Entry-level Office Jobs: Unfortunately, the phrase “entry-level” has practically become synonymous with poor compensation. However, “It is not the term ‘entry-level‘ that determines salary,” explains Linda J. Hollenback, MSEd, a college and career planner, founder of Hollenback Consulting, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer. There are lots of well-paying entry-level employment available; it’s just a matter of determining which roles and industries would provide you with the most bang for your dollars.
Here are ten high-paying entry-level positions, together with salary information from the Payscale compensation database:
1. Data Scientist
- Average entry-level compensation is $86,584.
- The average income (for all experience levels) is $98,789.
- Salary range (for all experience levels): $70,000 to $137,000.
In today’s tech-centric world, data is more vital and available than ever before—and businesses want data and analytics teams to help them manage, analyze, and exploit that data to achieve their objectives. Data scientists are in charge of developing the frameworks that corporations use to evaluate enormous amounts of data. This includes developing and implementing algorithms and statistical models, conducting tests and experiments on existing data, creating internal and external data products, and constantly evolving and optimizing their frameworks to ensure the most accurate results—which, in turn, lead to the most useful insights and accurate conclusions to help the business succeed and grow.
To be recruited as an entry-level data scientist, you must have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, math, engineering, statistics, or a similar discipline (though some businesses may require an additional degree) and demonstrate some essential data science abilities.
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2. Management Consultant
- Average entry-level compensation is $73,416.
- Average wage is $92,320.
- Salary range: $64,000 to $150,000.
Management consultants help firms improve by identifying problems, proposing solutions, and overseeing their implementation. A team of consultants, for example, could assist a company in redesigning its hiring policies to attract top talent, overhauling its internal processes to increase efficiency, or reimagining its budgeting to save expenses. Management consultants are employed by consulting firms rather than the client company they work with, which allows them to work on a range of projects throughout time.
Management consulting is a competitive field, and many firms recruit directly from college campuses. To get your foot in the door, you’ll usually need a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline (such as business administration or economics) and a strong GPA from your undergraduate studies. Keep in mind that certain management consulting firms favour people with advanced degrees, even for entry-level positions.
3. Software Developer
- Average entry-level compensation is $66,832.
- Average wage is $76,029
- Salary range: $54,000 to $111,000.
Software developers, often known as software engineers, are in charge of building various forms of software. Finally, software engineers are problem solvers; they collaborate with product managers to determine the end user’s primary needs and design software, features, and fixes to suit those demands—after which they write, test, and deploy the required code.
While some firms need software engineers to have a computer science degree, many may recruit software developers without one. As long as you can code and demonstrate it in a technical interview, you’re ready to go.
4. Business Analyst for IT
- Average entry-level compensation is $62,390.
- Average wage is $72,416.
- Salary range: $53,000 to $102,000.
IT business analysts are in charge of reviewing a company’s present IT operations and offering recommendations to increase efficiency, reduce expenses, and install IT systems and protocols that enable employees to be more productive. Depending on the company and its IT infrastructure, they may examine hardware, software, and/or IT systems, processes, and services to recommend the most effective enhancements. IT business analysts may also be consulted on new projects to evaluate what IT solutions the company will require to support the project.
Entry-level IT business analysts will require a bachelor’s degree in business administration, information technology, or a related discipline, as well as a thorough understanding of IT systems, which may be obtained through undergraduate courses, internships, or personal study.
5. Investment Associate
- Average entry-level income is $53,056.
- Average wage is $67,101.
- Salary range: $47,000 to $109,000.
Investment associates may work for banks, financial services businesses, or other financial organizations, assisting portfolio managers with research and development of investment strategies for individual and corporate clients. Their normal responsibilities include evaluating financial data, conducting research, generating presentations and other client materials, managing client transactions, and executing administrative duties. Most investment associates are responsible for both analytical, research-based activities and client-facing tasks; therefore, candidates must be comfortable with both.
Investment associate positions often require a bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, or a similar discipline.
6. Desktop Support Engineer
- Average entry-level compensation is $49,514.
- Average wage is $64,218.
- Salary range: $45,000 to $94,000.
Desktop support engineers are responsible for resolving anything that goes wrong with an organization’s software or hardware (such as PCs, laptops, and servers), whether that’s on-site or from a distant location. Typically, a user will submit an IT request, and after the desktop support engineer receives that ticket, it is their responsibility to identify the problem, resolve it, and verify that everything is back up and operating properly. They may also be in charge of documenting solutions, keeping track of backups and maintenance, and/or assisting IT experts on the team.
While many organizations like desktop support engineers to have a degree, it is not required for many job postings; if you know how to diagnose IT issues and can fix them quickly and effectively, you can get a job.
7. HR associate
- Entry-level remuneration is $49,307 on average.
- Average pay is $52,563.
- Salary range: $39,000 to $71,000.
An HR associate assists leadership in the human resources or “people” department with a number of projects. They may collaborate with recruiters and HR managers to schedule interviews or contact references, process payroll and benefits paperwork, lead orientation and onboarding sessions, plan and execute training courses, and/or handle general administrative tasks. Because they are frequently exposed to sensitive employee information at work, HR associates must be able to preserve strict secrecy while also building and maintaining trust with their team.
While many organizations prefer to hire HR associates with a bachelor’s degree, you can also get your foot in the door without one—many companies are searching for HR professionals with the proper attitude and personality rather than a specialized background.
8. Executive Assistant
- Average entry-level compensation is $46,669.
- Average wage is $60,962.
- Salary range: $42,000 to $86,000.
An executive assistant is an executive’s right-hand person, responsible for assisting the CEO or another executive (and often many executives) in their daily duties. Booking travel, managing calendars, scheduling appointments, planning events, managing projects, and performing other administrative duties (such as answering phones) are all possible responsibilities. EAs generally keep their executive’s life managed, thus they must be incredibly organized themselves and capable of juggling several tasks, deadlines, and priorities at the same time.
While some CEOs demand their EAs to have experience and/or a four-year degree, many organizations are more receptive to newcomers—and are ready to teach promising individuals on-the-job..
9. Marketing Associate
- Average entry-level salary: $46,622.
- Average wage is $51,571.
- Salary range: $38,000 to $74,000.
A marketing associate, like an HR associate, provides help to a company’s marketing staff. Marketing associates can work in a variety of industries, including consumer packaged products, technology, and non-profit organizations. Depending on the company’s marketing goals and structure, there may be possibilities to work on activities and projects spanning a wide range of marketing specialties. A marketing associate, for example, could help with blog, social media, or email copywriting, product launch campaigns, event planning and execution, market research, and/or e-commerce development.
Most employers prefer marketing associates to have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a similar profession, as well as strong verbal and writing communication abilities.
10. Sales Development Representative
- Average entry-level compensation is $45,332.
- Average wage is $46,876.
- Salary range: $36,000 to $61,000.
Sales development representatives (SDRs) are in charge of generating qualified leads (also known as potential customers), contacting those leads, and briefly educating them on the product or service for sale—with the ultimate goal of scheduling a call or meeting with a sales executive who can continue the conversation and ultimately close the deal. SDRs require strong research abilities, a desire to make a large number of cold calls, and the ability to engage with potential clients.
Most organizations do not require SDRs to have a certain experience or degree; rather, they look for applicants who possess the mentality, drive, and persistence required for a successful sales career. (Keep in mind that, while the average entry-level salary for this function is roughly $43,000, it’s a sales role—and if you end up being a successful seller, larger incentives and commissions based on exceptional performance might increase your earnings higher even without a raise or promotion.)