High paying jobs in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC run 11.5% below the national average (2024), so a Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC salary is worth about 1.13× 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

OccupationMedian, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$313,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,590 – $400,830380
2Chief Executives$312,730
Bachelor's degree
$129,980 – $520,54050
3Nurse Anesthetists$213,630
Master's degree
$71,800 – $331,510120
4Dentists, General$193,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,840 – $312,820130
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$170,730
Bachelor's degree
$118,280 – $219,020200
6Computer and Information Systems Managers$163,010
Bachelor's degree
$92,140 – $258,750220
7Marketing Managers$151,190
Bachelor's degree
$83,610 – $254,150200
8Financial Managers$138,150
Bachelor's degree
$84,480 – $247,670310
9Pharmacists$137,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,540 – $166,200330
10Purchasing Managers$132,570
Bachelor's degree
$86,390 – $191,61080
11Sales Managers$132,060
Bachelor's degree
$65,280 – $233,070360
12Physician Assistants$127,210
Master's degree
$100,870 – $158,040190
13Nurse Practitioners$126,620
Master's degree
$99,170 – $158,080300
14Engineers, All Other$125,160
Bachelor's degree
$72,230 – $151,82060
15Veterinarians$124,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,470 – $200,78070
16Industrial Production Managers$124,290
Bachelor's degree
$76,970 – $200,520640
17Software Developers$122,540
Bachelor's degree
$76,130 – $197,080420
18Human Resources Managers$117,950
Bachelor's degree
$80,130 – $208,480140
19Facilities Managers$111,610
Bachelor's degree
$73,130 – $172,600110
20Managers, All Other$110,140
Bachelor's degree
$62,700 – $202,130380
21Computer Network Architects$109,950
Bachelor's degree
$62,910 – $167,74050
22Electrical Engineers$107,750
Bachelor's degree
$77,200 – $166,570230
23Medical and Health Services Managers$106,590
Bachelor's degree
$64,310 – $207,420410
24Construction Managers$104,470
Bachelor's degree
$69,270 – $168,220270
25Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$102,460
Bachelor's degree
$47,150 – $208,07080
26Physical Therapists$101,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,690 – $123,220160
27Administrative Services Managers$100,270
Bachelor's degree
$60,220 – $148,340160
28Occupational Therapists$100,160
Master's degree
$69,480 – $118,410120
29Personal Financial Advisors$98,090
Bachelor's degree
$40,300 – $258,690120
30Lawyers$97,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,990 – $316,020270
31General and Operations Managers$95,640
Bachelor's degree
$45,060 – $219,9201,750
32Data Scientists$95,290
Bachelor's degree
$59,290 – $133,930110
33Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$94,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,360 – $171,700260
34Civil Engineers$94,720
Bachelor's degree
$64,690 – $154,550130
35Dental Hygienists$94,050
Associate's degree
$79,660 – $98,130170
36Computer Systems Analysts$93,970
Bachelor's degree
$58,990 – $143,980190
37Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$93,540
Bachelor's degree
$51,890 – $139,90050
38First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$92,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,970 – $177,740240
39Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$91,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,950 – $127,34070
40Mechanical Engineers$89,960
Bachelor's degree
$61,320 – $145,080250
41Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$87,530
Bachelor's degree
$55,890 – $122,480130
42Industrial Engineers$86,640
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $128,290670
43Speech-Language Pathologists$86,120
Master's degree
$64,020 – $118,410130
44Computer Network Support Specialists$85,780
Associate's degree
$37,550 – $124,450170
45Project Management Specialists$85,490
Bachelor's degree
$52,840 – $159,810490
46Education Administrators, Postsecondary$84,050
Master's degree
$49,920 – $106,370170
47Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$83,510
Associate's degree
$69,600 – $99,97050
48Financial and Investment Analysts$82,190
Bachelor's degree
$58,910 – $124,38090
49Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$81,750
Master's degree
$62,090 – $113,100290
50Network and Computer Systems Administrators$80,970
Bachelor's degree
$49,590 – $135,360220

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

#	Occupation	MedianHickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$313,460	$62,590 – $400,830	380
2	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$312,730	$129,980 – $520,540	50
3	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$213,630	$71,800 – $331,510	120
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$193,320	$119,840 – $312,820	130
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$170,730	$118,280 – $219,020	200
6	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,010	$92,140 – $258,750	220
7	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$151,190	$83,610 – $254,150	200
8	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,150	$84,480 – $247,670	310
9	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$137,180	$105,540 – $166,200	330
10	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,570	$86,390 – $191,610	80
11	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,060	$65,280 – $233,070	360
12	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,210	$100,870 – $158,040	190
13	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,620	$99,170 – $158,080	300
14	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$125,160	$72,230 – $151,820	60
15	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,970	$75,470 – $200,780	70
16	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,290	$76,970 – $200,520	640
17	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,540	$76,130 – $197,080	420
18	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,950	$80,130 – $208,480	140
19	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$111,610	$73,130 – $172,600	110
20	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,140	$62,700 – $202,130	380
21	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$109,950	$62,910 – $167,740	50
22	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,750	$77,200 – $166,570	230
23	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,590	$64,310 – $207,420	410
24	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,470	$69,270 – $168,220	270
25	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$102,460	$47,150 – $208,070	80
26	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,950	$78,690 – $123,220	160
27	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$100,270	$60,220 – $148,340	160
28	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$100,160	$69,480 – $118,410	120
29	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$98,090	$40,300 – $258,690	120
30	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$97,330	$59,990 – $316,020	270
31	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$95,640	$45,060 – $219,920	1,750
32	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$95,290	$59,290 – $133,930	110
33	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,750	$63,360 – $171,700	260
34	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,720	$64,690 – $154,550	130
35	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$94,050	$79,660 – $98,130	170
36	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,970	$58,990 – $143,980	190
37	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$93,540	$51,890 – $139,900	50
38	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,660	$54,970 – $177,740	240
39	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$91,290	$64,950 – $127,340	70
40	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$89,960	$61,320 – $145,080	250
41	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,530	$55,890 – $122,480	130
42	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$86,640	$61,600 – $128,290	670
43	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$86,120	$64,020 – $118,410	130
44	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$85,780	$37,550 – $124,450	170
45	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,490	$52,840 – $159,810	490
46	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$84,050	$49,920 – $106,370	170
47	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$83,510	$69,600 – $99,970	50
48	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,190	$58,910 – $124,380	90
49	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$81,750	$62,090 – $113,100	290
50	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$80,970	$49,590 – $135,360	220

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

High paying jobs in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

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