High paying jobs in Raleigh-Cary, NC

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Raleigh-Cary, 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC run 1.8% below the national average (2024), so a Raleigh-Cary, 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC

OccupationMedian, Raleigh-Cary, NC · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$354,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$173,530 – $361,2701,190
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$291,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$168,840 – $348,230440
3Chief Executives$286,050
Bachelor's degree
$114,160 – $664,790360
4Dentists, General$207,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$132,880 – $378,9601,000
5Computer and Information Systems Managers$173,960
Bachelor's degree
$106,810 – $283,5106,010
6Natural Sciences Managers$173,510
Bachelor's degree
$103,090 – $300,5501,640
7Architectural and Engineering Managers$169,780
Bachelor's degree
$127,890 – $256,0901,850
8Marketing Managers$167,640
Bachelor's degree
$102,970 – $277,3202,390
9Sales Managers$163,520
Bachelor's degree
$75,610 – $303,0603,280
10Optometrists$163,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,240 – $213,860240
11Financial Managers$163,130
Bachelor's degree
$100,920 – $309,2903,690
12Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$162,800
Bachelor's degree
$92,840 – $172,300510
13Managers, All Other$147,370
Bachelor's degree
$79,940 – $244,9904,320
14Human Resources Managers$144,190
Bachelor's degree
$93,220 – $264,9801,080
15Information Security Analysts$143,640
Bachelor's degree
$78,870 – $168,0502,510
16Purchasing Managers$139,050
Bachelor's degree
$97,590 – $225,170500
17Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$137,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,570 – $173,080510
18Pharmacists$133,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,720 – $165,0601,730
19Software Developers$132,770
Bachelor's degree
$80,080 – $185,11012,580
20Database Architects$132,740
Bachelor's degree
$70,200 – $198,320710
21Lawyers$131,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,550 – $331,7704,350
22Public Relations Managers$131,150
Bachelor's degree
$89,940 – $222,800350
23Training and Development Managers$130,660
Bachelor's degree
$78,210 – $213,870460
24Computer Hardware Engineers$130,540
Bachelor's degree
$75,520 – $205,760310
25Veterinarians$130,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,830 – $213,960520
26Electrical Engineers$130,240
Bachelor's degree
$73,380 – $221,0501,500
27Industrial Production Managers$130,120
Bachelor's degree
$78,110 – $215,1401,010
28Sales Engineers$129,520
Bachelor's degree
$79,570 – $259,510570
29Computer and Information Research Scientists$128,370
Master's degree
$128,370 – $182,000280
30Nurse Practitioners$128,150
Master's degree
$103,200 – $170,5201,510
31Physician Assistants$124,300
Master's degree
$105,730 – $156,0001,220
32Database Administrators$122,950
Bachelor's degree
$76,360 – $163,550510
33Data Scientists$120,710
Bachelor's degree
$72,190 – $180,8501,990
34Computer Network Architects$120,640
Bachelor's degree
$74,540 – $173,9102,190
35Construction Managers$119,700
Bachelor's degree
$78,010 – $182,9903,020
36General and Operations Managers$114,940
Bachelor's degree
$56,020 – $268,0309,520
37Medical and Health Services Managers$113,710
Bachelor's degree
$69,670 – $248,5702,070
38Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$110,800
Bachelor's degree
$65,970 – $170,7501,760
39Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$110,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,900 – $198,420850
40Computer Occupations, All Other$110,030
Bachelor's degree
$40,920 – $193,5403,620
41Administrative Services Managers$109,760
Bachelor's degree
$70,380 – $193,3701,250
42Facilities Managers$108,590
Bachelor's degree
$56,540 – $169,990860
43Computer Systems Analysts$108,480
Bachelor's degree
$78,510 – $167,2804,530
44Engineers, All Other$104,910
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $163,180970
45Personal Financial Advisors$104,780
Bachelor's degree
$49,760 – $558,2502,340
46Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$104,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,210 – $167,2501,110
47Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$104,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,530 – $169,030480
48Industrial Engineers$104,030
Bachelor's degree
$78,470 – $152,0101,710
49Business Teachers, Postsecondary$103,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,480 – $222,010300
50Network and Computer Systems Administrators$103,380
Bachelor's degree
$60,650 – $161,2202,730

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

#	Occupation	MedianRaleigh-Cary, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$354,130	$173,530 – $361,270	1,190
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$291,060	$168,840 – $348,230	440
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$286,050	$114,160 – $664,790	360
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,380	$132,880 – $378,960	1,000
5	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$173,960	$106,810 – $283,510	6,010
6	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$173,510	$103,090 – $300,550	1,640
7	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$169,780	$127,890 – $256,090	1,850
8	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,640	$102,970 – $277,320	2,390
9	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,520	$75,610 – $303,060	3,280
10	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$163,290	$100,240 – $213,860	240
11	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,130	$100,920 – $309,290	3,690
12	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$162,800	$92,840 – $172,300	510
13	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$147,370	$79,940 – $244,990	4,320
14	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$144,190	$93,220 – $264,980	1,080
15	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$143,640	$78,870 – $168,050	2,510
16	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,050	$97,590 – $225,170	500
17	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,290	$83,570 – $173,080	510
18	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,120	$101,720 – $165,060	1,730
19	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$132,770	$80,080 – $185,110	12,580
20	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$132,740	$70,200 – $198,320	710
21	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,920	$79,550 – $331,770	4,350
22	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,150	$89,940 – $222,800	350
23	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,660	$78,210 – $213,870	460
24	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,540	$75,520 – $205,760	310
25	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,350	$79,830 – $213,960	520
26	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,240	$73,380 – $221,050	1,500
27	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,120	$78,110 – $215,140	1,010
28	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,520	$79,570 – $259,510	570
29	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$128,370	$128,370 – $182,000	280
30	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,150	$103,200 – $170,520	1,510
31	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$124,300	$105,730 – $156,000	1,220
32	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$122,950	$76,360 – $163,550	510
33	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$120,710	$72,190 – $180,850	1,990
34	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$120,640	$74,540 – $173,910	2,190
35	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,700	$78,010 – $182,990	3,020
36	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,940	$56,020 – $268,030	9,520
37	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$113,710	$69,670 – $248,570	2,070
38	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$110,800	$65,970 – $170,750	1,760
39	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,780	$70,900 – $198,420	850
40	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,030	$40,920 – $193,540	3,620
41	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$109,760	$70,380 – $193,370	1,250
42	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,590	$56,540 – $169,990	860
43	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$108,480	$78,510 – $167,280	4,530
44	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,910	$63,130 – $163,180	970
45	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$104,780	$49,760 – $558,250	2,340
46	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$104,500	$65,210 – $167,250	1,110
47	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,290	$62,530 – $169,030	480
48	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,030	$78,470 – $152,010	1,710
49	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,820	$42,480 – $222,010	300
50	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$103,380	$60,650 – $161,220	2,730

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

High paying jobs in Raleigh-Cary, NC

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