State salary profile · North Carolina

North Carolina Salaries

Occupation-by-occupation wages, highest- and lowest-paying roles, and metro detail for North Carolina, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$186,414
Top 50 avg
744
Occupations
18
Metro areas
285,130
Workers (top tier)

North Carolina occupations report a top-tier average wage of $186,414.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the most recent release covers 744 reported occupations in North Carolina, each with a national percentile band and metro-level detail. The highest-paying reported occupation, Surgeons, All Other, earns $398,410, versus $31,290 for Cooks, Short Order at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 18 metro areas within the state.

North Carolina, the picture in one line

North Carolina ranks #30 of 54 states and territories by employment-weighted average wage, led by Surgeons, All Other at $398,410.

#30
of 54 states by typical pay
$398,410
top-paying: Surgeons, All Other
44th
percentile among all states

Rank reflects employment-weighted pay across the full occupation mix, not any single role; see the full breakdown below.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The North Carolina labor market shows up in BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data across 744 reported occupations; the top- and bottom-paying tiers shown on this page (75 occupations) cover roughly 285,130 workers in that sample. The May 2025 OEWS release captures base pay, mean pay, and percentile bands for each SOC code that has enough state-level employment to report without confidentiality suppression. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $186,414 per year, the upper-tier benchmark, NOT a state-wide median (BLS does not publish that aggregate; specialty roles skew this number significantly higher than what a typical worker earns).

At the top of the ranking, Surgeons, All Other pays a North Carolina median of $398,410, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Dermatologists at $367,350, followed by Emergency Medicine Physicians at $339,350. At the bottom of the reported range, Cooks, Short Order pays $31,290 - the 12.7× spread between top and bottom is characteristic of U.S. state labor markets, where specialized professional roles and entry-level service work coexist within the same regional economy. BLS reports wage data for 18 metropolitan statistical areas inside North Carolina, letting you drill below state averages into city-by-city variation.

State-level wages reflect three compounding forces: local industry mix (a state with heavy finance, tech, or oil-and-gas concentration shows higher medians than one dominated by retail and hospitality), cost of living (expensive states pay nominally more to attract talent), and employer competition (areas with few large employers for a given specialty pay below average regardless of state prestige). Before treating any median on this page as a personal benchmark, drill into the specific metro within North Carolina where you work, pair it with rent and cost-of-living indices to see real purchasing power, and remember OEWS figures exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime. Every occupation row links to the full occupation profile so you can see the 10th-to-90th percentile spread and compare North Carolina to the national median for that specific role. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$186,414

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$398,410

Surgeons, All Other

Where North Carolina ranks on pay

Employment-weighted average wage vs. all 54 states & territories

$59,842 Bottom 44% higher than 44% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 13 states & territories (24%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$65,000: 12 states & territories (22%). Above this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 6 states & territories (11%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $105,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

North Carolina ranks #30 of 54 by employment-weighted average wage ($59,842), a measure of typical local pay across the whole occupation mix rather than any single role.

Highest-paying occupations in North Carolina

Median annual wage by occupation, top 15 reported roles

median / yr
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 744 distinct occupations in North Carolina. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Highest Paying Jobs in North Carolina

View all 100 →
# Occupation Median Salary
1 Surgeons, All Other $398,410
2 Dermatologists $367,350
3 Emergency Medicine Physicians $339,350
4 Neurologists $325,550
5 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $323,630
6 Chief Executives $314,290
7 General Internal Medicine Physicians $289,780
8 Physicians, All Other $260,330
9 Physicians, Pathologists $248,940
10 Dentists, All Other Specialists $225,990
11 Orthodontists $224,990
12 Nurse Anesthetists $224,610
13 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons $224,040
14 Podiatrists $215,420
15 Family Medicine Physicians $215,230
16 Dentists, General $207,000
17 Pediatricians, General $183,550
18 Physicists $174,180
19 Natural Sciences Managers $173,870
20 Computer and Information Systems Managers $172,860
21 Psychiatrists $168,880
22 Architectural and Engineering Managers $167,840
23 Financial Managers $166,780
24 Marketing Managers $165,480
25 Optometrists $161,560
26 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $151,540
27 Sales Managers $150,470
28 Medical Dosimetrists $147,830
29 Human Resources Managers $142,990
30 Managers, All Other $141,160
31 Pharmacists $138,860
32 Purchasing Managers $138,710
33 Economists $136,150
34 Compensation and Benefits Managers $135,240
35 Software Developers $134,710
36 Computer Hardware Engineers $134,670
37 Database Architects $134,630
38 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $134,540
39 Public Relations Managers $132,280
40 Financial Risk Specialists $132,040
41 Nuclear Engineers $131,850
42 Information Security Analysts $131,540
43 Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers $129,960
44 Physician Assistants $129,360
45 Veterinarians $129,240
46 Air Traffic Controllers $129,230
47 Nurse Practitioners $128,990
48 Actuaries $128,730
49 Computer and Information Research Scientists $128,370
50 Lawyers $127,710

