2023’s Best & Worst Entry-Level Jobs

John S Kiernan, WalletHub Managing EditorMay 9, 2023

John S Kiernan, WalletHub Managing Editor
May 9, 2023

Graduation season is a time of big dreams and high pressure for soon-to-be job seekers across the country. This year, graduates have a distinct advantage as many jobs are desperate to hire in the midst of a labor shortage, and applicants have a lot of leverage to secure a solid package of compensation and benefits. Employers plan to hire 14.7% more graduates from the Class of 2023 than they did from the Class of 2022.

Ultimately, many job-market entrants seek a career, not just a job. They want the attractive combination of a high starting salary and high growth for compensation and responsibility. They also want stability while doing what they love. The question is how to go about obtaining such things in the current job market.

In search of answers and actionable information for the Class of 2023, WalletHub took stock of the first-timer job market by comparing 108 entry-level positions based on 12 key metrics. Our data set ranges from average starting salary to projected job growth by 2031 to median tenure with an employer.

Table of Contents

Main Findings

Best First Jobs

Overall Rank	Job Type	Total Score	Immediate Opportunity	Growth Potential	Job Hazards
1	Engineer I	77.73	1	25	36
2	Env., Health, and Safety Engineer I	72.69	7	24	36
3	Safety Technician I	72.54	4	39	1
4	Landscape Architect I	70.93	5	30	53
5	Hardware Engineer I	70.24	15	26	36
6	Certified Nursing Assistant - Nursing Home Salaries	69.15	16	41	32
7	Operations Research Analyst I	68.20	50	7	17
8	Electronics Engineer I	67.91	24	22	44
9	Web Applications Developer I	67.61	21	16	1
10	Software Engineer I	67.39	34	5	1
11	Electrical Engineer I	66.90	25	37	44
12	Market Research Analyst I	66.70	12	58	25
13	Architect I	66.15	19	21	53
14	Systems Engineer I	65.25	44	32	36
15	Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant	64.32	52	40	31
16	Industrial Engineer I	64.31	53	32	36
17	Biologist I	64.27	33	44	42
18	Database Administrator I	64.10	49	11	1
19	Training Specialist I	64.03	2	52	72
20	Designer I - Web	63.60	45	19	1
21	Industrial Designer I	62.50	65	42	33
22	Financial Analyst I	62.33	17	9	64
23	Microbiologist I	61.53	93	17	42
24	Materials Engineer I	61.42	11	18	78
25	Employment Law Attorney I	61.00	13	1	91
26	Safety Representative I	60.95	36	48	1
27	Systems Engineering Technician I	60.36	51	50	49
28	Tax Attorney I	60.15	18	1	91
29	Writer I - Web	59.83	95	10	1
30	Benefits Analyst I	59.71	28	82	25
31	Chemist I	59.22	70	38	1
32	Attorney I	59.18	20	1	91
33	Systems Administrator I	59.15	8	34	91
34	Patent Attorney I	58.98	22	1	91
35	Interior Designer I	58.96	97	49	33
36	Logistics Analyst I	58.80	31	12	72
37	Secretary I	58.37	14	104	18
38	Employee Relations Specialist I	58.20	67	68	25
39	Aerospace Engineer I	57.92	32	14	78
40	Chemical Technician I	57.86	54	66	46
41	Geophysicist I	57.55	46	56	1
42	Industrial Engineering Technician I	57.39	84	50	49
43	Programmer I	57.12	42	65	1
44	Mechanical Engineer I	57.08	29	31	84
45	Chemical Engineer I	56.83	41	15	78
46	Claims Processing Clerk	56.67	9	101	1
47	Underwriter (Life) I	55.51	68	80	23
48	Records Clerk	55.50	40	95	28
49	Environmental Engineering Technician I	55.45	86	64	46
50	Mechanical Engineering Technician I	55.05	77	71	46
51	Network Service Representative I	54.91	76	54	1
52	Plumber I	54.74	81	23	58
53	Logistics Clerk	54.42	80	12	72
54	Network Engineer I	54.34	10	53	91
55	Geotechnical Engineer I	54.29	58	27	78
56	Civil Engineer I	54.25	38	36	86
57	Drilling Engineer I	53.83	48	8	91
58	Claims Adjuster I	53.83	66	84	41
59	Mine Engineer I	53.80	62	27	78
60	Accountant I	53.61	6	89	64
61	Budget Analyst I	53.48	55	99	23
62	Biomedical Engineer I	53.32	73	20	78
63	Telecommunications Technician I	53.13	59	46	61
64	Environmental Engineer I	52.87	35	29	91
65	Carpenter I	52.77	3	55	91
66	Installation & Maintenance Technician I	52.66	37	59	60
67	Geologist I	52.53	98	56	1
68	Buyer I	52.21	30	69	72
69	Information Security Analyst I	51.40	43	35	91
70	Technical Librarian I	50.78	75	76	1
71	Accounting Clerk I	50.36	89	100	21
72	Teaching Assistant (College)	50.09	107	77	22
73	Civil Engineering Technician I	49.67	79	93	49
74	Refinery Operator I	49.65	104	61	55
75	Electrical Engineering Technician I	49.57	71	98	49
76	Payroll Clerk	49.42	90	105	19
77	Environmental Planner I	49.04	47	47	91
78	General Maintenance Worker I	48.99	91	72	57
79	Technical Writer I	48.81	64	97	1
80	New Accounts Representative I	48.73	78	107	28
81	Electronics Assembler I	48.67	102	88	35
82	Financial Reporting Accountant I	48.42	23	89	64
83	Cost Accountant I	48.06	26	89	64
84	Electric/Electronics Technician I	47.17	56	79	61
85	Sheetmetal Mechanic I	47.05	106	62	56
86	Public Relations Specialist I	46.90	69	45	91
87	Credit Analyst I	46.89	39	85	64
88	Consumer Loan Servicing Clerk I	46.88	103	103	28
89	Computer Numeric Control Machine Programmer I	46.00	82	43	90
90	Electrician I	45.83	87	6	91
91	Tool and Die Maker I	45.29	61	75	85
92	Consumer Loan Officer I	44.74	85	78	64
93	Network Planning Analyst I	44.28	57	67	91
94	Benefits Administrator I	44.00	27	106	77
95	Tax Accountant I	43.96	60	89	64
96	Teller I	43.71	105	108	19
97	Consumer Credit Analyst I	43.64	74	85	64
98	Machinist I	42.82	100	63	89
99	Building Inspector	42.79	88	96	59
100	Aircraft Painter I	42.49	92	83	76
101	Policy Processing Clerk	42.03	101	101	1
102	Architectural Drafter I	41.67	94	81	87
103	Floor Assembler I	40.16	108	74	61
104	Mechanical Drafter I	40.01	83	87	88
105	Emergency Dispatcher	39.36	99	70	91
106	Automotive Mechanic I	38.08	63	73	91
107	Boilermaker I	37.25	96	60	91
108	Welder I	33.19	72	94	91

