Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Asheville, NC

Each occupation's median wage in Asheville, NC compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Asheville, NC pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Asheville, NC run 3.5% below the national average (2024), so a Asheville, 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 Asheville, NC

OccupationMedian, Asheville, NC · vs. national

1Psychologists, All Other$152,550
Master's degree
$91,730 – $169,980+37.6%
2Physicians, All Other$360,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$164,170 – $411,580+35.4%
3Social Workers, All Other$94,930
Bachelor's degree
$46,400 – $132,140+32.0%
4Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$58,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,420 – $75,720+20.6%
5Dentists, General$202,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,490 – $326,970+18.5%
6Dental Assistants$56,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,230 – $60,200+17.9%
7Loan Interviewers and Clerks$58,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,220 – $69,500+16.2%
8Helpers--Production Workers$45,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,000 – $50,970+15.9%
9Information Security Analysts$149,350
Bachelor's degree
$76,860 – $155,030+15.6%
10Property Appraisers and Assessors$77,730
Bachelor's degree
$48,090 – $98,590+14.4%
11Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$40,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$27,420 – $60,190+13.5%
12Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers$62,380
Associate's degree
$34,880 – $84,330+13.4%
13Postal Service Clerks$69,700
No formal educational credential
$56,740 – $76,360+12.2%
14Information and Record Clerks, All Other$54,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,570 – $66,570+11.0%
15First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$61,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,080 – $88,720+9.9%
16Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$114,510
Bachelor's degree
$64,230 – $163,440+9.8%
17Floral Designers$40,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,390 – $51,840+9.1%
18Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,920 – $60,490+8.3%
19Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$48,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,470 – $69,240+7.2%
20Production Workers, All Other$42,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,970 – $63,340+6.7%
21Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,480 – $56,720+6.6%
22Lodging Managers$73,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,150 – $105,770+6.1%
23Food Service Managers$73,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $101,420+5.3%
24Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$63,400
Master's degree
$42,710 – $81,800+5.2%
25Paramedics$63,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,650 – $77,690+4.8%
26New Accounts Clerks$49,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,670 – $63,630+4.8%
27Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$41,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,510 – $61,000+4.5%
28Mechanical Engineers$108,630
Bachelor's degree
$77,510 – $217,230+4.3%
29Tellers$44,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,740 – $49,520+4.2%
30Tire Repairers and Changers$39,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,690 – $47,380+4.1%
31Opticians, Dispensing$49,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,350 – $80,790+3.9%
32Packers and Packagers, Hand$37,690
No formal educational credential
$26,980 – $45,960+3.9%
33Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$103,100
Bachelor's degree
$62,040 – $150,040+3.8%
34Printing Press Operators$47,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,310 – $65,900+3.6%
35Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$61,230
Bachelor's degree
$43,090 – $88,880+3.3%
36Dental Hygienists$101,170
Associate's degree
$81,440 – $107,230+3.1%
37Industrial Machinery Mechanics$66,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,070 – $82,350+3.1%
38Bartenders$35,380
No formal educational credential
$15,790 – $76,300+3.0%
39Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $82,740+2.5%
40Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$82,280
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,770 – $97,860+2.5%
41Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,290 – $60,060+2.5%
42Electrical Engineers$123,480
Bachelor's degree
$73,190 – $149,140+2.4%
43Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$40,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,210 – $49,570+2.0%
44First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,060 – $64,850+2.0%
45Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,740 – $62,560+1.9%
46Pest Control Workers$46,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,030 – $60,180+1.8%
47First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$49,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,600 – $79,320+1.8%
48Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,280 – $75,070+1.7%
49Dental Laboratory Technicians$50,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,610 – $79,440+1.7%
50Landscape Architects$81,260
Bachelor's degree
$55,640 – $108,890+1.7%

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

#	Occupation	MedianAsheville, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Psychologists, All OtherMaster's degree	$152,550	$91,730 – $169,980	+37.6%
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$360,010	$164,170 – $411,580	+35.4%
3	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,930	$46,400 – $132,140	+32.0%
4	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,730	$40,420 – $75,720	+20.6%
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$202,630	$70,490 – $326,970	+18.5%
6	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,680	$38,230 – $60,200	+17.9%
7	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,110	$43,220 – $69,500	+16.2%
8	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,280	$31,000 – $50,970	+15.9%
9	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$149,350	$76,860 – $155,030	+15.6%
10	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$77,730	$48,090 – $98,590	+14.4%
11	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,620	$27,420 – $60,190	+13.5%
12	Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral ArrangersAssociate's degree	$62,380	$34,880 – $84,330	+13.4%
13	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$69,700	$56,740 – $76,360	+12.2%
14	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,950	$42,570 – $66,570	+11.0%
15	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,500	$35,080 – $88,720	+9.9%
16	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$114,510	$64,230 – $163,440	+9.8%
17	Floral DesignersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,760	$27,390 – $51,840	+9.1%
18	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,400	$36,920 – $60,490	+8.3%
19	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,940	$38,470 – $69,240	+7.2%
20	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,810	$34,970 – $63,340	+6.7%
21	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,880	$47,480 – $56,720	+6.6%
22	Lodging ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,490	$40,150 – $105,770	+6.1%
23	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,090	$45,760 – $101,420	+5.3%
24	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$63,400	$42,710 – $81,800	+5.2%
25	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,480	$47,650 – $77,690	+4.8%
26	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,980	$44,670 – $63,630	+4.8%
27	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,150	$31,510 – $61,000	+4.5%
28	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,630	$77,510 – $217,230	+4.3%
29	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,850	$38,740 – $49,520	+4.2%
30	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,250	$28,690 – $47,380	+4.1%
31	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,110	$36,350 – $80,790	+3.9%
32	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$37,690	$26,980 – $45,960	+3.9%
33	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$103,100	$62,040 – $150,040	+3.8%
34	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,440	$27,310 – $65,900	+3.6%
35	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and DaycareBachelor's degree	$61,230	$43,090 – $88,880	+3.3%
36	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$101,170	$81,440 – $107,230	+3.1%
37	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,510	$49,070 – $82,350	+3.1%
38	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$35,380	$15,790 – $76,300	+3.0%
39	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$42,390 – $82,740	+2.5%
40	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,280	$59,770 – $97,860	+2.5%
41	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,750	$35,290 – $60,060	+2.5%
42	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$123,480	$73,190 – $149,140	+2.4%
43	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,420	$32,210 – $49,570	+2.0%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,960	$31,060 – $64,850	+2.0%
45	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,230	$36,740 – $62,560	+1.9%
46	Pest Control WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,050	$33,030 – $60,180	+1.8%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,410	$35,600 – $79,320	+1.8%
48	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,470	$50,280 – $75,070	+1.7%
49	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,440	$36,610 – $79,440	+1.7%
50	Landscape ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$81,260	$55,640 – $108,890	+1.7%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Asheville, NC

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