Fastest growing jobs in North Carolina, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in North Carolina. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

State projections are produced by North Carolina's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in North Carolina run 5.7% below the national average (2024), so a North Carolina salary is worth about 1.06× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in North Carolina.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in North Carolina

OccupationMedian, North Carolina · Growth 2024–34

1Solar Photovoltaic Installers$43,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,440 – $60,170+45.4%
2Nurse Practitioners$128,990
Master's degree
$103,530 – $164,320+44.9%
3Data Scientists$119,090
Bachelor's degree
$65,970 – $172,830+32.9%
4Information Security Analysts$131,540
Bachelor's degree
$77,150 – $173,670+27.7%
5Medical and Health Services Managers$114,410
Bachelor's degree
$70,680 – $217,420+27.1%
6Physical Therapist Assistants$67,540
Associate's degree
$56,100 – $80,850+26.3%
7Occupational Therapy Assistants$69,390
Associate's degree
$55,130 – $83,360+25.2%
8Actuaries$128,730
Bachelor's degree
$72,420 – $193,830+25.0%
9Physician Assistants$129,360
Master's degree
$101,100 – $164,770+24.3%
10Psychiatric Technicians$40,630
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,900 – $50,530+24.0%
11Computer and Information Research Scientists$128,370
Master's degree
$82,410 – $182,050+23.9%
12Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$45,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,260 – $61,970+23.5%
13Speech-Language Pathologists$86,460
Master's degree
$60,800 – $121,040+23.0%
14Operations Research Analysts$97,290
Bachelor's degree
$60,180 – $130,980+22.5%
15Cooks, Restaurant$35,400
No formal educational credential
$27,980 – $45,450+22.4%
16Financial Examiners$100,730
Bachelor's degree
$64,760 – $166,110+22.3%
17Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$55,490
Master's degree
$37,440 – $86,010+21.0%
18Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$63,010
Associate's degree
$25,860 – $114,260+19.6%
19Industrial Machinery Mechanics$62,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,550 – $81,970+19.5%
20Home Health and Personal Care Aides$31,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,690 – $38,680+19.0%
21Occupational Therapists$92,940
Master's degree
$62,230 – $118,300+18.9%
22Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$86,010
Associate's degree
$67,070 – $105,530+18.8%
23Respiratory Therapists$80,090
Associate's degree
$63,990 – $99,520+18.4%
24Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$80,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,770 – $110,620+18.2%
25Nurse Anesthetists$224,610
Master's degree
$117,170 – $323,640+17.9%
26Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$103,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,110 – $329,800+17.7%
27Medical Equipment Repairers$59,190
Associate's degree
$35,510 – $88,750+17.3%
28Massage Therapists$60,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,050 – $96,510+17.2%
29Forensic Science Technicians$59,240
Bachelor's degree
$45,950 – $81,760+17.2%
30Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$63,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,120 – $88,200+17.0%
31Logisticians$80,780
Bachelor's degree
$55,810 – $128,180+16.5%
32Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$46,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,910 – $74,210+16.2%
33Financial Managers$166,780
Bachelor's degree
$100,950 – $322,090+16.2%
34Community Health Workers$47,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,160 – $68,380+16.0%
35Medical Assistants$45,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,010 – $50,850+15.9%
36Medical Equipment Preparers$45,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,410 – $58,950+15.7%
37Computer and Information Systems Managers$172,860
Bachelor's degree
$108,280 – $287,840+15.2%
38Physical Therapists$99,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,020 – $125,940+15.1%
39Athletic Trainers$56,540
Master's degree
$46,740 – $77,000+14.9%
40Personal Financial Advisors$96,880
Bachelor's degree
$48,790 – $287,290+14.6%
41Animal Caretakers$30,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,210 – $46,120+14.5%
42Therapists, All Other$60,400
Bachelor's degree
$49,600 – $87,120+14.5%
43Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$92,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,890 – $213,160+14.3%
44Taxi Drivers$36,950
No formal educational credential
$31,410 – $43,390+14.2%
45Driver/Sales Workers$36,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$18,260 – $60,390+14.1%
46Software Developers$134,710
Bachelor's degree
$83,840 – $179,310+14.1%
47Mechanical Door Repairers$52,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,410 – $75,640+14.1%
48Veterinarians$129,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,650 – $209,340+13.4%
49Training and Development Specialists$65,250
Bachelor's degree
