The best cities and states for high-paying entry-level jobs

The best city in this study for a highly paid entry-level job is Bozeman, Montana, where 87.8% of junior listings paid above the state median. The weakest major city is Washington, D.C., at 26.4%. South Dakota leads among states; Hawaii ranks last.

Entry-level work is how many people get on the ladder — including CEOs who started at the front desk. Mary T. Barra at General Motors, Bob Iger at Disney, and Chris Rondeau at Planet Fitness began in junior roles. The first salary is still not a number most people want to freeze for life.

On average, entry-level jobs in the U.S. pay just over $40,000 a year, well below the $65,000 mark that one in two Americans would find satisfactory. For Gen Z, salary is the number one factor when choosing where to work. MakeResume analyzed thousands of entry-level listings across the United States to see which cities and states actually pay juniors above the local median — and which do not.

What did this entry-level salary study measure?

For each U.S. state and 223 major cities, we calculated the percentage of local entry-level job listings that offered a salary above and below the state median hourly wage.

That is a relative measure, not a national ranking of dollar amounts. A “highly paid” junior job here means it clears the median for that state. A listing that looks generous in a low-wage state can still lose to rent in a coastal city. Use the percentages to compare local markets, then check cost of living before you pack.

Which cities and states pay entry-level jobs best?

Bozeman, Montana, has the highest share of junior listings above the state median (87.8%). Washington, D.C., has the lowest among cities in the ranking (26.4%). South Dakota is the best state (76.1% above median); Hawaii is the worst (66.1% of listings below the state median).

• 87.8% of entry-level job listings in Bozeman, Montana, offer a salary above the state median wage — more than any other U.S. city in the study.
• In contrast, Washington, D.C., offers the lowest percentage (26.4%) of highly paid entry-level jobs.
• South Dakota is the best state to find a high-paying entry-level job (76.1% of listings pay above the median wage).
• Hawaii ranks as the worst state to find a highly paid entry-level job (66.1% of listings pay below the median wage).

Why does Bozeman, Montana rank first for well-paid entry-level jobs?

Bozeman leads because nearly nine in ten (87.8%) advertised entry-level positions pay more than Montana median wage — the highest city share in the ranking.

The city sits in the Rocky Mountains. Tourism and a growing tech industry both feed the local economy. U.S. tech employees can earn up to 85% more than workers in other industries, which helps pull junior postings above the statewide median even when the role is still labeled entry-level.

Iowa City, Iowa, is almost as strong: 87.7% of entry-level jobs come with pay above the Iowa median. The biggest employers in town include the University of Iowa and local hospitals. Core Bay Area cities also land near the top despite being notoriously expensive: Oakland (77.7%) and San Francisco (77.6%) both show a high share of junior listings above California median wage. High nominal pay still has to clear rent; the ranking does not net that out.

Why is Washington, D.C. the worst city for well-paid entry-level jobs?

Only one in four (26.4%) entry-level listings in Washington, D.C., pay above the local median — the lowest city share in the study — even though the district has one of the most educated populations in the country.

WalletHub ranks D.C. among the most educated U.S. cities. Education does not automatically mean junior pay. The capital runs on internships, many of them unpaid until recently. The White House only began paying its interns in 2022. A dense pipeline of ambitious juniors willing to work cheap pulls advertised starting pay down relative to the local median.

Honolulu, Hawaii, is next-worst among cities: only 36.4% of entry-level roles pay over the state median. That is a poor deal for out-of-state movers, because Honolulu is among the most expensive cities in the country. Four Massachusetts cities appear in the weak-pay ranking (more than any other state), with Lowell at 45.2%. In a statewide labor shortage, the Boston Globe predicted employers might have to lift wages in 2023 to attract applicants — a reminder that these snapshots move when the market tightens.

Which U.S. states pay entry-level jobs best and worst?

South Dakota has the highest share of entry-level listings above the state median (76.1%). Hawaii is last: two-thirds (66.1%) of junior roles we found advertised paid below the Hawaii median.

Agriculture is South Dakota's largest sector. Combined with forestry and related industries, it provides one in five jobs across the state. U.S. farming has faced labor shortages, which can push advertised junior pay above a relatively modest statewide median.

Hawaii's weak junior-pay share lines up with tourism. The industry makes up about 21% of the economy. A previous study found U.S. tourism workers are paid the lowest of any sector. High living costs plus a large low-wage service base is a hard combination for a first job.

Which city in each state is best for highly paid entry-level jobs?

You do not have to leave your state to improve the odds. The map below names the best city in every state by the share of local listings paying above that state median wage.

Large population centers take the crown in many states — Memphis, Tennessee, at 73.7%, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 66.3%, among them. That echoes a 2022 study finding that workers in large cities tend to make more money. The interactive table below has the full set: all 50 states and 223 cities that cleared the listing threshold.

Should you negotiate an entry-level salary?

Yes. More than half of employers are open to negotiating a starting salary, including with people in their first role after college or a career change.

Most workers still do not ask. 60% of workers in the U.S. skip a higher-pay ask in a new job, and women are less likely than men to try. Economist Linda Babcock has argued that never negotiating can cost more than a million dollars in lifetime earnings. You will not win every ask. Skipping the conversation entirely is the expensive default.

If you are relocating for a junior role, some employers offer a moving package. Research local rent and taxes before you treat a higher nominal salary as a raise. Then make the application itself look like it belongs to this job: resume templates and cover letter templates help you stop sending a generic file into a high-volume junior stack.

Whether you are writing a first resume or switching fields, cover letter samples and sample resumes show how other people present thin experience. A cover letter generator is useful when you need a tight narrative that matches the posting. Detail in the application is part of the negotiation: it is harder to lowball a candidate who already looks prepared.

How was this entry-level salary study conducted?

We measured how many entry-level job ads were advertised with a starting salary above the median wage for all 50 U.S. states and 223 major U.S. cities.

Median hourly wages came from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for each state. Counts of entry-level jobs and their pay rates came from Indeed.com. We converted listing counts into percentages so we could compare them with each state median threshold.

A city needed 925 or more entry-level jobs in the data to qualify for the final rankings — 223 cities met that bar. Data was collected in April 2023 and is correct as of June 2023.

Frequently asked questions

Which U.S. city has the best-paid entry-level jobs in this study?

Bozeman, Montana: 87.8% of entry-level listings paid above the Montana median. Iowa City is a close second at 87.7%. Oakland (77.7%) and San Francisco (77.6%) also rank high — before you adjust for Bay Area housing.

Which city is worst for well-paid junior jobs?

Washington, D.C., at 26.4% of listings above the local median. Honolulu is next among cities at 36.4%.

Which state is best and which is worst?

South Dakota is best (76.1% of junior listings above the state median). Hawaii is worst (66.1% below the state median).

Does above the state median mean a comfortable salary?

No. It only means the listing clears that state median hourly wage. Average U.S. entry-level pay in the article is just over $40,000, still below the $65,000 many Americans would find satisfactory. Always net out rent and taxes.

Should first-job candidates negotiate pay?

Yes. More than half of employers say they are open to it, yet 60% of U.S. workers do not ask. Practice the number, know the local median, and keep the tone factual rather than apologetic.

How current is this data?

Listings and wages were collected in April 2023 and treated as correct as of June 2023. Labor shortages and cost of living have moved since then; treat city ranks as a research snapshot, then re-check live postings before you relocate.