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A high salary and opportunities for job growth are top priorities for many people entering the workforce. But not all industries offer such benefits at the entry level. The personal finance website WalletHub determined which jobs are ideal—and which to avoid—for those just starting out in its latest report.
To compile the lists below, data analysts first compared 108 entry-level jobs across three main categories: immediate opportunity, growth potential, and job hazards. These groups were divided into 12 weighted metrics, including the position’s average starting salary, projected growth by 2033, and frequency of working overtime. The researchers then graded each factor on a 100-point scale, with 100 indicating the most favorable circumstances for new workers. After calculating every entry-level position’s average, the analysts ranked the final scores.
The Best Entry-Level Positions
According to WalletHub’s research, engineers typically scored best. The top job in the field is hardware engineer. In addition to offering some the highest entry-level salaries, the position is often accessible without any prior experience to graduates with the right degree.
Up next is certified nursing home assistant. The starting salary for this position is relatively low, but it has an unemployment rate of 2.8 percent, the third-lowest in the study. The personal nature of the work also makes it unlikely that automation will replace these jobs.
A entry-level job in general engineering ranks third. It boasts the most open positions across all industries studied, and it comes with an impressive median salary of $117,000.
Here are the rest of the top 10 entry-level jobs:
- Hardware Engineer
- Certified Nursing Home Assistant
- Engineer
- Software Engineer
- Safety Representative
- Electrical Engineer
- Safety Technician
- Operations Research Analyst
- Electronics Engineer
- Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
The Worst Entry-Level Positions
Welders—those who specialize in joining and cutting metals, understanding and studying blueprints, and more—are at the bottom of the ranking. Some cons of the career include long hours and safety hazard when dealing with machinery.
Entry-level jobs in computer numeric control (CNC) machine programming rank just above it. These workers are responsible for writing instructions that tell a CNC machine and its tools what to do. Newcomers in the field may have difficulty finding opportunities, as there aren’t many job openings.
Mechanical drafters have the essential job of creating technical drawings illustrating the dimensions, assembly methods, and specifications of machines and components. However, this role showed some of the slowest career advancement in the report. That’s one factor that ranks it third on the list of the worst entry-level positions below.
- Welder
- Computer Numeric Control Machine Programmer
- Mechanical Drafter
- Automotive Mechanic
- Boilermaker
- Emergency Dispatcher
- Architectural Drafter
- Telecommunications Technician
- Benefits Administrator
- Tool and Die Maker
Wondering which degrees will boost your chances of landing a high-paying entry-level job? These were the most lucrative college majors for recent graduates in 2024.
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