Entry-Level Salary Statistics 2026
The 10th percentile of annual wages across all US occupations is $31,200 (BLS, OEWS May 2025, via PayCrunch). The 10th percentile is a proxy for starting pay, not a measure of starting salaries.
Wage estimates: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Rankings, ratios and shares on this page are PayCrunch calculations from that national file. Figures are annual and not adjusted for cost of living.
Annual 10th-percentile wages by occupation from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national file. The 10th percentile is a proxy for starting pay, not a measure of starting salaries.
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The 10th percentile of annual wages across all US occupations is $31,200 (BLS, OEWS May 2025, via PayCrunch).
Key statistics
Each line is one figure with its source. Quote any of them directly; the citation format is at the foot of the page.
- All Occupations, the total row, has a 10th percentile of $31,200 and a median of $50,980, a gap of $19,780.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- Pediatric Surgeons have the highest 10th percentile, at $215,410, against a median of $559,030, a gap of $343,620, with employment of 1,190.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- Nurse Anesthetists are second, at a 10th percentile of $155,250 and a median of $236,590.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- Waiters and Waitresses have the lowest 10th percentile, at $18,100, against a median of $35,230, a gap of $17,130.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- Bartenders are second-lowest, at a 10th percentile of $20,110.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- 215 of the 825 detailed occupations with a published 10th percentile have a 10th percentile of $50,000 or more. They employ 33,591,870 people, 21.6% of US employment.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- 67 have a 10th percentile of $75,000 or more. They employ 8,836,860 people, 5.7% of US employment.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- 5 of 830 detailed occupations have no published annual 10th percentile. These occupations have no published annual 10th percentile: Actors; Dancers; Musicians and Singers; Disc Jockeys, Except Radio; Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- Among the 10 largest occupations, Home Health and Personal Care Aides have a 10th percentile of $27,040 and a median of $35,800, a gap of $8,760, with 4,305,810 jobs.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- The widest gap between the median and the 10th percentile is Cardiologists: a 10th percentile of $107,190, a median of $496,010, a gap of $388,820.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- The narrowest gap is Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse: a 10th percentile of $32,900, a median of $35,660, a gap of $2,760.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
What the 10th percentile is
The 10th percentile is a proxy for starting pay, not a measure of starting salaries. It is the annual wage below which 10 percent of the estimated wage distribution falls, and above which 90 percent falls. The workers in that lowest tenth are not identified as new hires. The figure does not say what an employer offers someone in their first year, and it mixes workers of every tenure.
BLS publishes it as a percentile of the wage distribution. This page uses it because it is the lowest annual wage point OEWS publishes for an occupation, which makes it the closest published proxy for the bottom of the range. Quoting it as a starting salary overstates what the survey measured.
The 25 highest 10th-percentile occupations
Ranked by the published annual 10th percentile. The gap is the annual median minus that percentile.
