10 Entry Level Jobs With Salaries Over $60,000

Earning a higher education degree is a big investment. With all that money (and time) on the line, students may want to confirm that the entry level jobs they’re setting themselves up for tend to yield a good return on investment (ROI). Using Salary.com data, we found 10 jobs that have median level I salaries over $60,000. These jobs promise even bigger pay outs as employees climb the ranks.

Read on to see if one of these jobs may be right for you to pursue:

1) Electrical Engineer I

What you’ll earn to start: $68,171

What you’ll do: Assist with the design, development, and testing of electrical equipment, components, or systems. This person must be familiar with mathematical and engineering principles and methods used to design electrical systems. The role requires a bachelor's degree.

Your earning potential (level V): $139,462

2) Actuary I

What you'll earn to start: $68,051

What you’ll do: Conduct analysis, pricing, and risk assessment to estimate financial outcomes. This person will apply knowledge of mathematics, probability, statistics, and principles of finance and business to calculations in life, health, social, and casualty insurance, annuities, and pensions. This role typically requires a bachelor's degree.

Your earning potential (level V): $128,445

3) Materials Engineer I

What you’ll earn to start: $67,017

What you’ll do: Plan for the most cost-effective utilization of materials. This person will apply knowledge of material science to recommend engineering and manufacturing changes to attain design objectives in the most economical manner possible, and review blueprints and specifications to determine the appropriate materials needed to achieve successful completion of initiatives. This role may require a bachelor's degree in engineering.

Your earning potential (level V): $131,058

4) Digital Design Engineer I

What you’ll earn to start: $65,041

What you’ll do: Responsible for the digital design of integrated circuits and related development. This person participates in all phases of physical design including floor planning, clock synthesis, timing optimization, and signal integrity. This role requires a bachelor’s degree.

Your earning potential (level V): $170,965

5) Economist (Corporate) I

What you’ll make to start: $85,756

What you’ll do: Conduct research and analysis on economic data and trends, and provide interpretation. This person organizes data into report format and arranges graphic illustrations of research findings, as well as assists in analyzing economic conditions. This role requires a bachelor's degree.

Your earning potential (level III): $128,734

6) Staff Nurse – RN I

What you’ll earn to start: $61,097

What you’ll do: Provide professional nursing care to assigned patients. This person records patient histories, performs various diagnostic tests, administers medications, and develops patient care plans in conjunction with other medical professionals. They also assist physicians during examinations and procedures, and operate and monitor medical equipment as necessary. This role requires a state license to practice.

Your earning potential (level III): $85,360

7) Project Manager I

What you’ll earn to start: $72,224

What you’ll do: Manage and oversee all aspects of a project to ensure it is completed on time and within budget. This person has overall responsibility for managing scope, cost, schedule, internal staffing and outside vendors, and contractual deliverable. This role may require certification in Project Management.

Your earning potential (level III): $112,945

8) Civil Engineer I

What you’ll make to start: $67,393

What you’ll do: Design and supervise construction projects such as airports, bridges, channels, dams, railroads, and roads. This person’s responsibilities also include estimating costs and personnel and material needs, preparing proposals, and establishing completion dates. This role may require a bachelor's degree in engineering.

Your earning potential (level V): $126,036

9) Private Banker I

What you’ll earn to start: $69,963

What you’ll do: Manage a private banking portfolio of high-net-worth individuals using banking strategies, solutions, and advice that is customized to the client's needs. This person develops and maintains client relationships by engaging the resources of other parts of the organization to provide meaningful and personalized service. Acts as advisor, providing financial research and information. This role typically requires a bachelor's degree.

Your earning potential (level III): $119,586

10) Data Architect I

What you’ll earn to start: $76,620

What you’ll do: Design and build relational databases for data storage or processing. This person develops strategies for warehouse implementation, data acquisition and access, and data archiving and recovery. This role typically requires a bachelor's degree

Your earning potential (level V): $140,103

Whatever You Choose, Make Sure You're Prepared

Whether you go for one of the entry level jobs on this list, or go into something else altogether, it’s important to properly negotiate your first salary. Salary.com can help.

Make sure to do your research so you're able to come to the table armed with the knowledge of what you’re worth. Use our free Salary Wizard below to find out what's a fair salary for your position. You can enter your location, education level, years of experience, and more to find out an appropriate salary range before you start to negotiate.

Good luck!