Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Winston-Salem, NC

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

Cost of living: prices in Winston-Salem, NC run 8.0% below the national average (2024), so a Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC

OccupationMedian, Winston-Salem, NC · vs. national

1Medical Records Specialists$62,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,700 – $78,030+22.4%
2Opticians, Dispensing$55,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,310 – $81,110+18.5%
3Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$95,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,730 – $103,830+18.4%
4Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$44,020
No formal educational credential
$22,550 – $47,740+14.9%
5Chemical Technicians$68,630
Associate's degree
$41,620 – $80,870+13.6%
6Financial Risk Specialists$131,630
Bachelor's degree
$62,230 – $166,570+12.2%
7Helpers--Production Workers$43,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,780 – $48,710+10.1%
8Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$38,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,990 – $57,370+8.9%
9Chemists$98,090
Bachelor's degree
$57,730 – $138,280+7.5%
10Postal Service Clerks$66,750
No formal educational credential
$55,350 – $76,360+7.4%
11Tellers$46,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,960 – $47,580+7.0%
12Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$48,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,560 – $61,770+6.3%
13Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$53,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,880 – $74,010+4.8%
14Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,040 – $76,390+4.7%
15Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,870
Associate's degree
$47,700 – $98,830+4.2%
16Dental Assistants$50,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,370 – $59,260+4.1%
17Fundraisers$75,440
Bachelor's degree
$49,790 – $104,280+4.0%
18Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$98,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,070 – $111,180+3.6%
19Facilities Managers$109,940
Bachelor's degree
$63,660 – $172,130+3.1%
20Food Service Managers$71,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,340 – $97,010+3.0%
21Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$49,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,140 – $71,400+2.6%
22Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+2.5%
23Prepress Technicians and Workers$49,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,590 – $63,060+2.2%
24Bartenders$34,920
No formal educational credential
$15,870 – $74,740+1.7%
25Billing and Posting Clerks$49,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,030 – $58,290+1.6%
26Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$64,690
Bachelor's degree
$47,300 – $81,520+1.4%
27Printing Press Operators$46,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,470 – $62,010+1.4%
28First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,260 – $61,400+1.2%
29First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$49,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,230 – $71,190+1.2%
30Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other$37,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,960 – $48,550+1.1%
31Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$46,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,560 – $54,680+1.0%
32Emergency Medical Technicians$44,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,360 – $57,990+0.9%
33Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$64,360
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,880 – $93,420+0.7%
34Information Security Analysts$129,980
Bachelor's degree
$66,440 – $172,770+0.6%
35Clergy$61,160
Bachelor's degree
$37,560 – $76,830+0.6%
36Medical Assistants$45,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,730 – $50,850+0.3%
37Credit Analysts$83,670
Bachelor's degree
$50,410 – $209,300+0.2%
38Pharmacy Technicians$45,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,380 – $62,8200.0%
39Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,960
Bachelor's degree
$42,130 – $87,2000.0%
40Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$66,270
Bachelor's degree
$45,410 – $75,1800.0%
41Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,220 – $59,490-0.1%
42Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$38,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $47,770-0.1%
43Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$60,110
Master's degree
$38,430 – $91,080-0.3%
44Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,080 – $61,660-0.3%
45Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,020 – $60,530-0.3%
46Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics$47,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,820 – $61,500-0.3%
47Phlebotomists$44,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,320 – $49,120-0.6%
48Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$39,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,300 – $48,520-0.7%
49Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$47,050
Associate's degree
$35,790 – $58,170-0.7%
50Maintenance Workers, Machinery$60,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,040 – $76,310-0.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianWinston-Salem, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,590	$36,700 – $78,030	+22.4%
2	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,990	$36,310 – $81,110	+18.5%
3	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$95,020	$79,730 – $103,830	+18.4%
4	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$44,020	$22,550 – $47,740	+14.9%
5	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,630	$41,620 – $80,870	+13.6%
6	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$131,630	$62,230 – $166,570	+12.2%
7	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,000	$29,780 – $48,710	+10.1%
8	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$38,980	$23,990 – $57,370	+8.9%
9	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$98,090	$57,730 – $138,280	+7.5%
10	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$66,750	$55,350 – $76,360	+7.4%
11	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,060	$37,960 – $47,580	+7.0%
12	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,560	$37,560 – $61,770	+6.3%
13	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,110	$36,880 – $74,010	+4.8%
14	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,520	$35,040 – $76,390	+4.7%
15	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,870	$47,700 – $98,830	+4.2%
16	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,060	$38,370 – $59,260	+4.1%
17	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$75,440	$49,790 – $104,280	+4.0%
18	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,720	$57,070 – $111,180	+3.6%
19	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$109,940	$63,660 – $172,130	+3.1%
20	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,500	$49,340 – $97,010	+3.0%
21	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,970	$40,140 – $71,400	+2.6%
22	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$42,390 – $81,040	+2.5%
23	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,760	$40,590 – $63,060	+2.2%
24	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$34,920	$15,870 – $74,740	+1.7%
25	Billing and Posting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,260	$38,030 – $58,290	+1.6%
26	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$64,690	$47,300 – $81,520	+1.4%
27	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,430	$28,470 – $62,010	+1.4%
28	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,620	$29,260 – $61,400	+1.2%
29	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,120	$33,230 – $71,190	+1.2%
30	Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,700	$28,960 – $48,550	+1.1%
31	Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,370	$36,560 – $54,680	+1.0%
32	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,860	$32,360 – $57,990	+0.9%
33	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,360	$47,880 – $93,420	+0.7%
34	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$129,980	$66,440 – $172,770	+0.6%
35	ClergyBachelor's degree	$61,160	$37,560 – $76,830	+0.6%
36	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,810	$35,730 – $50,850	+0.3%
37	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,670	$50,410 – $209,300	+0.2%
38	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,770	$35,380 – $62,820	0.0%
39	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,960	$42,130 – $87,200	0.0%
40	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$66,270	$45,410 – $75,180	0.0%
41	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,800	$34,220 – $59,490	-0.1%
42	Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,740	$31,200 – $47,770	-0.1%
43	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$60,110	$38,430 – $91,080	-0.3%
44	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,600	$27,080 – $61,660	-0.3%
45	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,090	$35,020 – $60,530	-0.3%
46	Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,740	$31,820 – $61,500	-0.3%
47	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,980	$35,320 – $49,120	-0.6%
48	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,350	$30,300 – $48,520	-0.7%
49	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$47,050	$35,790 – $58,170	-0.7%
50	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,380	$46,040 – $76,310	-0.8%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Winston-Salem, NC

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