Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Greensboro-High Point, NC

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

Cost of living: prices in Greensboro-High Point, NC run 7.1% below the national average (2024), so a Greensboro-High Point, NC salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Greensboro-High Point, NC

OccupationMedian, Greensboro-High Point, NC · vs. national

1Chief Executives$354,310
Bachelor's degree
$130,010 – $728,870+65.6%
2Physicians, All Other$364,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$161,580 – $476,620+37.1%
3Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$60,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,000 – $60,390+26.6%
4Opticians, Dispensing$59,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,110 – $77,850+25.7%
5Personal Financial Advisors$126,310
Bachelor's degree
$58,230 – $278,130+20.2%
6Loan Interviewers and Clerks$58,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,610 – $61,270+17.3%
7Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$50,050
Bachelor's degree
$39,510 – $62,970+16.6%
8Driver/Sales Workers$45,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$20,920 – $65,720+16.6%
9Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$49,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,800 – $79,320+15.4%
10Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,600 – $61,120+11.0%
11Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$46,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,450 – $49,910+9.6%
12Property Appraisers and Assessors$73,970
Bachelor's degree
$47,760 – $106,370+8.8%
13Massage Therapists$63,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$29,480 – $92,060+8.2%
14Helpers--Production Workers$42,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,060 – $51,510+8.1%
15Postal Service Clerks$66,750
No formal educational credential
$58,150 – $76,360+7.4%
16Chemists$97,690
Bachelor's degree
$61,540 – $139,340+7.1%
17First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$93,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,510 – $178,820+7.1%
18Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$44,370
Bachelor's degree
$28,900 – $44,370+6.5%
19Food Service Managers$73,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,870 – $106,930+6.3%
20Upholsterers$49,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,320 – $60,950+5.8%
21Mechanical Engineers$109,540
Bachelor's degree
$78,710 – $137,040+5.2%
22Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$37,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$24,380 – $60,600+5.1%
23Surveying and Mapping Technicians$56,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,540 – $76,100+4.9%
24Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$51,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,750 – $74,380+4.8%
25Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$50,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,390 – $71,310+4.6%
26Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,010 – $78,850+4.5%
27Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,270 – $58,960+4.5%
28Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$36,310
No formal educational credential
$27,640 – $45,070+4.1%
29Social Science Research Assistants$64,490
Bachelor's degree
$41,190 – $88,400+4.0%
30Tellers$44,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,020 – $49,540+3.8%
31Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$39,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,800 – $45,240+3.7%
32Dental Assistants$49,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,650 – $57,840+3.6%
33Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$49,090
Associate's degree
$36,370 – $62,690+3.6%
34Self-Enrichment Teachers$48,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,310 – $78,120+3.5%
35Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents$64,350
Bachelor's degree
$47,040 – $119,430+3.2%
36Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,220 – $65,240+3.0%
37Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,290 – $53,750+2.5%
38Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,080
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,330+2.5%
39Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$98,890
Associate's degree
$66,810 – $103,820+2.4%
40Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers$33,650
No formal educational credential
$22,180 – $33,650+2.2%
41Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$46,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,490 – $61,490+1.8%
42First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,630 – $61,830+1.7%
43Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,540
Associate's degree
$54,960 – $105,280+1.7%
44Tutors$44,000
Some college, no degree
$29,280 – $74,460+1.5%
45First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$49,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,240 – $74,780+1.2%
46Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$81,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,900 – $117,420+1.1%
47Medical Assistants$46,090
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,930 – $56,690+0.9%
48Funeral Attendants$36,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,210 – $61,430+0.9%
49Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$72,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,100 – $150,740+0.8%
50Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$54,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,130 – $70,550+0.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianGreensboro-High Point, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$354,310	$130,010 – $728,870	+65.6%
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$364,620	$161,580 – $476,620	+37.1%
3	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,390	$45,000 – $60,390	+26.6%
4	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,420	$36,110 – $77,850	+25.7%
5	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$126,310	$58,230 – $278,130	+20.2%
6	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,670	$46,610 – $61,270	+17.3%
7	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$50,050	$39,510 – $62,970	+16.6%
8	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,200	$20,920 – $65,720	+16.6%
9	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,880	$32,800 – $79,320	+15.4%
10	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,380	$37,600 – $61,120	+11.0%
11	Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,420	$36,450 – $49,910	+9.6%
12	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$73,970	$47,760 – $106,370	+8.8%
13	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,250	$29,480 – $92,060	+8.2%
14	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,240	$30,060 – $51,510	+8.1%
15	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$66,750	$58,150 – $76,360	+7.4%
16	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$97,690	$61,540 – $139,340	+7.1%
17	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,770	$56,510 – $178,820	+7.1%
18	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$44,370	$28,900 – $44,370	+6.5%
19	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,780	$57,870 – $106,930	+6.3%
20	UpholsterersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,040	$34,320 – $60,950	+5.8%
21	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,540	$78,710 – $137,040	+5.2%
22	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$37,620	$24,380 – $60,600	+5.1%
23	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,910	$41,540 – $76,100	+4.9%
24	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,610	$40,750 – $74,380	+4.8%
25	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,960	$39,390 – $71,310	+4.6%
26	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,210	$40,010 – $78,850	+4.5%
27	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,630	$37,270 – $58,960	+4.5%
28	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$36,310	$27,640 – $45,070	+4.1%
29	Social Science Research AssistantsBachelor's degree	$64,490	$41,190 – $88,400	+4.0%
30	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,650	$38,020 – $49,540	+3.8%
31	Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,600	$35,800 – $45,240	+3.7%
32	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,800	$38,650 – $57,840	+3.6%
33	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$49,090	$36,370 – $62,690	+3.6%
34	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,460	$25,310 – $78,120	+3.5%
35	Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue AgentsBachelor's degree	$64,350	$47,040 – $119,430	+3.2%
36	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,120	$32,220 – $65,240	+3.0%
37	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,980	$36,290 – $53,750	+2.5%
38	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,080	$42,390 – $81,330	+2.5%
39	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$98,890	$66,810 – $103,820	+2.4%
40	Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket TakersNo formal educational credential	$33,650	$22,180 – $33,650	+2.2%
41	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,480	$32,490 – $61,490	+1.8%
42	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,810	$29,630 – $61,830	+1.7%
43	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,540	$54,960 – $105,280	+1.7%
44	TutorsSome college, no degree	$44,000	$29,280 – $74,460	+1.5%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,130	$33,240 – $74,780	+1.2%
46	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$81,170	$67,900 – $117,420	+1.1%
47	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,090	$35,930 – $56,690	+0.9%
48	Funeral AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,000	$28,210 – $61,430	+0.9%
49	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,630	$39,100 – $150,740	+0.8%
50	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,180	$40,130 – $70,550	+0.8%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Greensboro-High Point, NC

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