| Occupation▲ | SOC▲ | Employment▲ | 10th percentile▲ | Median▲ | Gap▲ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Surgeons | 29-1243 | 1,190 | $215,410 | $559,030 | $343,620 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 29-1151 | 51,840 | $155,250 | $236,590 | $81,340 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 11-9041 | 220,260 | $120,810 | $171,270 | $50,460 |
| Medical Dosimetrists | 29-2036 | 3,410 | $111,670 | $147,470 | $35,800 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 11-3021 | 670,570 | $107,550 | $175,140 | $67,590 |
| Cardiologists | 29-1212 | 17,290 | $107,190 | $496,010 | $388,820 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 53-2011 | 103,560 | $106,710 | $232,140 | $125,430 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 29-1029 | 5,230 | $104,120 | $224,990 | $120,870 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 29-1214 | 32,880 | $103,610 | $335,550 | $231,940 |
| Prosthodontists | 29-1024 | 870 | $103,510 | $311,180 | $207,670 |
| Dermatologists | 29-1213 | 11,370 | $102,810 | $328,730 | $225,920 |
| Anesthesiologists | 29-1211 | 38,760 | $101,460 | $391,490 | $290,030 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 29-1171 | 323,040 | $101,340 | $132,300 | $30,960 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 29-1241 | 8,950 | $100,180 | $300,080 | $199,900 |
| Orthodontists | 29-1023 | 6,210 | $99,850 | $289,140 | $189,290 |
| Physician Assistants | 29-1071 | 162,150 | $99,380 | $135,880 | $36,500 |
| Pharmacists | 29-1051 | 321,970 | $99,290 | $140,910 | $41,620 |
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | 51-8011 | 5,150 | $98,640 | $122,890 | $24,250 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 29-1218 | 21,260 | $94,680 | $292,910 | $198,230 |
| Financial Managers | 11-3031 | 841,710 | $94,310 | $166,570 | $72,260 |
| Nurse Midwives | 29-1161 | 7,920 | $93,620 | $134,040 | $40,420 |
| Nuclear Engineers | 17-2161 | 15,280 | $92,960 | $133,970 | $41,010 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 17-2061 | 76,660 | $92,940 | $161,740 | $68,800 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 29-1222 | 11,110 | $92,540 | $312,400 | $219,860 |
| Purchasing Managers | 11-3061 | 84,320 | $92,490 | $148,080 | $55,590 |
National figures, BLS OEWS May 2025. Click a column to sort.
The 25 lowest 10th-percentile occupations
The same columns, ranked from the lowest 10th percentile.
| Occupation▲ | SOC▲ | Employment▲ | 10th percentile▲ | Median▲ | Gap▲ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waiters and Waitresses | 35-3031 | 2,270,910 | $18,100 | $35,230 | $17,130 |
| Bartenders | 35-3011 | 756,390 | $20,110 | $34,340 | $14,230 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 35-9011 | 542,750 | $21,300 | $33,980 | $12,680 |
| Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners | 39-3012 | 8,950 | $22,090 | $34,980 | $12,890 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | 35-9031 | 432,690 | $22,340 | $31,200 | $8,860 |
| Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 39-3091 | 397,830 | $22,350 | $32,150 | $9,800 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 35-2011 | 641,070 | $22,580 | $30,890 | $8,310 |
| Driver/Sales Workers | 53-3031 | 409,180 | $22,590 | $38,770 | $16,180 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 35-3023 | 3,854,050 | $22,840 | $31,200 | $8,360 |
| Shampooers | 39-5093 | 8,070 | $23,110 | $32,600 | $9,490 |
| Gambling Service Workers, All Other | 39-3019 | 14,140 | $23,160 | $36,310 | $13,150 |
| Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers, All Other | 39-3099 | 7,060 | $23,310 | $32,640 | $9,330 |
| Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance | 39-5091 | 2,340 | $23,360 | $97,150 | $73,790 |
| Motion Picture Projectionists | 39-3021 | 1,480 | $23,390 | $38,270 | $14,880 |
| Cooks, Short Order | 35-2015 | 138,650 | $23,440 | $35,880 | $12,440 |
| Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers | 39-3031 | 121,770 | $23,560 | $32,910 | $9,350 |
| Gambling Dealers | 39-3011 | 83,910 | $24,040 | $34,320 | $10,280 |
| Childcare Workers | 39-9011 | 518,910 | $24,260 | $34,980 | $10,720 |
| Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers | 41-2012 | 21,530 | $24,460 | $36,220 | $11,760 |
| Cashiers | 41-2011 | 3,089,410 | $24,530 | $32,880 | $8,350 |
| Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other | 25-9099 | 118,590 | $25,180 | $50,890 | $25,710 |
| Physical Therapist Aides | 31-2022 | 48,150 | $25,360 | $35,240 | $9,880 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | 35-9099 | 84,630 | $25,470 | $35,840 | $10,370 |
| Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | 33-9092 | 157,550 | $25,780 | $33,580 | $7,800 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 35-2021 | 893,600 | $25,810 | $35,320 | $9,510 |
National figures, BLS OEWS May 2025. Click a column to sort.
