High paying jobs in Asheville, NC

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Asheville, NC. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Asheville, NC run 3.5% below the national average (2024), so a Asheville, NC salary is worth about 1.04× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Asheville, NC

OccupationMedian, Asheville, NC · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$360,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$164,170 – $411,5801,020
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$225,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,210 – $470,880340
3Nurse Anesthetists$223,630
Master's degree
$124,100 – $289,380150
4Family Medicine Physicians$212,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$135,700 – $234,97090
5Dentists, General$202,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,490 – $326,970140
6Pediatricians, General$170,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,990 – $229,23080
7Computer and Information Systems Managers$163,290
Bachelor's degree
$100,840 – $234,650420
8Architectural and Engineering Managers$160,140
Bachelor's degree
$110,170 – $225,880200
9Psychologists, All Other$152,550
Master's degree
$91,730 – $169,98060
10Financial Managers$152,270
Bachelor's degree
$82,990 – $301,470450
11Marketing Managers$150,610
Bachelor's degree
$82,850 – $234,060160
12Information Security Analysts$149,350
Bachelor's degree
$76,860 – $155,030200
13Pharmacists$136,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,810 – $164,260520
14Software Developers$134,350
Bachelor's degree
$83,370 – $215,750780
15Natural Sciences Managers$133,470
Bachelor's degree
$87,670 – $212,89080
16Physician Assistants$131,260
Master's degree
$102,420 – $174,370460
17Veterinarians$130,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,990 – $209,340190
18Nurse Practitioners$127,770
Master's degree
$102,000 – $161,030520
19Human Resources Managers$125,420
Bachelor's degree
$88,400 – $204,990150
20Industrial Production Managers$125,140
Bachelor's degree
$74,720 – $210,490360
21Managers, All Other$124,150
Bachelor's degree
$65,000 – $204,370580
22Electrical Engineers$123,480
Bachelor's degree
$73,190 – $149,140300
23Medical and Health Services Managers$122,710
Bachelor's degree
$72,500 – $199,390750
24Sales Managers$121,670
Bachelor's degree
$63,240 – $224,980450
25Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$114,510
Bachelor's degree
$64,230 – $163,440100
26Sales Engineers$111,250
Bachelor's degree
$75,560 – $165,60060
27Fundraising Managers$110,810
Bachelor's degree
$64,960 – $169,39060
28Mechanical Engineers$108,630
Bachelor's degree
$77,510 – $217,230330
29Lawyers$105,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,270 – $227,540470
30Construction Managers$105,040
Bachelor's degree
$67,320 – $168,140470
31Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$103,100
Bachelor's degree
$62,040 – $150,040120
32Personal Financial Advisors$102,150
Bachelor's degree
$45,270 – $241,880230
33Computer Network Architects$101,420
Bachelor's degree
$52,890 – $179,380140
34Facilities Managers$101,190
Bachelor's degree
$64,960 – $151,950170
35Dental Hygienists$101,170
Associate's degree
$81,440 – $107,230300
36Physical Scientists, All Other$100,690
Bachelor's degree
$62,320 – $161,89070
37Industrial Engineers$100,490
Bachelor's degree
$76,120 – $126,060500
38Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,090 – $173,340210
39Civil Engineers$100,170
Bachelor's degree
$70,050 – $157,990400
40Physical Therapists$99,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,540 – $127,300300
41Computer Occupations, All Other$99,350
Bachelor's degree
$45,710 – $162,580310
42Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$99,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,910 – $222,430100
43Administrative Services Managers$98,560
Bachelor's degree
$67,290 – $171,580210
44Education Administrators, Postsecondary$97,730
Master's degree
$63,200 – $178,130160
45Data Scientists$97,690
Bachelor's degree
$53,860 – $165,830130
46Project Management Specialists$97,470
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $136,270950
47Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$96,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,070 – $224,11060
48Network and Computer Systems Administrators$95,230
Bachelor's degree
$57,580 – $141,710370
49Social Workers, All Other$94,930
Bachelor's degree
$46,400 – $132,140130
50General and Operations Managers$93,470
Bachelor's degree
$49,580 – $212,5502,590

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

#	Occupation	MedianAsheville, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$360,010	$164,170 – $411,580	1,020
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$225,830	$60,210 – $470,880	340
3	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$223,630	$124,100 – $289,380	150
4	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$212,710	$135,700 – $234,970	90
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$202,630	$70,490 – $326,970	140
6	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,140	$129,990 – $229,230	80
7	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,290	$100,840 – $234,650	420
8	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,140	$110,170 – $225,880	200
9	Psychologists, All OtherMaster's degree	$152,550	$91,730 – $169,980	60
10	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$152,270	$82,990 – $301,470	450
11	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$150,610	$82,850 – $234,060	160
12	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$149,350	$76,860 – $155,030	200
13	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,460	$110,810 – $164,260	520
14	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$134,350	$83,370 – $215,750	780
15	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,470	$87,670 – $212,890	80
16	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,260	$102,420 – $174,370	460
17	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,330	$35,990 – $209,340	190
18	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,770	$102,000 – $161,030	520
19	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,420	$88,400 – $204,990	150
20	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,140	$74,720 – $210,490	360
21	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$124,150	$65,000 – $204,370	580
22	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$123,480	$73,190 – $149,140	300
23	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,710	$72,500 – $199,390	750
24	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$121,670	$63,240 – $224,980	450
25	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$114,510	$64,230 – $163,440	100
26	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$111,250	$75,560 – $165,600	60
27	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$110,810	$64,960 – $169,390	60
28	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,630	$77,510 – $217,230	330
29	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$105,480	$67,270 – $227,540	470
30	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,040	$67,320 – $168,140	470
31	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$103,100	$62,040 – $150,040	120
32	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$102,150	$45,270 – $241,880	230
33	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$101,420	$52,890 – $179,380	140
34	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$101,190	$64,960 – $151,950	170
35	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$101,170	$81,440 – $107,230	300
36	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,690	$62,320 – $161,890	70
37	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,490	$76,120 – $126,060	500
38	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,280	$62,090 – $173,340	210
39	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,170	$70,050 – $157,990	400
40	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,480	$76,540 – $127,300	300
41	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,350	$45,710 – $162,580	310
42	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,070	$78,910 – $222,430	100
43	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$98,560	$67,290 – $171,580	210
44	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$97,730	$63,200 – $178,130	160
45	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$97,690	$53,860 – $165,830	130
46	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,470	$59,990 – $136,270	950
47	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$96,510	$56,070 – $224,110	60
48	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$95,230	$57,580 – $141,710	370
49	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,930	$46,400 – $132,140	130
50	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$93,470	$49,580 – $212,550	2,590

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Asheville, NC. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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

High paying jobs in Asheville, NC

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