High paying jobs in North Carolina

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in North Carolina. 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 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 · Employed

1Chief Executives$314,290
Bachelor's degree
$114,210 – $624,9901,930
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$289,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,810 – $462,6801,700
3Physicians, All Other$260,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,740 – $424,76014,080
4Nurse Anesthetists$224,610
Master's degree
$117,170 – $323,6403,340
5Dentists, General$207,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,810 – $337,6304,140
6Natural Sciences Managers$173,870
Bachelor's degree
$101,810 – $305,9706,010
7Computer and Information Systems Managers$172,860
Bachelor's degree
$108,280 – $287,84025,650
8Architectural and Engineering Managers$167,840
Bachelor's degree
$121,900 – $231,3506,960
9Financial Managers$166,780
Bachelor's degree
$100,950 – $322,09022,460
10Marketing Managers$165,480
Bachelor's degree
$96,760 – $274,10010,790
11Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$151,540
Bachelor's degree
$97,700 – $206,7002,240
12Sales Managers$150,470
Bachelor's degree
$69,350 – $297,76016,920
13Human Resources Managers$142,990
Bachelor's degree
$90,390 – $260,6106,480
14Managers, All Other$141,160
Bachelor's degree
$74,990 – $244,82021,830
15Pharmacists$138,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,670 – $169,82011,430
16Purchasing Managers$138,710
Bachelor's degree
$94,240 – $219,1502,670
17Software Developers$134,710
Bachelor's degree
$83,840 – $179,31058,470
18Database Architects$134,630
Bachelor's degree
$81,230 – $178,3804,070
19Financial Risk Specialists$132,040
Bachelor's degree
$70,440 – $207,8203,200
20Information Security Analysts$131,540
Bachelor's degree
$77,150 – $173,6708,670
21Physician Assistants$129,360
Master's degree
$101,100 – $164,7707,490
22Veterinarians$129,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,650 – $209,3402,940
23Nurse Practitioners$128,990
Master's degree
$103,530 – $164,3209,800
24Lawyers$127,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,610 – $323,72017,000
25Computer Network Architects$127,320
Bachelor's degree
$79,120 – $173,4108,350
26Training and Development Managers$126,200
Bachelor's degree
$78,210 – $211,3402,020
27Industrial Production Managers$125,940
Bachelor's degree
$77,130 – $206,3109,640
28Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$125,370
Bachelor's degree
$58,930 – $208,07011,990
29Sales Engineers$121,530
Bachelor's degree
$73,070 – $216,5802,530
30Data Scientists$119,090
Bachelor's degree
$65,970 – $172,83011,430
31Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$115,920
Bachelor's degree
$79,420 – $171,5402,090
32Medical and Health Services Managers$114,410
Bachelor's degree
$70,680 – $217,42014,820
33Database Administrators$113,900
Bachelor's degree
$62,430 – $160,1601,920
34Engineers, All Other$112,450
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $173,3704,270
35Electrical Engineers$110,130
Bachelor's degree
$66,800 – $203,4907,090
36Facilities Managers$108,130
Bachelor's degree
$62,680 – $171,9504,810
37Computer Systems Analysts$106,850
Bachelor's degree
$73,190 – $166,66020,910
38Construction Managers$106,640
Bachelor's degree
$68,960 – $176,69016,310
39Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$106,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,090 – $191,6506,650
40Administrative Services Managers$105,630
Bachelor's degree
$68,050 – $183,5407,360
41Computer Occupations, All Other$104,850
Bachelor's degree
$39,190 – $175,66015,090
42Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$103,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,110 – $329,8009,240
43Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$102,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,800 – $171,1705,730
44Financial and Investment Analysts$102,390
Bachelor's degree
$61,670 – $167,25012,710
45General and Operations Managers$101,950
Bachelor's degree
$48,340 – $238,23063,740
46Education Administrators, Postsecondary$101,060
Master's degree
$64,490 – $185,1407,390
47Project Management Specialists$100,820
Bachelor's degree
$61,570 – $164,05036,200
48Civil Engineers$100,730
Bachelor's degree
$70,760 – $160,52012,810
49Financial Examiners$100,730
Bachelor's degree
$64,760 – $166,1102,610
50Mechanical Engineers$100,720
Bachelor's degree
$71,260 – $155,5509,560

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	Employed
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$314,290	$114,210 – $624,990	1,930
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$289,780	$123,810 – $462,680	1,700
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$260,330	$66,740 – $424,760	14,080
4	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$224,610	$117,170 – $323,640	3,340
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,000	$107,810 – $337,630	4,140
6	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$173,870	$101,810 – $305,970	6,010
7	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$172,860	$108,280 – $287,840	25,650
8	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,840	$121,900 – $231,350	6,960
9	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,780	$100,950 – $322,090	22,460
10	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,480	$96,760 – $274,100	10,790
11	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$151,540	$97,700 – $206,700	2,240
12	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$150,470	$69,350 – $297,760	16,920
13	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$142,990	$90,390 – $260,610	6,480
14	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$141,160	$74,990 – $244,820	21,830
15	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,860	$101,670 – $169,820	11,430
16	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,710	$94,240 – $219,150	2,670
17	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$134,710	$83,840 – $179,310	58,470
18	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$134,630	$81,230 – $178,380	4,070
19	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$132,040	$70,440 – $207,820	3,200
20	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$131,540	$77,150 – $173,670	8,670
21	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$129,360	$101,100 – $164,770	7,490
22	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$129,240	$77,650 – $209,340	2,940
23	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,990	$103,530 – $164,320	9,800
24	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$127,710	$61,610 – $323,720	17,000
25	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$127,320	$79,120 – $173,410	8,350
26	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,200	$78,210 – $211,340	2,020
27	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,940	$77,130 – $206,310	9,640
28	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$125,370	$58,930 – $208,070	11,990
29	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$121,530	$73,070 – $216,580	2,530
30	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$119,090	$65,970 – $172,830	11,430
31	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$115,920	$79,420 – $171,540	2,090
32	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,410	$70,680 – $217,420	14,820
33	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$113,900	$62,430 – $160,160	1,920
34	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$112,450	$63,130 – $173,370	4,270
35	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,130	$66,800 – $203,490	7,090
36	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,130	$62,680 – $171,950	4,810
37	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$106,850	$73,190 – $166,660	20,910
38	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,640	$68,960 – $176,690	16,310
39	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,100	$66,090 – $191,650	6,650
40	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,630	$68,050 – $183,540	7,360
41	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,850	$39,190 – $175,660	15,090
42	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,220	$60,110 – $329,800	9,240
43	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,980	$63,800 – $171,170	5,730
44	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,390	$61,670 – $167,250	12,710
45	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$101,950	$48,340 – $238,230	63,740
46	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$101,060	$64,490 – $185,140	7,390
47	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,820	$61,570 – $164,050	36,200
48	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,730	$70,760 – $160,520	12,810
49	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$100,730	$64,760 – $166,110	2,610
50	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,720	$71,260 – $155,550	9,560

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in North Carolina. 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.

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.

High paying jobs in North Carolina

More for North Carolina

Metro areas in North Carolina

By field in North Carolina

Without a degree

By state