The 10 largest occupations: 10th percentile against the median
These are the largest detailed occupations that publish both figures. The gap is how far the middle of the distribution sits above the 10th percentile. It is not a raise from a starting salary.
| Occupation▲ | SOC▲ | Employment▲ | 10th percentile▲ | Median▲ | Gap▲ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 31-1120 | 4,305,810 | $27,040 | $35,800 | $8,760 |
| Retail Salespersons | 41-2031 | 3,897,860 | $27,210 | $35,410 | $8,200 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 35-3023 | 3,854,050 | $22,840 | $31,200 | $8,360 |
| General and Operations Managers | 11-1021 | 3,503,020 | $50,090 | $105,770 | $55,680 |
| Registered Nurses | 29-1141 | 3,379,720 | $68,940 | $97,550 | $28,610 |
| Cashiers | 41-2011 | 3,089,410 | $24,530 | $32,880 | $8,350 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 53-7062 | 2,950,280 | $31,270 | $40,240 | $8,970 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 53-7065 | 2,833,810 | $30,110 | $37,330 | $7,220 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 43-4051 | 2,595,750 | $31,750 | $44,770 | $13,020 |
| Office Clerks, General | 43-9061 | 2,464,940 | $30,310 | $45,010 | $14,700 |
National figures, BLS OEWS May 2025. Click a column to sort.
Pay for individual occupations
Pages for occupations named above, where PayCrunch has a page for that SOC code. Healthcare occupations are summarised on the healthcare salary statistics page.
How to cite this page
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PayCrunch (2026). Entry-Level Salary Statistics 2026. Aggregated from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. https://paycrunch.co/stats/entry-level-salary-statistics.html (accessed 16 October 2026).
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The 10th percentile of annual wages across all US occupations is $31,200 (BLS, OEWS May 2025, via PayCrunch).
Method
Source
Every wage and employment figure on this page comes from the national file of the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release of May 2025, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. No wage here is a PayCrunch estimate. Rankings, ratios and shares are PayCrunch calculations from that file and are labelled as such.
What is counted
The wage on this page is the published annual 10th percentile (A_PCT10). The 10th percentile is a proxy for starting pay, not a measure of starting salaries. The gap is the published annual median minus that 10th percentile. A detailed occupation is ranked only when the 10th percentile is published (825 of 830). The high and low tables are the 25 highest and 25 lowest. The notable table is the 10 largest detailed occupations by employment among those that publish both figures. The $50,000 and $75,000 counts use the same published-percentile set. The all-occupations 10th percentile is the single total row. It describes workers. It is not the median of the occupation-level 10th percentiles.
Rows left out
An occupation with no published annual median or percentile is left out of any ranking that needs that figure. In this release that is a handful of occupations for which BLS publishes an hourly wage only. The all-occupations median, and the all-occupations 10th and 90th percentiles, are the single total row in the file. That row describes workers. It is not the median of the occupation-level medians, which is a different statistic and is published on the average salary statistics page.
Rebuilding these numbers
The script that computes every figure on this page is .github/stats-gen/gen_national_stats_pages.py. It reads data/open/national_M2025_dl.xlsx and regenerates this page. Nothing on this page is typed by hand.
Limitations
- The 10th percentile is a proxy for starting pay, not a measure of starting salaries. It is a point on a wage distribution. It does not identify new hires, and it is not an offer.
- OEWS is a survey. Every figure carries sampling error, and the error is largest where the occupation is smallest.
- Wage and salary employment only. OEWS excludes the self-employed, so occupations with many independent workers are under-covered.
- The 90th percentile is not a maximum. It is a point on a wage distribution. Pay above it exists.
- No cost-of-living adjustment. All figures are nominal annual wages.
- SOC titles are classification labels, not job titles as employers use them, and one SOC code can cover several distinct jobs.
- One release only. These are May 2025 figures; OEWS releases are not straightforwardly comparable across years.
Frequently asked questions
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