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The 50 Best Entry-Level Jobs for Graduates in 2022

Brandon Plotnick May 10th
Good news graduates, here are the 50 best entry-level jobs as you head out into the workforce in 2022.

So you’re about to graduate and you’re looking for the best entry-level jobs you can find. It’s a daunting task, sometimes.

Never fear though graduates, our friends over at WalletHub have put together a list of the best entry-level jobs for you (as well as the worst ones… but we’re only gonna cover the best here).

The good news is, WalletHub says employers are likely to hire 26 percent more graduates of the Class of 2022 than the Class of 2021.

“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.”

To come up with the rankings, WalletHub measured 108 different entry-level jobs in 12 key areas. Everything from starting salary, to job growth and job hazards and much more.

Immediate Opportunity takes into account things like starting salary, number of openings, and unemployment rates.

Growth Potential includes things like projected job growth, income growth potential, median annual salary and more.

Job Hazards measures fatal occupational injuries, and typicality of working more than 40 hours per week.

Given all that, here’s the best entry-level jobs for all you Class of 2022 graduates:

  • 1. Software Engineer I

    Authentic Office: Professional Black IT Programmer Working on Desktop Computer. Male Website Developer and Software Engineer Developing App, Video Game. Terminal with Coding Programming Language

    gorodenkoff / Getty Images

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    81.07 7 15 12

  • 2. Electronics Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    80.30 1 20 39

     

  • 3. Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    79.92 11 13 33

     

  • 4. Systems Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    79.68 5 23 33

     

  • 5. Industrial Engineer I

     

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    79.51 10 23 33

     

  • 6. Electrical Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    79.21 3 28 39

     

  • 7. Operations Research Analyst I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    78.86 34 6 15

     

  • 8. Hardware Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    78.57 2 36 33

     

  • 9. Web Applications Developer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    78.52 18 33 12

     

  • 10. Environmental, Health, and Safety Engineer I

    Worker take water from the wastewater treatment pond to check the quality of the water. After going through the wastewater treatment process,she wearing face mask to protect pollution in work.

    DSCimage / Getty Images

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    78.22 24 17 33

     

  • 11. Designer I - Web

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    77.31 22 40 17

     

  • 12. Database Administrator I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    76.55 39 11 17

     

  • 13. Safety Representative I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    76.07 6 48 1

     

  • 14. Systems Engineering Technician I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    74.67 26 46 45

     

  • 15. Architect I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    74.59 28 18 53

     

  • 16. Safety Technician I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    74.18 31 35 1

     

  • 17. Certified Nursing Assistant - Nursing Home Salaries

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    73.54 41 37 29

     

  • 18. Attorney I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    72.28 16 1 92

     

  • 19. Materials Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    70.36 9 12 81

     

  • 20. Chemical Engineer I

    group of industrial workers in a refinery - oil processing equipment and machinery

    industryview / Getty Images

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    69.49 27 5 81

     

  • 21. Chemist I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    69.35 55 38 38

     

  • 22. Financial Analyst I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    69.35 12 30 71

     

  • 23. Mechanical Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    69.27 8 25 88

     

  • 24. Systems Administrator I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    68.88 15 32 64

     

  • 25. Programmer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    68.87 38 59 12

     

  • 26. Benefits Analyst I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    68.74 23 78 24

     

  • 27. Chemical Technician I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    68.66 32 64 42

     

  • 28. Market Research Analyst I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    67.40 48 58 24

     

  • 29. Environmental Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    67.39 13 19 100

     

  • 30. Network Engineer I

    System Administrator Checking Servers

    SeventyFour / Getty Images

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    67.04 4 52 64

     

  • 31. Training Specialist I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    67.04 20 43 67

     

  • 32. Industrial Designer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    66.50 70 34 49

     

  • 33. Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    66.50 72 41 30

  • 34. Employment Law Attorney I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    66.26 50 1 92

  • 35. Aerospace Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    66.23 36 10 81

  • 36. Mechanical Engineering Technician I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    66.12 49 57 42

  • 37. Interior Designer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    66.05 69 39 49

  • 38. Tax Attorney I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    65.36 52 1 92

  • 39. Information Security Analyst I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    65.34 17 44 97

  • 40. Industrial Engineering Technician I

    Skillful worker attending brief meeting in the factory .

    NanoStockk / Getty Images

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    65.14 71 46 45

  • 41. Writer I - Web

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    65.14 87 14 32

  • 42. Civil Engineer I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    64.70 35 29 91

  • 43. Budget Analyst I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    64.23 25 99 27

  • 44. Landscape Architect I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    64.23 67 31 53

  • 45. Installation & Maintenance Technician I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    64.04 14 60 59

  • 46. Patent Attorney I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    63.95 56 1 92

  • 47. Network Service Representative I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    63.70 47 79 17

  • 48. General Maintenance Worker I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    62.40 33 72 56

  • 49. Records Clerk

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    61.65 51 82 20

  • 50. Environmental Engineering Technician I

    Total Score  Immediate Opportunity  Growth Potential  Job Hazards 
    61.08 76 55 42

  • Complete rankings

    For the complete rankings of the best and worst jobs for college graduates, visit WalletHub.com.

North Carolina One of the Worst Places in the Country to Die

  • The Top 8

  • 1. Vermont

    Cemetery in Vermont in the Fall

    It doesn’t get much better for a final resting place than this does it? (Getty Images)

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    1 Vermont 71.7% $8,984 72.6 10.3% 8713 100.0% 38.0%

  • 2. Utah

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    2 Utah 70.3% $7,536 24.3 4.3% 8166 92.9% 44.2%

  • 3. Idaho

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    3 Idaho 60.3% $7,288 30.8 3.8% 7108 66.7% 42.0%

  • 4. Ohio

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    4 Ohio 59.7% $7,195 66.1 0.9% 7607 84.8% 29.4%

  • 5. South Dakota

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    5 South Dakota 59.4% $7,748 70.5 3.4% 8973 88.9% 21.6%

  • 6. Maine

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    6 Maine 59.1% $8,999 58.0 4.0% 8880 76.9% 37.0%

  • 7. Illinois

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    7 Illinois 58.9% $7,419 56.2 0.6% 8854 81.6% 32.7%

  • 8. Colorado

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    8 Colorado 58.9% $8,132 22.2 3.8% 9573 80.6% 36.0%

  • The Bottom 8

  • 44. North Carolina

    Sunset over urban city graveyard cemetery outside of downtown city

    North Carolina may not be among the best places to sign off permanently. (Getty Images)

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    44 North Carolina 39.7% $7,404 45.2 1.9% 6775 67.6% 33.2%

  • 45. New Jersey

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    45 New Jersey 39.4% $9,154 49.3 0.6% 7098 91.8% 29.9%

  • 46. Georgia

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    46 Georgia 39.4% $6,924 37.3 0.7% 7041 65.0% 33.2%

  • 47. New York

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    47 New York 38.9% $10,355 51.7 1.0% 7131 80.8% 29.7%

  • 48. Hawaii

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    48 Hawaii 38.3% $15,203 11.8 3.7% 5079 66.7% 37.4%

  • 49. Texas

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    49 Texas 38.0% $7,148 31.3 0.6% 6173 52.2% 33.0%

  • 50. Alaska

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    50 Alaska 37.1% $9,913 17.2 0.0% 14566 42.9% 43.4%

  • 51. Florida

    Rank State Final score Funeral costs Funeral home density Green burial Medicare Palliative care Deaths at home
    51 Florida 30.9% $7,667 28.4 0.8% 4257 64.5% 29.2%
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