Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Goldsboro, NC

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

Cost of living: prices in Goldsboro, NC run 11.5% below the national average (2024), so a Goldsboro, NC salary is worth about 1.13× 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 Goldsboro, NC

OccupationMedian, Goldsboro, NC · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$309,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$161,130 – $414,910+16.3%
2Dentists, General$193,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,530 – $437,750+13.0%
3Information and Record Clerks, All Other$55,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,900 – $67,810+12.4%
4Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$38,980
No formal educational credential
$22,780 – $45,090+10.2%
5Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$42,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,350 – $60,620+8.1%
6Home Health and Personal Care Aides$38,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,770 – $38,300+7.0%
7Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$50,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,040 – $70,070+2.9%
8Food Service Managers$71,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,740 – $100,650+2.4%
9Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$81,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$72,570 – $92,140+2.2%
10Tellers$43,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,280 – $60,480+1.9%
11Machinists$59,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,120 – $59,790+1.8%
12Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$38,120
No formal educational credential
$27,390 – $39,370+1.8%
13Physical Therapist Assistants$69,150
Associate's degree
$48,800 – $80,290+1.1%
14Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$64,440
Bachelor's degree
$40,670 – $78,260+1.0%
15Dental Assistants$48,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,040 – $58,090+0.3%
16Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$49,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,600 – $76,070+0.3%
17Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$45,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,810 – $60,960+0.3%
18Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,960 – $61,700-0.1%
19Pharmacists$139,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,370 – $181,090-1.2%
20Pipelayers$48,190
No formal educational credential
$39,130 – $54,980-1.7%
21Bakers$36,440
No formal educational credential
$28,000 – $46,450-1.9%
22Healthcare Social Workers$66,470
Master's degree
$34,230 – $83,150-2.1%
23Mechanical Engineers$101,800
Bachelor's degree
$65,470 – $120,450-2.2%
24Facilities Managers$104,220
Bachelor's degree
$60,010 – $134,990-2.3%
25Highway Maintenance Workers$48,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,550 – $62,860-2.8%
26First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$77,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,190 – $110,090-3.1%
27Recreation Workers$35,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,330 – $52,500-3.2%
28Maintenance Workers, Machinery$58,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,120 – $71,500-3.6%
29Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$34,470
No formal educational credential
$22,820 – $38,230-3.8%
30Food Batchmakers$40,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,070 – $46,300-3.9%
31Buyers and Purchasing Agents$74,680
Bachelor's degree
$42,310 – $121,040-3.9%
32Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$69,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,110 – $118,170-4.0%
33Rehabilitation Counselors$44,970
Master's degree
$33,780 – $68,950-4.0%
34Production Workers, All Other$38,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,640 – $45,660-4.0%
35Postal Service Mail Carriers$57,470
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-5.1%
36Industrial Engineers$97,220
Bachelor's degree
$59,950 – $126,080-5.1%
37Physician Assistants$128,370
Master's degree
$97,500 – $189,990-5.5%
38Packers and Packagers, Hand$34,200
No formal educational credential
$30,640 – $35,000-5.7%
39First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$45,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,580 – $72,590-5.9%
40Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$60,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,960 – $71,310-6.1%
41Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$47,260
Associate's degree
$35,160 – $59,110-6.6%
42Industrial Machinery Mechanics$60,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,780 – $71,070-6.7%
43Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$36,420
No formal educational credential
$29,040 – $44,810-7.0%
44Nurse Practitioners$122,950
Master's degree
$102,310 – $134,870-7.1%
45Social and Human Service Assistants$42,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,650 – $50,990-7.1%
46Medical and Health Services Managers$115,000
Bachelor's degree
$63,730 – $320,010-7.2%
47First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$58,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,940 – $82,200-7.3%
48Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$55,660
Master's degree
$37,170 – $69,130-7.7%
49Child, Family, and School Social Workers$54,780
Bachelor's degree
$42,910 – $67,300-8.0%
50Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$60,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,530 – $71,700-8.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianGoldsboro, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$309,210	$161,130 – $414,910	+16.3%
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$193,210	$111,530 – $437,750	+13.0%
3	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,640	$38,900 – $67,810	+12.4%
4	Food Servers, NonrestaurantNo formal educational credential	$38,980	$22,780 – $45,090	+10.2%
5	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,570	$31,350 – $60,620	+8.1%
6	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,300	$26,770 – $38,300	+7.0%
7	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,120	$39,040 – $70,070	+2.9%
8	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,030	$36,740 – $100,650	+2.4%
9	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,640	$72,570 – $92,140	+2.2%
10	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,840	$38,280 – $60,480	+1.9%
11	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,790	$38,120 – $59,790	+1.8%
12	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$38,120	$27,390 – $39,370	+1.8%
13	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$69,150	$48,800 – $80,290	+1.1%
14	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$64,440	$40,670 – $78,260	+1.0%
15	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,210	$37,040 – $58,090	+0.3%
16	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,360	$32,600 – $76,070	+0.3%
17	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,790	$36,810 – $60,960	+0.3%
18	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,940	$36,960 – $61,700	-0.1%
19	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,210	$100,370 – $181,090	-1.2%
20	PipelayersNo formal educational credential	$48,190	$39,130 – $54,980	-1.7%
21	BakersNo formal educational credential	$36,440	$28,000 – $46,450	-1.9%
22	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$66,470	$34,230 – $83,150	-2.1%
23	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,800	$65,470 – $120,450	-2.2%
24	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,220	$60,010 – $134,990	-2.3%
25	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,870	$36,550 – $62,860	-2.8%
26	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,360	$46,190 – $110,090	-3.1%
27	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,400	$26,330 – $52,500	-3.2%
28	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,650	$46,120 – $71,500	-3.6%
29	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$34,470	$22,820 – $38,230	-3.8%
30	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,630	$35,070 – $46,300	-3.9%
31	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$74,680	$42,310 – $121,040	-3.9%
32	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,220	$37,110 – $118,170	-4.0%
33	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$44,970	$33,780 – $68,950	-4.0%
34	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,510	$34,640 – $45,660	-4.0%
35	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$57,470	$42,390 – $81,040	-5.1%
36	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,220	$59,950 – $126,080	-5.1%
37	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$128,370	$97,500 – $189,990	-5.5%
38	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$34,200	$30,640 – $35,000	-5.7%
39	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,640	$29,580 – $72,590	-5.9%
40	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,470	$48,960 – $71,310	-6.1%
41	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$47,260	$35,160 – $59,110	-6.6%
42	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,200	$39,780 – $71,070	-6.7%
43	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$36,420	$29,040 – $44,810	-7.0%
44	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$122,950	$102,310 – $134,870	-7.1%
45	Social and Human Service AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,690	$35,650 – $50,990	-7.1%
46	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$115,000	$63,730 – $320,010	-7.2%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,300	$36,940 – $82,200	-7.3%
48	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$55,660	$37,170 – $69,130	-7.7%
49	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$54,780	$42,910 – $67,300	-8.0%
50	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,200	$40,530 – $71,700	-8.1%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Goldsboro, NC

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