List Of Top Hottest Entry Level Jobs 2024

Graduation season has arrived, bringing with it an influx of Gen Z graduates from high school and college into the work market. In 2023 alone, 17.1 million Gen Zers entered the labor force, and many more are expected to enter a market that is cooling but still outpacing pre-pandemic levels, with 175,000 jobs gained in April.

As this generation gains clout, their creative ideas and expectations for transparency are fundamentally altering the job market. However, while getting a full-time, entry-level job is frequently the primary aim for recent graduates, the process may be stressful and difficult.

Powered by the world’s largest database of worker and employer behavior, Indeed is stepping up to provide new grads, and those looking to start their careers, with valuable data on entry-level job trends, including popular positions, emerging industries and salary information.

This list shows that despite varied backgrounds and experiences, new grads have the potential to earn high salaries in their first full-time career. We’ve compiled a list of the hottest entry level jobs¹, or those that deliver on two key demands that we know are important to job seekers: salary and stability by looking at high-paying jobs with significant year-over-year growth.

Key takeaways:

• Skills are now just as important as a tangible degree for those starting their careers. The highest paying entry-level job is inspector making an average of $80,253 per year. The demand for this role has increased 50% in the last year and does not require a four-year college degree, showing that skills-first experience may be just as valuable as education. With many of the jobs featured on the list not requiring a degree (a trend we’ve noticed in over 50% of jobs postings on Indeed since January) opportunities for skill development and upskilling are crucial in a skills-first hiring process. 
• The demand for nurses and other health care workers holds steady. The healthcare industry, which has experienced shortages since before the onset of the pandemic, offers competitive salaries and job stability indicating the continued demand for healthcare professionals due to factors such as population aging and increased emphasis on mental health care. According to the National Library of Medicine, the U.S. has the highest amount of Americans over 65 right now than at any point in its history. And, mental illness affects one in five U.S. adults.
• The lack of tech roles continues to stand out. Once among the highest-growing industries, software development has experienced a 30% decline in job postings since February 2020. As AI becomes more sophisticated in roles, the need for tech talent is above entry level positions suggesting that entry level roles are likely filled from previous overhiring from tech companies. 
• Sectors connected to companies that provide in-person services represent a continued source of strong hiring demand. As companies shift their focus to adopting generative AI technologies, those who work remote are at a higher risk of being exposed to Gen AI. This might explain why in-person jobs feature prominently on the list of hottest entry level jobs.

Hottest entry level jobs in 2024

The jobs on this list were identified based on positive year-over-year growth in share of postings (September 2022- March 2023 compared to September 2023- March 2024) and ranked in order of highest paying. All jobs identified were required to have 0-3 years of experience as included in the job description, and earn at least $45,000 annually.

1. Inspector

• Mean annual salary: $80,253
• Job share percentage increase: 50%
• Education: High school diploma and certificate from American Society for Quality
• Job description: An inspector is responsible for assessing all kinds of products, personnel and organization to ensure regulations are being followed.

2. Quality engineer

• Mean annual salary: $79,925 
• Job share percentage increase: 84.62%
• Education: Associate or Bachelor’s degree in quality, mechanical or industrial engineering.
• Job description: A quality engineer makes sure that manufacturing facilities maintain a high standard in their operations and that products are manufactured correctly with the right tools and processes.

3. Registered nurse medical/surgical

• Mean annual salary: $77,281
• Job share percentage increase: 24%
• Education: Associate’s Degree in Nursing or Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
• Job description: Medical-surgical registered nurses assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient care plans in consultation with healthcare professionals.

4. Mental health technician

• Mean annual salary: $75,322
• Job share percentage increase: 45.82%
• Education: Associate’s degree or Bachelor of Science in psychology, social work or related field.
• Job description: A mental health technician listens to patients’ concerns, observes their behavior, and records their condition. They’re also responsible for reporting changes in patient health or behavior to medical staff.

5. Police officer

• Mean annual salary: $69,703
• Job share percentage increase:15.38%
• Education: At least a high school diploma; Typically a Bachelor’s degree
• Job description: A police officer protects life and property preserves law and order and keeps peace.

6. Business analyst

• Mean annual salary: $66,394
• job share percentage increase: 23.81%
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Business, Information Technology, Management, Management Information Systems, Statistics or Finance.
• Job description: A business analyst analyzes data models and derives logical conclusions, develops innovative solutions for operational and strategic changes, and budget and forecasting to ensure that costs do not exceed the limit.

7. Entry level civil engineer

• Mean annual salary: $65,352
• Job share percentage increase: 26.09%
• Education: Bachelor of Science (BS) in Civil Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Job description: An entry-level civil engineer creates blueprints using computer-aided-drafting (CAD) software, plans for a project’s costs, repairs and performs maintenance on existing structures.

8. Entry level sales representative

• Mean annual salary: $62,361
• Job share percentage increase: 27.17%
• Education: High school diploma
• Job description: An entry level sales representative plays a crucial role in promoting and selling a company’s products or services to prospective clients.

9. Entry level insurance agent

• Mean annual salary: $60,253
• Job share percentage increase: 41.03%
• Education: High school diploma and insurance license
• Job description: An entry level insurance agent is responsible for scheduling appointments with clients and prospective clients to ascertain clients’ needs and resources and find a policy that suits them.

  10. Installation technician

• Mean annual salary: $60,000
• Job share percentage increase: 213.64%
• Education: High school diploma
• Job description: An installation technician is responsible for the installation of various services or products, such as computers, cable or internet networks, signs, swimming pools, alarm systems, and car audio systems.

11. Cable technician

• Mean annual salary: $58,912
• Job share percentage increase: 80%
• Education: High school diploma
• Job description: A cable technician is a professional who installs and repairs residential and commercial cable television systems and telecom networks.