$33,170 – $115,110+13.3%
50Marriage and Family Therapists$48,100
Master's degree
$27,860 – $109,200+13.2%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianNorth Carolina	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Solar Photovoltaic InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,860	$37,440 – $60,170	+45.4%
2	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,990	$103,530 – $164,320	+44.9%
3	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$119,090	$65,970 – $172,830	+32.9%
4	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$131,540	$77,150 – $173,670	+27.7%
5	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,410	$70,680 – $217,420	+27.1%
6	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$67,540	$56,100 – $80,850	+26.3%
7	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$69,390	$55,130 – $83,360	+25.2%
8	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$128,730	$72,420 – $193,830	+25.0%
9	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$129,360	$101,100 – $164,770	+24.3%
10	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,630	$33,900 – $50,530	+24.0%
11	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$128,370	$82,410 – $182,050	+23.9%
12	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,150	$36,260 – $61,970	+23.5%
13	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$86,460	$60,800 – $121,040	+23.0%
14	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,290	$60,180 – $130,980	+22.5%
15	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$35,400	$27,980 – $45,450	+22.4%
16	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$100,730	$64,760 – $166,110	+22.3%
17	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$55,490	$37,440 – $86,010	+21.0%
18	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$63,010	$25,860 – $114,260	+19.6%
19	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,430	$43,550 – $81,970	+19.5%
20	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31,240	$24,690 – $38,680	+19.0%
21	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$92,940	$62,230 – $118,300	+18.9%
22	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$86,010	$67,070 – $105,530	+18.8%
23	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$80,090	$63,990 – $99,520	+18.4%
24	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,400	$59,770 – $110,620	+18.2%
25	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$224,610	$117,170 – $323,640	+17.9%
26	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,220	$60,110 – $329,800	+17.7%
27	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$59,190	$35,510 – $88,750	+17.3%
28	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,650	$31,050 – $96,510	+17.2%
29	Forensic Science TechniciansBachelor's degree	$59,240	$45,950 – $81,760	+17.2%
30	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,990	$47,120 – $88,200	+17.0%
31	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$80,780	$55,810 – $128,180	+16.5%
32	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,450	$24,910 – $74,210	+16.2%
33	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,780	$100,950 – $322,090	+16.2%
34	Community Health WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,560	$36,160 – $68,380	+16.0%
35	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,140	$36,010 – $50,850	+15.9%
36	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,130	$36,410 – $58,950	+15.7%
37	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$172,860	$108,280 – $287,840	+15.2%
38	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,910	$78,020 – $125,940	+15.1%
39	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$56,540	$46,740 – $77,000	+14.9%
40	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$96,880	$48,790 – $287,290	+14.6%
41	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30,870	$23,210 – $46,120	+14.5%
42	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$60,400	$49,600 – $87,120	+14.5%
43	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$92,130	$52,890 – $213,160	+14.3%
44	Taxi DriversNo formal educational credential	$36,950	$31,410 – $43,390	+14.2%
45	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,540	$18,260 – $60,390	+14.1%
46	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$134,710	$83,840 – $179,310	+14.1%
47	Mechanical Door RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,050	$36,410 – $75,640	+14.1%
48	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$129,240	$77,650 – $209,340	+13.4%
49	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,250	$33,170 – $115,110	+13.3%
50	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$48,100	$27,860 – $109,200	+13.2%

More for North Carolina

Metro areas in North Carolina

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in North Carolina

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in North Carolina to rank honestly.

Fastest growing jobs in North Carolina, 2024–34

More for North Carolina

Metro areas in North Carolina

By field in North Carolina

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34