Jobs that pay the biggest premium in North Carolina

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

Cost of living: prices in North Carolina run 5.7% below the national average (2024), so a North Carolina salary is worth about 1.06× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in North Carolina.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in North Carolina

OccupationMedian, North Carolina · vs. national

1Chief Executives$314,290
Bachelor's degree
$114,210 – $624,990+46.9%
2Dentists, General$207,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,810 – $337,630+21.1%
3Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$61,580
Bachelor's degree
$37,610 – $79,290+21.0%
4Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$125,370
Bachelor's degree
$58,930 – $208,070+19.5%
5Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$50,050
Bachelor's degree
$33,130 – $73,980+16.6%
6Loan Interviewers and Clerks$57,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,030 – $70,050+15.5%
7Credit Analysts$94,570
Bachelor's degree
$62,620 – $164,140+13.2%
8General Internal Medicine Physicians$289,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,810 – $462,680+12.9%
9Financial Risk Specialists$132,040
Bachelor's degree
$70,440 – $207,820+12.5%
10Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,080 – $60,390+11.8%
11Tire Builders$63,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,750 – $79,740+11.4%
12Operations Research Analysts$97,290
Bachelor's degree
$60,180 – $130,980+9.4%
13Upholsterers$50,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,270 – $74,490+9.2%
14Database Administrators$113,900
Bachelor's degree
$62,430 – $160,160+8.9%
15Biological Technicians$61,720
Bachelor's degree
$41,300 – $79,070+7.3%
16Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$38,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$26,880 – $61,530+7.3%
17Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$48,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,890 – $73,890+7.1%
18Financial Examiners$100,730
Bachelor's degree
$64,760 – $166,110+7.0%
19Food Service Managers$74,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,780 – $104,060+6.8%
20Opticians, Dispensing$50,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,500 – $81,340+6.2%
21Bartenders$36,470
No formal educational credential
$16,180 – $74,450+6.2%
22Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$69,720
Associate's degree
$48,240 – $100,920+5.4%
23Dental Assistants$50,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,240 – $60,200+4.8%
24Library Technicians$46,520
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,670 – $58,490+4.4%
25Web Developers$96,610
Bachelor's degree
$54,450 – $140,550+4.3%
26Tellers$44,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,550 – $50,450+4.2%
27First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$91,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,650 – $180,680+4.2%
28Natural Sciences Managers$173,870
Bachelor's degree
$101,810 – $305,970+4.0%
29Education Administrators, All Other$98,880
Bachelor's degree
$50,200 – $135,720+3.9%
30New Accounts Clerks$49,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,690 – $71,300+3.8%
31Massage Therapists$60,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,050 – $96,510+3.8%
32Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$76,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,830 – $97,040+3.6%
33Postal Service Clerks$64,290
No formal educational credential
$55,350 – $75,030+3.5%
34Private Detectives and Investigators$52,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,600 – $98,560+3.3%
35Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$43,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,900 – $48,380+3.2%
36Social Science Research Assistants$63,710
Bachelor's degree
$49,980 – $81,650+2.8%
37First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$57,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,800 – $85,230+2.6%
38Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,690 – $58,950+2.6%
39Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$39,170
No formal educational credential
$29,710 – $41,640+2.3%
40First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$45,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,750 – $64,670+2.1%
41Information Security Analysts$131,540
Bachelor's degree
$77,150 – $173,670+1.8%
42Sales Managers$150,470
Bachelor's degree
$69,350 – $297,760+1.5%
43Facilities Managers$108,130
Bachelor's degree
$62,680 – $171,950+1.4%
44Biological Scientists, All Other$100,070
Bachelor's degree
$65,460 – $152,170+1.2%
45First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$49,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,900 – $79,330+1.0%
46Orderlies$38,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,570 – $46,230+1.0%
47Helpers--Production Workers$39,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,350 – $50,580+0.9%
48Computer Systems Analysts$106,850
Bachelor's degree
$73,190 – $166,660+0.9%
49Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$49,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,290 – $71,400+0.8%
50Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$47,620
Associate's degree
$35,890 – $59,420+0.5%

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

#	Occupation	MedianNorth Carolina	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$314,290	$114,210 – $624,990	+46.9%
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,000	$107,810 – $337,630	+21.1%
3	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$61,580	$37,610 – $79,290	+21.0%
4	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$125,370	$58,930 – $208,070	+19.5%
5	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$50,050	$33,130 – $73,980	+16.6%
6	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,780	$40,030 – $70,050	+15.5%
7	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$94,570	$62,620 – $164,140	+13.2%
8	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$289,780	$123,810 – $462,680	+12.9%
9	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$132,040	$70,440 – $207,820	+12.5%
10	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,330	$38,080 – $60,390	+11.8%
11	Tire BuildersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,950	$47,750 – $79,740	+11.4%
12	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,290	$60,180 – $130,980	+9.4%
13	UpholsterersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,600	$38,270 – $74,490	+9.2%
14	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$113,900	$62,430 – $160,160	+8.9%
15	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$61,720	$41,300 – $79,070	+7.3%
16	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$38,410	$26,880 – $61,530	+7.3%
17	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,890	$36,890 – $73,890	+7.1%
18	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$100,730	$64,760 – $166,110	+7.0%
19	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,080	$51,780 – $104,060	+6.8%
20	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,190	$36,500 – $81,340	+6.2%
21	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$36,470	$16,180 – $74,450	+6.2%
22	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,720	$48,240 – $100,920	+5.4%
23	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,380	$38,240 – $60,200	+4.8%
24	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,520	$30,670 – $58,490	+4.4%
25	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$96,610	$54,450 – $140,550	+4.3%
26	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,830	$37,550 – $50,450	+4.2%
27	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,200	$53,650 – $180,680	+4.2%
28	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$173,870	$101,810 – $305,970	+4.0%
29	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$98,880	$50,200 – $135,720	+3.9%
30	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,480	$43,690 – $71,300	+3.8%
31	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,650	$31,050 – $96,510	+3.8%
32	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,740	$52,830 – $97,040	+3.6%
33	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$64,290	$55,350 – $75,030	+3.5%
34	Private Detectives and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,890	$36,600 – $98,560	+3.3%
35	Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,710	$32,900 – $48,380	+3.2%
36	Social Science Research AssistantsBachelor's degree	$63,710	$49,980 – $81,650	+2.8%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,390	$34,800 – $85,230	+2.6%
38	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,770	$34,690 – $58,950	+2.6%
39	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$39,170	$29,710 – $41,640	+2.3%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,010	$29,750 – $64,670	+2.1%
41	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$131,540	$77,150 – $173,670	+1.8%
42	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$150,470	$69,350 – $297,760	+1.5%
43	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,130	$62,680 – $171,950	+1.4%
44	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,070	$65,460 – $152,170	+1.2%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,040	$33,900 – $79,330	+1.0%
46	OrderliesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,680	$33,570 – $46,230	+1.0%
47	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,410	$30,350 – $50,580	+0.9%
48	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$106,850	$73,190 – $166,660	+0.9%
49	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,110	$37,290 – $71,400	+0.8%
50	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$47,620	$35,890 – $59,420	+0.5%

More for North Carolina

Metro areas in North Carolina

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in North Carolina

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in North Carolina

More for North Carolina

Metro areas in North Carolina

By field in North Carolina

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state