High paying jobs in Burlington, NC

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Burlington, 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 Burlington, NC run 6.8% below the national average (2024), so a Burlington, NC salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Burlington, NC

OccupationMedian, Burlington, NC · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$350,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$118,670 – $428,66090
2Dentists, General$166,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,600 – $318,38060
3Computer and Information Systems Managers$165,490
Bachelor's degree
$107,500 – $273,780150
4Marketing Managers$164,770
Bachelor's degree
$97,160 – $278,50080
5Natural Sciences Managers$163,020
Bachelor's degree
$77,960 – $297,63040
6Purchasing Managers$152,870
Bachelor's degree
$78,240 – $209,09030
7Architectural and Engineering Managers$150,080
Bachelor's degree
$120,800 – $213,03060
8Human Resources Managers$135,220
Bachelor's degree
$91,290 – $302,69060
9Financial Managers$134,760
Bachelor's degree
$72,090 – $305,720190
10Nurse Practitioners$131,980
Master's degree
$106,960 – $163,10080
11Pharmacists$130,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,970 – $165,690120
12Veterinarians$129,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,720 – $205,87040
13Sales Managers$129,740
Bachelor's degree
$63,360 – $251,950200
14Software Developers$127,570
Bachelor's degree
$80,680 – $171,700270
15Electrical Engineers$119,650
Bachelor's degree
$77,640 – $170,91030
16Computer Systems Analysts$118,590
Bachelor's degree
$72,600 – $157,520100
17Computer Network Architects$118,130
Bachelor's degree
$65,780 – $158,03050
18Physician Assistants$113,200
Master's degree
$102,240 – $137,06050
19Industrial Production Managers$112,690
Bachelor's degree
$73,820 – $186,630180
20Managers, All Other$112,090
Bachelor's degree
$67,300 – $221,220180
21Medical and Health Services Managers$110,090
Bachelor's degree
$75,860 – $201,320200
22Construction Managers$104,470
Bachelor's degree
$71,730 – $161,830180
23Administrative Services Managers$104,010
Bachelor's degree
$64,570 – $171,54080
24Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$103,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,750 – $169,720110
25Information Security Analysts$103,140
Bachelor's degree
$59,750 – $182,10050
26Lawyers$102,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,710 – $212,790100
27Physical Therapists$101,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,980 – $129,370100
28Civil Engineers$100,220
Bachelor's degree
$65,920 – $153,64040
29First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$97,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,120 – $115,79070
30Dental Hygienists$97,210
Associate's degree
$80,100 – $102,800100
31Data Scientists$96,300
Bachelor's degree
$55,010 – $160,41080
32Management Analysts$96,290
Bachelor's degree
$67,640 – $144,510100
33Industrial Engineers$95,870
Bachelor's degree
$65,410 – $126,920190
34Mechanical Engineers$95,870
Bachelor's degree
$67,960 – $128,72080
35General and Operations Managers$94,250
Bachelor's degree
$47,890 – $212,680900
36Facilities Managers$93,290
Bachelor's degree
$53,120 – $157,40050
37Network and Computer Systems Administrators$87,660
Bachelor's degree
$58,240 – $140,69080
38Registered Nurses$84,180
Bachelor's degree
$67,710 – $124,0501,080
39Computer Occupations, All Other$84,030
Bachelor's degree
$49,090 – $153,540100
40Project Management Specialists$83,370
Bachelor's degree
$55,090 – $148,580250
41Occupational Therapists$82,640
Master's degree
$49,290 – $115,27080
42Financial and Investment Analysts$82,530
Bachelor's degree
$49,070 – $125,27080
43First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$81,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,280 – $162,660120
44Accountants and Auditors$80,320
Bachelor's degree
$51,830 – $130,460430
45Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,550
Associate's degree
$48,620 – $94,220120
46Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$79,430
Bachelor's degree
$53,620 – $121,47060
47Personal Financial Advisors$79,360
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $184,77040
48Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$78,530
Master's degree
$62,110 – $102,310160
49Social and Community Service Managers$78,350
Bachelor's degree
$48,220 – $106,22060
50Tool and Die Makers$78,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,390 – $78,14040

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

#	Occupation	MedianBurlington, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$350,130	$118,670 – $428,660	90
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$166,330	$111,600 – $318,380	60
3	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,490	$107,500 – $273,780	150
4	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$164,770	$97,160 – $278,500	80
5	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,020	$77,960 – $297,630	40
6	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$152,870	$78,240 – $209,090	30
7	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$150,080	$120,800 – $213,030	60
8	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$135,220	$91,290 – $302,690	60
9	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,760	$72,090 – $305,720	190
10	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$131,980	$106,960 – $163,100	80
11	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$130,730	$65,970 – $165,690	120
12	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$129,800	$70,720 – $205,870	40
13	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,740	$63,360 – $251,950	200
14	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$127,570	$80,680 – $171,700	270
15	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,650	$77,640 – $170,910	30
16	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$118,590	$72,600 – $157,520	100
17	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$118,130	$65,780 – $158,030	50
18	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$113,200	$102,240 – $137,060	50
19	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$112,690	$73,820 – $186,630	180
20	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$112,090	$67,300 – $221,220	180
21	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$110,090	$75,860 – $201,320	200
22	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,470	$71,730 – $161,830	180
23	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,010	$64,570 – $171,540	80
24	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,690	$60,750 – $169,720	110
25	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,140	$59,750 – $182,100	50
26	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$102,120	$49,710 – $212,790	100
27	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,120	$74,980 – $129,370	100
28	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,220	$65,920 – $153,640	40
29	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,350	$73,120 – $115,790	70
30	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$97,210	$80,100 – $102,800	100
31	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$96,300	$55,010 – $160,410	80
32	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,290	$67,640 – $144,510	100
33	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,870	$65,410 – $126,920	190
34	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,870	$67,960 – $128,720	80
35	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$94,250	$47,890 – $212,680	900
36	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$93,290	$53,120 – $157,400	50
37	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$87,660	$58,240 – $140,690	80
38	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$84,180	$67,710 – $124,050	1,080
39	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,030	$49,090 – $153,540	100
40	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,370	$55,090 – $148,580	250
41	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$82,640	$49,290 – $115,270	80
42	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,530	$49,070 – $125,270	80
43	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,050	$56,280 – $162,660	120
44	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$80,320	$51,830 – $130,460	430
45	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,550	$48,620 – $94,220	120
46	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,430	$53,620 – $121,470	60
47	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$79,360	$49,990 – $184,770	40
48	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$78,530	$62,110 – $102,310	160
49	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$78,350	$48,220 – $106,220	60
50	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,140	$49,390 – $78,140	40

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Burlington, 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 Burlington, NC to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Burlington, NC

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