Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Fayetteville, NC

Each occupation's median wage in Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville, NC pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Fayetteville, NC run 8.0% below the national average (2024), so a Fayetteville, NC salary is worth about 1.09× 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 Fayetteville, NC

OccupationMedian, Fayetteville, NC · vs. national

1Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other$114,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,690 – $132,040+61.4%
2Nurse Anesthetists$331,760
Master's degree
$117,110 – $331,760+40.2%
3Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$67,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,170 – $78,320+37.8%
4Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers$62,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,470 – $74,150+31.2%
5Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$62,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,200 – $101,910+28.7%
6Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$82,010
Bachelor's degree
$51,240 – $104,630+28.5%
7Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$61,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,070 – $76,150+24.8%
8Opticians, Dispensing$57,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,940 – $80,600+22.3%
9First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$67,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,300 – $82,350+21.3%
10Logisticians$98,670
Bachelor's degree
$62,050 – $139,380+19.9%
11Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$57,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,740 – $67,810+18.5%
12Psychologists, All Other$129,830
Master's degree
$55,320 – $150,780+17.1%
13Education Administrators, All Other$111,320
Bachelor's degree
$80,640 – $132,910+16.9%
14Teachers and Instructors, All Other$77,210
Bachelor's degree
$44,780 – $117,210+16.7%
15Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$53,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,830 – $58,680+15.2%
16Business Operations Specialists, All Other$95,620
Bachelor's degree
$53,410 – $132,040+15.1%
17Dentists, General$196,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$117,860 – $314,830+14.9%
18Computer Network Support Specialists$86,370
Associate's degree
$31,400 – $105,190+13.3%
19Security Guards$42,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,660 – $61,030+12.9%
20Paramedics$68,220
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,520 – $78,600+12.6%
21Financial Specialists, All Other$90,060
Bachelor's degree
$63,650 – $124,670+11.0%
22Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$51,450
No formal educational credential
$37,430 – $58,390+10.8%
23Budget Analysts$101,360
Bachelor's degree
$77,210 – $128,380+10.6%
24Information and Record Clerks, All Other$54,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,630 – $66,080+10.6%
25Procurement Clerks$55,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,290 – $66,080+10.0%
26Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$84,930
Associate's degree
$70,220 – $111,050+8.4%
27Surveying and Mapping Technicians$58,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,390 – $79,310+7.4%
28Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$44,680
Bachelor's degree
$28,480 – $45,040+7.2%
29Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$38,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,490 – $60,970+7.0%
30Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$107,950
Bachelor's degree
$77,210 – $135,720+6.8%
31Child, Family, and School Social Workers$63,320
Bachelor's degree
$44,070 – $74,740+6.3%
32Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$95,620
Bachelor's degree
$63,890 – $123,550+6.1%
33Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$65,940
Associate's degree
$48,510 – $84,320+5.9%
34Postal Service Clerks$65,660
No formal educational credential
$56,390 – $76,360+5.7%
35Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$35,230
No formal educational credential
$22,380 – $35,230+4.9%
36Food Service Managers$72,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,700 – $111,500+4.9%
37Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,860
Associate's degree
$61,880 – $100,930+4.7%
38Tellers$44,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,550 – $47,480+4.3%
39Emergency Medical Technicians$46,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,900 – $47,700+4.1%
40Commercial Pilots$128,170
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,370 – $214,070+4.0%
41Public Relations Specialists$77,500
Bachelor's degree
$46,050 – $117,370+3.7%
42Dental Assistants$49,520
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,600 – $56,410+3.0%
43Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$46,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,450 – $65,070+2.9%
44Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,090
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+2.5%
45Engineers, All Other$125,980
Bachelor's degree
$82,190 – $175,160+2.5%
46Training and Development Specialists$70,750
Bachelor's degree
$28,560 – $107,500+2.1%
47Bartenders$34,880
No formal educational credential
$15,260 – $61,560+1.6%
48Surgical Technologists$65,660
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,350 – $71,930+1.6%
49Pharmacy Technicians$46,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,720 – $62,520+1.6%
50First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$49,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,250 – $73,660+1.5%

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

#	Occupation	MedianFayetteville, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$114,130	$78,690 – $132,040	+61.4%
2	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$331,760	$117,110 – $331,760	+40.2%
3	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,500	$34,170 – $78,320	+37.8%
4	Automotive Glass Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,500	$45,470 – $74,150	+31.2%
5	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,120	$34,200 – $101,910	+28.7%
6	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$82,010	$51,240 – $104,630	+28.5%
7	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,440	$35,070 – $76,150	+24.8%
8	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,780	$35,940 – $80,600	+22.3%
9	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,830	$36,300 – $82,350	+21.3%
10	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$98,670	$62,050 – $139,380	+19.9%
11	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,390	$42,740 – $67,810	+18.5%
12	Psychologists, All OtherMaster's degree	$129,830	$55,320 – $150,780	+17.1%
13	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$111,320	$80,640 – $132,910	+16.9%
14	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,210	$44,780 – $117,210	+16.7%
15	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,430	$35,830 – $58,680	+15.2%
16	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,620	$53,410 – $132,040	+15.1%
17	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$196,470	$117,860 – $314,830	+14.9%
18	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$86,370	$31,400 – $105,190	+13.3%
19	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,940	$28,660 – $61,030	+12.9%
20	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,220	$56,520 – $78,600	+12.6%
21	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,060	$63,650 – $124,670	+11.0%
22	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$51,450	$37,430 – $58,390	+10.8%
23	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,360	$77,210 – $128,380	+10.6%
24	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,770	$37,630 – $66,080	+10.6%
25	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,640	$42,290 – $66,080	+10.0%
26	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$84,930	$70,220 – $111,050	+8.4%
27	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,280	$36,390 – $79,310	+7.4%
28	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$44,680	$28,480 – $45,040	+7.2%
29	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$38,290	$23,490 – $60,970	+7.0%
30	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,950	$77,210 – $135,720	+6.8%
31	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$63,320	$44,070 – $74,740	+6.3%
32	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$95,620	$63,890 – $123,550	+6.1%
33	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$65,940	$48,510 – $84,320	+5.9%
34	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$65,660	$56,390 – $76,360	+5.7%
35	Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,230	$22,380 – $35,230	+4.9%
36	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,770	$37,700 – $111,500	+4.9%
37	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,860	$61,880 – $100,930	+4.7%
38	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,890	$36,550 – $47,480	+4.3%
39	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,300	$37,900 – $47,700	+4.1%
40	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$128,170	$58,370 – $214,070	+4.0%
41	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,500	$46,050 – $117,370	+3.7%
42	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,520	$36,600 – $56,410	+3.0%
43	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,980	$42,450 – $65,070	+2.9%
44	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,090	$42,390 – $81,040	+2.5%
45	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$125,980	$82,190 – $175,160	+2.5%
46	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,750	$28,560 – $107,500	+2.1%
47	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$34,880	$15,260 – $61,560	+1.6%
48	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,660	$46,350 – $71,930	+1.6%
49	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,490	$35,720 – $62,520	+1.6%
50	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,270	$29,250 – $73,660	+1.5%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Fayetteville, NC

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