25 entry-level jobs that pay well and are projected to grow over the decade
- Some entry-level jobs are projected to see large employment growth over the decade.
- This includes software developers and different types of nurses.
- Here are 25 jobs that typically require no related work experience, earn at least the median annual wage, and are projected to grow from 2020 to 2030.
25. Middle school teachers (except special and career/technical education)
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 44,800
Median annual wage in May 2020: $60,810
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
24. Speech-language pathologists
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 45,400
Median annual wage in May 2020: $80,480
Typical educational requirements: Master's degree
23. Massage therapists
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 46,500
Median annual wage in May 2020: $43,620
Typical educational requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
22. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 48,600
Median annual wage in May 2020: $65,540
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
21. Physical therapists
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 49,100
Median annual wage in May 2020: $91,010
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
20. Construction managers
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 51,400
Median annual wage in May 2020: $97,180
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
19. Logisticians
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 56,400
Median annual wage in May 2020: $76,270
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
18. Computer user support specialists
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 58,000
Median annual wage in May 2020: $52,690
Typical educational requirements: Some college, no degree
17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing (except technical and scientific products)
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 59,400
Median annual wage in May 2020: $62,070
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
16. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 63,800
Median annual wage in May 2020: $48,820
Typical educational requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
15. Electricians
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 66,100
Median annual wage in May 2020: $56,900
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
14. Human resources specialists
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 70,200
Median annual wage in May 2020: $63,490
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
13. Lawyers
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 71,500
Median annual wage in May 2020: $126,930
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
12. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 75,100
Median annual wage in May 2020: $47,660
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
11. Secondary school teachers (except special and career/technical education)
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 78,200
Median annual wage in May 2020: $62,870
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
10. Industrial machinery mechanics
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 83,600
Median annual wage in May 2020: $55,490
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
9. Accountants and auditors
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 96,000
Median annual wage in May 2020: $73,560
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
8. Sales representatives of services (except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel)
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 97,000
Median annual wage in May 2020: $58,770
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
7. All other project management specialists and business operations specialists
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 99,200
Median annual wage in May 2020: $77,420
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
This is a catchall title that includes occupations like sustainability specialists and online merchants.
6. Elementary school teachers (except special education)
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 101,700
Median annual wage in May 2020: $60,940
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
5. Nurse practitioners
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 114,900
Median annual wage in May 2020: $111,680
Typical educational requirements: Master's degree
4. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 122,100
Median annual wage in May 2020: $47,130
Typical educational requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
3. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 163,600
Median annual wage in May 2020: $65,810
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
2. Registered nurses
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 276,800
Median annual wage in May 2020: $75,330
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
1. Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers
Projected new jobs between 2020 and 2030: 409,500
Median annual wage in May 2020: $110,140
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
How we ranked the above occupations
For job seekers just beginning their careers, the above list of jobs may be a good start to find a promising first position. These jobs don't require any prior related work experience, pay relatively well, and are projected to see some kind of job growth from 2020 to 2030.
To find entry-level jobs that are projected to grow over the decade and make at least the median annual wage, Insider used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS has the typical necessary education and work experience for different occupations.
We filtered out jobs that make below the median annual wage in 2020 of $41,950 and are not projected to see job growth over the decade. Because we wanted to look at occupations that could be considered entry level, we only looked at occupations with no "work experience in a related occupation."
We then ranked the occupations by their projected employment growth between 2020 and 2030 using BLS' latest job projections.
Based on our methodology, "software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers" takes the top spot of jobs that don't need previous work experience and are projected to grow. This occupation that typically makes six-figures a year is projected to see large job growth of 409,500.
It's important to note that the base year used for the projections is 2020, the year when the coronavirus pandemic was officially declared and where the US experienced massive job losses as a result of the pandemic. Some occupations are projected to see above average cyclical recovery and large job growth over the decade as the US continues to recover from the pandemic's effects on employment.
"Many industries are expected to experience cyclical recoveries in the earlier part of the projections decade as industry output and employment normalize, returning to their long-term growth patterns," BLS wrote in a news release. "Projected robust growth for industries in which employment fell in 2020 also is projected to result in strong growth for the occupations employed by those industries."
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