High paying jobs in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Durham-Chapel Hill, 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC run 2.4% below the national average (2024), so a Durham-Chapel Hill, NC salary is worth about 1.02× 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

OccupationMedian, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC · Employed

1Chief Executives$381,330
Bachelor's degree
$113,920 – $765,300140
2Dentists, General$208,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,990 – $333,410200
3Sales Managers$190,370
Bachelor's degree
$82,880 – $337,7801,150
4Natural Sciences Managers$183,540
Bachelor's degree
$117,370 – $317,7402,050
5Computer and Information Systems Managers$176,190
Bachelor's degree
$124,110 – $320,0104,170
6Sales Engineers$175,310
Bachelor's degree
$88,710 – $290,910330
7Marketing Managers$175,160
Bachelor's degree
$106,960 – $288,3501,230
8Computer Hardware Engineers$175,110
Bachelor's degree
$99,900 – $294,880430
9Architectural and Engineering Managers$172,480
Bachelor's degree
$129,900 – $267,480860
10Financial Managers$165,470
Bachelor's degree
$101,690 – $320,5401,710
11Human Resources Managers$160,580
Bachelor's degree
$103,300 – $298,410630
12Purchasing Managers$160,370
Bachelor's degree
$108,340 – $229,660250
13Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$155,680
Bachelor's degree
$94,580 – $206,310290
14Economists$152,130
Master's degree
$81,700 – $224,270120
15Managers, All Other$152,090
Bachelor's degree
$83,520 – $297,2402,340
16Computer Network Architects$144,990
Bachelor's degree
$104,310 – $184,780970
17Database Architects$141,770
Bachelor's degree
$87,070 – $172,430560
18Pharmacists$141,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,870 – $165,7401,150
19Industrial Production Managers$137,950
Bachelor's degree
$86,710 – $216,320620
20Public Relations Managers$137,870
Bachelor's degree
$80,430 – $239,580220
21Software Developers$135,620
Bachelor's degree
$100,670 – $209,4109,790
22Training and Development Managers$134,830
Bachelor's degree
$87,260 – $216,050210
23Medical and Health Services Managers$133,970
Bachelor's degree
$83,590 – $276,2801,740
24Web and Digital Interface Designers$133,340
Bachelor's degree
$62,580 – $172,420510
25Lawyers$132,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,390 – $333,5101,220
26Physician Assistants$132,670
Master's degree
$107,420 – $168,950740
27Veterinarians$132,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,170 – $217,080210
28Nurse Practitioners$132,300
Master's degree
$108,200 – $167,0601,450
29Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$131,120
Bachelor's degree
$62,990 – $206,2901,920
30Information Security Analysts$129,670
Bachelor's degree
$83,900 – $170,990860
31Electrical Engineers$129,030
Bachelor's degree
$78,280 – $213,3001,020
32Fundraising Managers$128,810
Bachelor's degree
$82,520 – $224,390220
33Physical Scientists, All Other$128,380
Bachelor's degree
$82,350 – $183,540370
34Engineers, All Other$127,710
Bachelor's degree
$81,550 – $174,180580
35Computer Occupations, All Other$126,300
Bachelor's degree
$63,060 – $174,1702,090
36Management Analysts$126,110
Bachelor's degree
$75,430 – $170,8101,840
37Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$123,280
Master's degree
$68,060 – $188,640290
38Materials Scientists$123,070
Bachelor's degree
$64,670 – $173,020110
39Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$122,980
Bachelor's degree
$65,280 – $166,820950
40Construction Managers$119,980
Bachelor's degree
$77,550 – $200,870760
41Facilities Managers$118,990
Bachelor's degree
$70,420 – $177,170470
42Database Administrators$117,950
Bachelor's degree
$72,330 – $165,710220
43Chemical Engineers$117,440
Bachelor's degree
$82,520 – $162,290110
44Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$116,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,890 – $227,410420
45General and Operations Managers$113,930
Bachelor's degree
$54,140 – $270,2903,400
46Network and Computer Systems Administrators$110,640
Bachelor's degree
$65,200 – $166,4401,270
47Administrative Services Managers$107,720
Bachelor's degree
$71,990 – $207,090960
48Data Scientists$106,500
Bachelor's degree
$60,060 – $182,0201,320
49Computer Systems Analysts$106,410
Bachelor's degree
$78,360 – $158,8202,530
50Life Scientists, All Other$105,850
Bachelor's degree
$63,940 – $174,250460

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

#	Occupation	MedianDurham-Chapel Hill, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$381,330	$113,920 – $765,300	140
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$208,490	$119,990 – $333,410	200
3	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$190,370	$82,880 – $337,780	1,150
4	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$183,540	$117,370 – $317,740	2,050
5	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$176,190	$124,110 – $320,010	4,170
6	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$175,310	$88,710 – $290,910	330
7	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$175,160	$106,960 – $288,350	1,230
8	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$175,110	$99,900 – $294,880	430
9	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$172,480	$129,900 – $267,480	860
10	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,470	$101,690 – $320,540	1,710
11	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,580	$103,300 – $298,410	630
12	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,370	$108,340 – $229,660	250
13	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$155,680	$94,580 – $206,310	290
14	EconomistsMaster's degree	$152,130	$81,700 – $224,270	120
15	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$152,090	$83,520 – $297,240	2,340
16	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$144,990	$104,310 – $184,780	970
17	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$141,770	$87,070 – $172,430	560
18	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$141,360	$102,870 – $165,740	1,150
19	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,950	$86,710 – $216,320	620
20	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,870	$80,430 – $239,580	220
21	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$135,620	$100,670 – $209,410	9,790
22	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,830	$87,260 – $216,050	210
23	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,970	$83,590 – $276,280	1,740
24	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$133,340	$62,580 – $172,420	510
25	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$132,790	$61,390 – $333,510	1,220
26	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$132,670	$107,420 – $168,950	740
27	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$132,500	$52,170 – $217,080	210
28	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,300	$108,200 – $167,060	1,450
29	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$131,120	$62,990 – $206,290	1,920
30	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$129,670	$83,900 – $170,990	860
31	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,030	$78,280 – $213,300	1,020
32	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,810	$82,520 – $224,390	220
33	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$128,380	$82,350 – $183,540	370
34	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$127,710	$81,550 – $174,180	580
35	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$126,300	$63,060 – $174,170	2,090
36	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$126,110	$75,430 – $170,810	1,840
37	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$123,280	$68,060 – $188,640	290
38	Materials ScientistsBachelor's degree	$123,070	$64,670 – $173,020	110
39	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$122,980	$65,280 – $166,820	950
40	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,980	$77,550 – $200,870	760
41	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$118,990	$70,420 – $177,170	470
42	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$117,950	$72,330 – $165,710	220
43	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,440	$82,520 – $162,290	110
44	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$116,310	$70,890 – $227,410	420
45	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$113,930	$54,140 – $270,290	3,400
46	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$110,640	$65,200 – $166,440	1,270
47	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,720	$71,990 – $207,090	960
48	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$106,500	$60,060 – $182,020	1,320
49	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$106,410	$78,360 – $158,820	2,530
50	Life Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$105,850	$63,940 – $174,250	460

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

High paying jobs in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

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