High paying jobs in Wilmington, NC

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Wilmington, 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 Wilmington, NC run 3.6% below the national average (2024), so a Wilmington, NC salary is worth about 1.04× 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 Wilmington, NC

OccupationMedian, Wilmington, NC · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$252,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,110 – $423,870450
2Nurse Anesthetists$218,830
Master's degree
$120,630 – $266,240150
3Business Teachers, Postsecondary$187,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,560 – $220,610170
4Dentists, General$185,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,210 – $330,890220
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$169,810
Bachelor's degree
$122,050 – $263,640190
6Natural Sciences Managers$166,910
Bachelor's degree
$103,410 – $294,620330
7Optometrists$163,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,780 – $355,440120
8Computer and Information Systems Managers$160,980
Bachelor's degree
$96,070 – $238,990420
9Marketing Managers$153,860
Bachelor's degree
$78,350 – $277,230170
10Financial Managers$152,150
Bachelor's degree
$93,470 – $286,730510
11Pharmacists$151,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,460 – $170,860480
12Purchasing Managers$145,730
Bachelor's degree
$88,790 – $209,92060
13Information Security Analysts$145,170
Bachelor's degree
$61,320 – $145,170230
14Human Resources Managers$140,960
Bachelor's degree
$79,040 – $253,930130
15Sales Managers$133,400
Bachelor's degree
$60,700 – $265,700520
16Veterinarians$131,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,370 – $210,880190
17Physician Assistants$131,270
Master's degree
$98,760 – $155,480270
18Industrial Production Managers$130,690
Bachelor's degree
$75,210 – $208,050270
19Nuclear Engineers$129,710
Bachelor's degree
$96,300 – $160,58080
20Managers, All Other$129,120
Bachelor's degree
$65,670 – $231,980570
21Nurse Practitioners$124,990
Master's degree
$100,000 – $158,060390
22Software Developers$123,730
Bachelor's degree
$78,980 – $190,390880
23Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$118,980
Bachelor's degree
$48,000 – $195,980210
24Computer Network Architects$114,230
Bachelor's degree
$74,700 – $170,680130
25Sales Engineers$114,170
Bachelor's degree
$59,690 – $201,78060
26Facilities Managers$110,760
Bachelor's degree
$62,930 – $199,990170
27Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$110,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,450 – $132,180220
28Lawyers$109,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,100 – $302,470480
29Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$109,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,520 – $133,160130
30Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay$106,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$80,580 – $118,37060
31Medical and Health Services Managers$106,630
Bachelor's degree
$72,250 – $210,650440
32Education Teachers, Postsecondary$106,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,660 – $131,890100
33Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$105,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,610 – $171,88080
34Electrical Engineers$105,130
Bachelor's degree
$73,890 – $209,460350
35Construction Managers$103,810
Bachelor's degree
$66,270 – $171,890830
36Education Administrators, Postsecondary$103,000
Master's degree
$65,370 – $179,730250
37Personal Financial Advisors$102,590
Bachelor's degree
$45,760 – $292,710390
38Mechanical Engineers$101,100
Bachelor's degree
$72,510 – $164,020190
39Industrial Engineers$99,540
Bachelor's degree
$61,990 – $142,410360
40Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$99,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,780 – $157,020360
41Network and Computer Systems Administrators$99,060
Bachelor's degree
$57,260 – $133,150430
42Physical Therapists$98,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,470 – $121,570460
43Administrative Services Managers$98,730
Bachelor's degree
$61,790 – $188,790180
44Biological Scientists, All Other$97,310
Bachelor's degree
$62,060 – $145,510130
45Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$97,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,590 – $167,090230
46Dental Hygienists$96,700
Associate's degree
$80,730 – $103,970440
47Computer Occupations, All Other$96,350
Bachelor's degree
$36,150 – $157,730310
48First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$94,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,270 – $113,040150
49Civil Engineers$94,450
Bachelor's degree
$69,530 – $133,470460
50Computer Systems Analysts$93,830
Bachelor's degree
$68,410 – $142,940290

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

#	Occupation	MedianWilmington, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$252,960	$65,110 – $423,870	450
2	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$218,830	$120,630 – $266,240	150
3	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$187,380	$73,560 – $220,610	170
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$185,720	$98,210 – $330,890	220
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$169,810	$122,050 – $263,640	190
6	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,910	$103,410 – $294,620	330
7	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$163,800	$109,780 – $355,440	120
8	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,980	$96,070 – $238,990	420
9	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$153,860	$78,350 – $277,230	170
10	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$152,150	$93,470 – $286,730	510
11	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$151,790	$105,460 – $170,860	480
12	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$145,730	$88,790 – $209,920	60
13	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$145,170	$61,320 – $145,170	230
14	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$140,960	$79,040 – $253,930	130
15	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,400	$60,700 – $265,700	520
16	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$131,670	$77,370 – $210,880	190
17	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,270	$98,760 – $155,480	270
18	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,690	$75,210 – $208,050	270
19	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,710	$96,300 – $160,580	80
20	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$129,120	$65,670 – $231,980	570
21	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,990	$100,000 – $158,060	390
22	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$123,730	$78,980 – $190,390	880
23	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$118,980	$48,000 – $195,980	210
24	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$114,230	$74,700 – $170,680	130
25	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$114,170	$59,690 – $201,780	60
26	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$110,760	$62,930 – $199,990	170
27	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$110,620	$72,450 – $132,180	220
28	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$109,620	$65,100 – $302,470	480
29	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$109,430	$60,520 – $133,160	130
30	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and RelayPostsecondary nondegree award	$106,950	$80,580 – $118,370	60
31	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,630	$72,250 – $210,650	440
32	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,070	$49,660 – $131,890	100
33	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,420	$61,610 – $171,880	80
34	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,130	$73,890 – $209,460	350
35	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,810	$66,270 – $171,890	830
36	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$103,000	$65,370 – $179,730	250
37	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$102,590	$45,760 – $292,710	390
38	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,100	$72,510 – $164,020	190
39	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,540	$61,990 – $142,410	360
40	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,070	$79,780 – $157,020	360
41	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$99,060	$57,260 – $133,150	430
42	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,770	$75,470 – $121,570	460
43	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$98,730	$61,790 – $188,790	180
44	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,310	$62,060 – $145,510	130
45	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,080	$53,590 – $167,090	230
46	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$96,700	$80,730 – $103,970	440
47	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,350	$36,150 – $157,730	310
48	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,670	$66,270 – $113,040	150
49	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,450	$69,530 – $133,470	460
50	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,830	$68,410 – $142,940	290

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

High paying jobs in Wilmington, NC

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