Lowest Paying Jobs in North Carolina

Occupation Median Salary
Shampooers $26,030
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials $26,540
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $26,680
Cooks, Fast Food $27,190
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $27,310
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $27,560
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $28,320
Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,570
Cashiers $28,880
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other $29,000
Childcare Workers $29,140
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials $29,300
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $29,790
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks $29,900
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other $30,160
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $30,260
Food Preparation Workers $30,260
Dishwashers $30,340
Parking Attendants $30,540
Animal Caretakers $30,870
Dietetic Technicians $31,010
Barbers $31,050
Cooks, All Other $31,120
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $31,240
Cooks, Short Order $31,290

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See the fastest growing occupations nationally and how many people work in each one in North Carolina. Based on BLS employment projections 2024–2034.

Metro Areas in North Carolina

Asheville, NC Burlington, NC Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area Fayetteville, NC Goldsboro, NC Greensboro-High Point, NC Greenville, NC Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Jacksonville, NC Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC Raleigh-Cary, NC Rocky Mount, NC Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area Wilmington, NC Winston-Salem, NC

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare purchasing power across metros

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Related State Pages

Drill into the highest-paying and fastest-growing jobs in North Carolina, or jump back to the national rankings.

Highest Paying in North Carolina

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in North Carolina

Projected 2024–2034 growth

National Highest Paying

All occupations ranked

Surgeons, All Other

Top-paying role nationally

Dermatologists

National occupation profile

All 50 States

Browse every state page
Compare Surgeons, All Other side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median salary across the top 50 occupations in North Carolina? ▼
Averaging the median salaries of the top 50 highest-paying occupations in North Carolina gives $186,414/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). This is NOT the state-wide median, it's the mean of the top tier only. The full 744 occupations with reported wage data span a much wider range; see the table below for the complete picture.
What is the highest paying job in North Carolina? ▼
The highest paying occupation in North Carolina is Surgeons, All Other with a median salary of $398,410/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Dermatologists at $367,350/year.
What jobs pay the least in North Carolina? ▼
The lowest paying occupation in North Carolina is Cooks, Short Order with a median salary of $31,290/year. Entry-level and service occupations generally have the lowest wages in the state.
How many metro areas are in North Carolina? ▼
BLS reports wage data for 18 metropolitan statistical areas in North Carolina. Salaries can vary significantly between metro areas due to cost of living, industry concentration, and local labor demand.
How many jobs are tracked in North Carolina? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 744 distinct occupations in North Carolina. The top-paying tier shown on this page alone (the 50 occupations in the table below) covers approximately 285,130 employed workers. Data comes from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of employers.

Related federal data

BLS OEWS, state wage tables → BLS QCEW state series → BLS LAUS, state unemployment → BEA, personal income by state → OSHA establishment data → DOL Wage & Hour Division →

What to do with this data

How to use North Carolina wage data in a real decision

  • A wage here stretches differently by local cost of living than the same number would elsewhere, so weigh pay against rent and prices before relocating, not just the raw dollar figure. Compare states
  • Open a specific occupation to see its full pay band, percentiles, and metro detail for this state, statewide figures blur real variation between roles. Browse occupations
  • Treat this as a state benchmark, not a personal prediction. Your offer depends on your exact role, employer, experience, and the metro you work in. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and metro breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are aggregates and may not reflect pay in your specific metro area or employer, consult a qualified career counselor or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.