Entry-level jobs with the highest-paying starting salaries

It’s cap and gown season — and a lot of things probably come to mind: very long ceremonies, fun celebrations, and then of course, graduates frantically searching for jobs.

To help those entering the job market figure out where the best opportunities are, WalletHub has put together a list of the best and worst entry-level positions.

After collecting data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford, Indeed.com and Salary.com, WalletHub analyzed 109 entry-level occupations to determine their immediate growth opportunity, growth potential and job hazards.

Read more: Top 25 highest-paying companies in America

In its analysis, the group used 11 key metrics: median starting salary, unemployment rate, projected job growth by 2024, income growth potential, probability of the job being replaced by a computer and number of fatal occupational injuries. Each metric then was given a value of between 0 and 100 (100 being the most favorable conditions) for each occupation.

Then using all that data, WalletHub calculated a ranking of what it determined to be the best and worst entry-level jobs.

And if your skills, education and expertise don’t fit exactly into any one these categories, there could still be opportunities for you to translate what you know and apply it to an occupation with great potential! See more findings from WalletHub’s study below this list.

Read more: Top 10 highest paying work-at-home careers

Best entry-level jobs for 2016

15. Aerospace engineer

• Median annual salary: $68,250
• Immediate opportunity rank: 33
• Growth potential rank: 29
• Job hazards rank: 38

14. Certified nursing assistant

• Median annual salary: $30,250
• Immediate opportunity rank: 25
• Growth potential rank: 56
• Job hazards rank: 24

13. Chemical engineer

• Median annual salary: $70,200
• Immediate opportunity rank: 28
• Growth potential rank: 1
• Job hazards rank: 38

12. Electronics engineer

• Median annual salary: $67,100
• Immediate opportunity rank: 22
• Growth potential rank: 39
• Job hazards rank: 36

11. Web designer

• Median annual salary: $70,600
• Immediate opportunity rank: 40
• Growth potential rank: 13
• Job hazards rank: 13

10. Architect

• Median annual salary: $72,650
• Immediate opportunity rank: 16
• Growth potential rank: 15
• Job hazards rank: 57

9. Training specialist

• Median annual salary: $48,700
• Immediate opportunity rank: 2
• Growth potential rank: 42
• Job hazards rank: 80

8. Software engineer

• Median annual salary: $63,550
• Immediate opportunity rank: 4
• Growth potential rank: 26
• Job hazards rank: 79

Read more: 10 high-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree

7. Safety technician

• Median annual salary: $39,750
• Immediate opportunity rank: 6
• Growth potential rank: 38
• Job hazards rank: 61

6. Electrical engineer

• Median annual salary: $65,600
• Immediate opportunity rank: 14
• Growth potential rank: 23
• Job hazards rank: 36

5. Environmental, health, and safety engineer

• Median annual salary: $54,500
• Immediate opportunity rank: 10
• Growth potential rank: 43
• Job hazards rank: 38

4. Web applications developer

• Median annual salary: $55,950
• Immediate opportunity rank: 20
• Growth potential rank: 13
• Job hazards rank: 18

3. Safety representative

• Median annual salary: $56,750
• Immediate opportunity rank: 1
• Growth potential rank: 67
• Job hazards rank: 56

2. Systems engineer

• Median annual salary: $66,550
• Immediate opportunity rank: 3
• Growth potential rank: 60
• Job hazards rank: 38

1. Engineer

• Median annual salary: $62,900
• Immediate opportunity rank: 5
• Growth potential rank: 25
• Job hazards rank: 38

See all the latest job tips.

More findings from the study, including highest-paying starting salaries