These are the best and worst entry-level jobs in 2025

FILE-Workers attach siding on a new home at a construction site in Trappe, Maryland. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Finding a job is becoming significantly competitive as job seekers look for ways to distinguish themselves from employers to secure work.

And with college graduates joining the workforce, many of them are searching for their first jobs that offer high salaries, stability, and long-term growth. 

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To get an idea of what the current market is for entry-level jobs, WalletHub released a new study comparing 108 entry-level roles using three key categories: immediate opportunity, growth potential and job hazards. 

The personal finance company then examined those categories using 12 data points that were graded on a 100-point scale. 

Here’s a ranking of the best and worst entry-level jobs. To see the complete list, click here

Best entry-level jobs 

  1. Hardware engineer
  2. Certified nursing assistant at a nursing home
  3. Engineer
  4. Software engineer
  5. Safety representative

Worst entry-level jobs

  1. Boilermaker
  2. Automotive mechanic
  3. Mechanical drafter
  4. Computer Numeric Control Machine Programmer
  5. Welder

A closer look at the top 3 entry-level jobs

Why you should care: Hardware engineers ranked as the top entry-level job because the occupation focuses on design, development, testing, and troubleshooting of hardware components and systems. According to WalletHub, hardware engineers have the 18th-most job openings among over 100 career types of researchers evaluated for the study. These jobs also offer high annual salaries at almost $157,000.

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A certified nursing assistant at a nursing home has the third-lowest unemployment rate at only 2.8% and has the fourth-most job openings. Employees in these roles don’t work over 40 hours a week on average, and you can get hired in this profession without any previous experience in this line of work. 

Moreover, engineers have access to more job openings than many other careers and an applicant doesn’t need any practical experience to get a job. Engineers also have a median salary of nearly $117,000 and a starting salary of almost $77,000. And engineers don’t work over 40 hours a week. 

The Source: Information for this story was provided by WalletHub, which compared entry-level roles using three key categories: immediate opportunity, growth potential and job hazards. WalletHub then examined those categories, which were graded on a 100-point scale.  This story was reported from Washington, D.C. 

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