below Arctic Ocean.
Applicants to this post are required to have training in earth sciences, mathematics, geophysics and petroleum geology. Additional knowledge in the field of well-logging, drilling, reservoir-simulation, well-engineering and artificial lift systems are desirable for advancement in this field.
The scope is vast due to enormous global energy demands and a petroleum engineer has the potential to earn anything between $86,000-$120,000 per annum. However, the layoff rate is also tremendous when the fuel reserves are depleted. All said and done, this remains among the top 3 highest paying entry-level jobs available till date.

Investment Banking

Among the highest paying entry-level careers, the profile of an investment banker is that of selling investment products, ideas and advisory services to potential customers. To qualify for this profile, one needs a bachelor's degree in business, finance or accounting and must have a working knowledge of, stock market activities and underwriting.
Most of these positions are offered during internship itself, and a fresher can earn anywhere between $60,000-$90,000 as an investment banker.

Trucking

This is one of the highest paying jobs without a degree and needs very little or no previous experience. You can get into this and get trained while the company pays you even during your training period - well, most companies do! One can make about $60,000 a year on an average in this job.

Economist

Besides private sector, this is one of the highest paying entry-level government jobs! The private sector requires a master's or doctoral degree whereas the government sector takes in individuals with a bachelor's degree.
The job of an economist involves studying and researching the distribution of resources within the society by analyzing data and monitoring trends and then predicting economic phenomenon such as inflation, interest rates, exchange rates, business cycles, employment levels, energy costs, etc.
An entry-level economist has the potential to earn about $84,00 per annum on an average.

Registered Nurses

Depending upon the field of specialization, a registered nurse can make anywhere around $80,000 per annum and the job requires treating, educating and supporting patients and their families, conducting diagnostic tests, analyzing and interpreting test results, handling medical and surgical equipment, managing pain and trauma relief procedures, etc.
A bachelor's degree in science or nursing is the desired qualification for an applicant, though, sometimes, an associate's degree may also land you a this job.

Other High Paying Careers for Freshers

Apart from those discussed, here is a list of high paying entry-level jobs which can be great options for beginning one's career in a specialized field.

Entry-Level Job - Average Earning Potential Per Annum

  • Game Programming - $95,000
  • Database Administration - $52,000
  • Electrical Engineering - $73,000
  • Landscape Architecture - $60,000
  • Computer Programming - $64,000
  • Management Analyst - $53,000
  • Chemical Engineering - $76,000
  • Computer Hardware Engineering - $69,000
  • Mechanical Engineering - $70,000
  • Physicist - $100,000
These are among many of the top grossing, money-minting, entry-level careers. If you are about to graduate and deciding upon your best employment options, knowing about these alternatives can help you decide better.
For those who have just gotten into college, being informed about these options might help in deciding which stream of specialization to opt for in order to plan ahead accordingly. So, you see, work experience is not everything and you can earn decent-to-sound amounts of cash even as a fresher. All the best!