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that job, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

Entry-Level Jobs

Best

Best
1. Engineer I
2. Env., Health, and Safety Engineer I
3. Safety Technician I
4. Landscape Architect I
5. Hardware Engineer I

Worst

Worst
104. Mechanical Drafter I
105. Emergency Dispatcher
106. Automotive Mechanic I
107. Boilermaker I
108. Welder I

Starting Salaries

Highest

Highest
1. Tax Attorney I
2. Drilling Engineer I
3. Attorney I
4. Patent Attorney I
5. Employment Law Attorney I

Lowest

Lowest
104. Floor Assembler I
105. Network Service Representative I
106. Certified Nursing Assistant - Nursing Home Salaries
107. Teller I
108. Teaching Assistant (College)

Income Growth Potential

Most

Most
1. Financial Analyst I
2. Consumer Loan Officer I
T-3. Web Applications Developer I
T-3. Designer I - Web
T-5. Geologist I
T-5. Geophysicist I

Least

Least
T-104. Claims Processing Clerk
T-104. Policy Processing Clerk
106. Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
107. New Accounts Representative I
108. Teller I

Projected Job Growth by 2031

Fastest

Fastest
1. Information Security Analyst I
T-2. Logistics Analyst I
T-2. Logistics Clerk
4. Software Engineer I
5. Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant

Slowest

Slowest
104. Programmer I
T-105. New Accounts Representative I
T-105. Teller I
107. Payroll Clerk
108. Aircraft Painter I

Job Openings

Most

Most
T-1. Engineer I
T-1. Landscape Architect I
T-1. Claims Processing Clerk
T-1. Carpenter I
T-1. Safety Technician I
T-1. Training Specialist I

Fewest

Fewest
104. Boilermaker I
105. Refinery Operator I
106. Geophysicist I
107. Computer Numeric Control Machine Programmer I
108. Consumer Loan Servicing Clerk I

Dangerous Jobs

Least

Least
1. Operations Research Analyst I
2. Secretary I
T-3. Payroll Clerk
T-3. Teller I
5. Accounting Clerk I

Most

Most
T-72. Welder I
T-72. Carpenter I
T-72. Telecommunications Technician I
T-72. Floor Assembler I
T-72. Boilermaker I
T-72. Electric/Electronics Technician I

Ask the Experts

The job market can be a very confusing place for new entrants. For tips that will help young people make the best possible career decisions, we asked the following questions to a panel of career counselors and human-resource experts. You can check out their bios and responses below.

How can one tell from a job description whether or not that entry-level job will result in a career versus a dead end?
How long should a new graduate stay in an entry-level job before looking for new opportunities?
What advice do you have for young people choosing between an unpaid or low-paid opportunity in their preferred industry versus a job with a higher starting salary?
What jobs or sectors are likely to disappear in the next 20 years?
What are the best entry-level jobs for long-term job security?

Ask the Experts

Matthew J. Grawitch
Ph.D. – Director, Strategic Research, School for Professional Studies – School for Professional Studies, Saint Louis University
Read More

Amy Browns
Associate Director, Employer Engagement + Experiential Learning – UNC Charlotte, University Career Center
Read More

Don Kjelleren
Executive Director, '68 Center for Career Exploration – Williams College
Read More

Kurt Kraiger
Professor and Chair of the Department of Management, Fogelman College of Business and Economics – University of Memphis and Principal Psychologist at PathwayU, a career development software company
Read More

Daniel Newell
MPA – Executive Director, Career Services – San Diego State University
Read More

Methodology

In order to identify the best and worst first-timer jobs, WalletHub compared 108 entry-level occupations across three key dimensions: 1) Immediate Opportunity, 2) Growth Potential and 3) Job Hazards.

We evaluated those dimensions using 12 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for entry-level workers.

We then determined each entry-level position’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its total score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Immediate Opportunity - Total Points: 40

Average Starting Salary: Full Weight (~13.33 Points)
Number of Job Openings: Full Weight (~13.33 Points)
Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~13.33 Points)

Growth Potential - Total Points: 40

Occupation Viability Score: Double Weight (~10.67 Points)
Note: This metric measures the probability of a certain occupation being replaced with a computer.
Projected Job Growth by 2031: Full Weight (~5.33 Points)
Income Growth Potential: Full Weight (~5.33 Points)
Typicality of On-the-Job Training: Full Weight (~5.33 Points)
Median Annual Salary: Full Weight (~5.33 Points)
Work Experience in Related Occupation Needed: Full Weight (~5.33 Points)
Median Tenure with Employer: Half Weight (~2.67 Points)

Job Hazards - Total Points: 20

Fatal Occupational Injuries per 100,000 Employees in Past Three Years: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Typicality of Working More than 40 Hours per Week: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford, Indeed.com and Salary.com.

Supporting Video Files:

Questions & Answers(1 question)

jobs for graphic design graduate

Upvotes

Was this article helpful?

Disclaimer: Editorial and user-generated content is not provided or commissioned by financial institutions. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and have not been approved or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution, including those that are WalletHub advertising partners. Our content is intended for informational purposes only, and we encourage everyone to respect our content guidelines. Please keep in mind that it is not a financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered.

Certain offers that appear on this site originate from paying advertisers, and this will be noted on an offer’s details page using the designation "Sponsored", where applicable. Advertising may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). At WalletHub we try to present a wide array of offers, but our offers do not represent all financial services companies or products.