Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Jacksonville, NC

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

Cost of living: prices in Jacksonville, NC run 7.9% below the national average (2024), so a Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, NC

OccupationMedian, Jacksonville, NC · vs. national

1Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$61,360
No formal educational credential
$23,060 – $68,120+65.0%
2Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$59,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,600 – $76,900+21.4%
3Avionics Technicians$97,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$74,370 – $116,150+18.2%
4Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$56,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,660 – $69,240+16.9%
5Opticians, Dispensing$54,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,480 – $82,600+16.2%
6Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$68,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,820 – $76,900+13.5%
7Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$39,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,580 – $49,960+11.7%
8Child, Family, and School Social Workers$66,520
Bachelor's degree
$44,260 – $74,940+11.7%
9Education Administrators, All Other$105,270
Bachelor's degree
$76,810 – $131,040+10.6%
10Dentists, General$188,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,520 – $306,750+10.5%
11Butchers and Meat Cutters$43,710
No formal educational credential
$28,920 – $63,650+8.9%
12Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$52,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,960 – $64,000+8.7%
13Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,870 – $59,950+8.3%
14Physicians, All Other$282,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,340 – $437,120+6.1%
15Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$82,340
Associate's degree
$51,170 – $106,330+5.1%
16Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$68,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,550 – $81,620+4.9%
17Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$93,640
Bachelor's degree
$61,530 – $114,990+3.9%
18Procurement Clerks$51,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,330 – $63,270+2.1%
19Medical Records Specialists$51,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,870 – $69,240+1.5%
20Rehabilitation Counselors$47,370
Master's degree
$27,820 – $86,690+1.1%
21Information and Record Clerks, All Other$49,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,880 – $59,950+0.9%
22Financial Specialists, All Other$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $119,430+0.3%
23Postal Service Clerks$62,130
No formal educational credential
$55,350 – $76,3600.0%
24Dental Assistants$47,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,250 – $54,260-0.2%
25Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$63,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,270 – $82,640-0.9%
26First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$48,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,530 – $74,910-1.0%
27Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$48,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,400 – $66,030-1.1%
28Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$62,940
Bachelor's degree
$30,630 – $76,310-1.4%
29Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,160 – $63,340-1.4%
30Detectives and Criminal Investigators$92,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,640 – $140,500-1.5%
31Business Operations Specialists, All Other$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$50,840 – $119,430-2.1%
32Social and Human Service Assistants$44,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,360 – $75,190-2.4%
33Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,210
Associate's degree
$44,240 – $93,290-2.5%
34Computer Network Support Specialists$73,710
Associate's degree
$47,320 – $86,250-3.3%
35Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$103,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,800 – $151,290-3.8%
36Mechanical Engineers$99,780
Bachelor's degree
$74,640 – $129,960-4.2%
37Industrial Machinery Mechanics$61,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,060 – $92,810-4.3%
38First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$46,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,730 – $75,130-4.4%
39Buyers and Purchasing Agents$73,920
Bachelor's degree
$48,680 – $115,210-4.9%
40Machinists$55,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,620 – $76,900-5.5%
41Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$60,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,440 – $74,940-5.6%
42Pharmacists$132,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$92,990 – $164,320-5.7%
43Logisticians$77,400
Bachelor's degree
$60,570 – $119,430-6.0%
44Social and Community Service Managers$75,400
Bachelor's degree
$49,490 – $124,580-6.2%
45Engineers, All Other$115,210
Bachelor's degree
$78,990 – $157,730-6.3%
46Postal Service Mail Carriers$56,660
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-6.4%
47Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$36,610
No formal educational credential
$28,790 – $44,110-6.5%
48Compliance Officers$75,360
Bachelor's degree
$38,050 – $115,000-6.7%
49Surveying and Mapping Technicians$50,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,800 – $81,330-7.1%
50Tutors$40,290
Some college, no degree
$24,600 – $58,170-7.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianJacksonville, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Motor Vehicle Operators, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$61,360	$23,060 – $68,120	+65.0%
2	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,760	$32,600 – $76,900	+21.4%
3	Avionics TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$97,240	$74,370 – $116,150	+18.2%
4	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,620	$41,660 – $69,240	+16.9%
5	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,900	$35,480 – $82,600	+16.2%
6	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,120	$43,820 – $76,900	+13.5%
7	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$39,990	$23,580 – $49,960	+11.7%
8	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$66,520	$44,260 – $74,940	+11.7%
9	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$105,270	$76,810 – $131,040	+10.6%
10	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$188,850	$99,520 – $306,750	+10.5%
11	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$43,710	$28,920 – $63,650	+8.9%
12	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,790	$34,960 – $64,000	+8.7%
13	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,440	$39,870 – $59,950	+8.3%
14	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$282,050	$57,340 – $437,120	+6.1%
15	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$82,340	$51,170 – $106,330	+5.1%
16	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,700	$40,550 – $81,620	+4.9%
17	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,640	$61,530 – $114,990	+3.9%
18	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,630	$40,330 – $63,270	+2.1%
19	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,930	$35,870 – $69,240	+1.5%
20	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$47,370	$27,820 – $86,690	+1.1%
21	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,940	$38,880 – $59,950	+0.9%
22	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,330	$63,130 – $119,430	+0.3%
23	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,130	$55,350 – $76,360	0.0%
24	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,970	$35,250 – $54,260	-0.2%
25	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,320	$62,270 – $82,640	-0.9%
26	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,100	$30,530 – $74,910	-1.0%
27	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,180	$38,400 – $66,030	-1.1%
28	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$62,940	$30,630 – $76,310	-1.4%
29	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,160	$26,160 – $63,340	-1.4%
30	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,410	$60,640 – $140,500	-1.5%
31	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,330	$50,840 – $119,430	-2.1%
32	Social and Human Service AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,850	$36,360 – $75,190	-2.4%
33	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,210	$44,240 – $93,290	-2.5%
34	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$73,710	$47,320 – $86,250	-3.3%
35	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,120	$53,800 – $151,290	-3.8%
36	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,780	$74,640 – $129,960	-4.2%
37	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,770	$46,060 – $92,810	-4.3%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,400	$30,730 – $75,130	-4.4%
39	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$73,920	$48,680 – $115,210	-4.9%
40	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,500	$42,620 – $76,900	-5.5%
41	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,770	$49,440 – $74,940	-5.6%
42	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,850	$92,990 – $164,320	-5.7%
43	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$77,400	$60,570 – $119,430	-6.0%
44	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$75,400	$49,490 – $124,580	-6.2%
45	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$115,210	$78,990 – $157,730	-6.3%
46	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$56,660	$42,390 – $81,040	-6.4%
47	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$36,610	$28,790 – $44,110	-6.5%
48	Compliance OfficersBachelor's degree	$75,360	$38,050 – $115,000	-6.7%
49	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,400	$37,800 – $81,330	-7.1%
50	TutorsSome college, no degree	$40,290	$24,600 – $58,170	-7.1%

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Jacksonville, NC to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Jacksonville, NC

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