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Average Salary in North Carolina
This page shows what jobs actually pay in North Carolina, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 740 occupations in North Carolina. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see North Carolina's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which North Carolina jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in North Carolina
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for North Carolina is cardiologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 529.0% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 380 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), North Carolina pays 1.2% lower for this work. Next on the list are oral and maxillofacial surgeons at a mean of $239,200+ and surgeons, all other at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 1,300 people in North Carolina, so they describe the top of the North Carolina wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | 380 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | 230 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 690 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 2,500 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 440 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 190 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Orthodontists | 110 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 490 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,740 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 360 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 14,510 | $113.93 | $236,970 | $239,200+ |
| Podiatrists | 270 | $106.43 | $221,370 | $233,250 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,940 | $109.28 | $227,310 | $226,820 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 2,820 | $108.87 | $226,460 | $226,030 |
| Dentists, General | 4,410 | $91.96 | $191,280 | $205,990 |
Largest occupations in North Carolina
The occupation with the most jobs in North Carolina is retail salespersons, employing an estimated 126,060 people at a median annual wage of $30,090 and a mean of $33,700. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $34,580, so North Carolina's typical pay for this work runs 13.0% lower. The next-largest occupations are cashiers (115,170 jobs, median $27,930) and laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (113,330 jobs, median $36,080). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of North Carolina pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 126,060 | $30,090 | $33,700 |
| Cashiers | 115,170 | $27,930 | $27,990 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 113,330 | $36,080 | $37,320 |
| Registered Nurses | 108,510 | $81,860 | $86,270 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 91,980 | $39,530 | $42,540 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 89,140 | $26,750 | $26,410 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 88,230 | $35,350 | $36,220 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 85,120 | $28,760 | $29,030 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 74,110 | $28,460 | $32,670 |
| General and Operations Managers | 72,250 | $99,190 | $125,540 |
| Office Clerks, General | 70,600 | $39,370 | $41,520 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 64,610 | $49,580 | $53,990 |
| Nursing Assistants | 61,280 | $37,670 | $37,980 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 59,880 | $30,100 | $30,810 |
| Software Developers | 57,590 | $131,000 | $131,780 |
Where North Carolina pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's North Carolina median with its own national median shows where North Carolina's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 North Carolina jobs, the largest premium is for engine and other machine assemblers: a median of $75,560 in North Carolina versus $52,540 nationally, 43.8% higher. The largest discount is for firefighters, at $37,250 in North Carolina versus $59,530 nationally, 37.4% lower. In total, 69 of the 443 occupations with 1,000 or more North Carolina jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 221 of the 740 occupations published for North Carolina have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of North Carolina's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | North Carolina median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | $75,560 | $52,540 | +43.8% |
| Life Scientists, All Other | $123,500 | $87,800 | +40.7% |
| Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks | $52,740 | $41,460 | +27.2% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $130,110 | $105,620 | +23.2% |
| Statisticians | $122,630 | $103,300 | +18.7% |
| Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $41,790 | $57,440 | -27.2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $63,840 | $92,430 | -30.9% |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $154,360 | $226,600 | -31.9% |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $62,480 | $93,580 | -33.2% |
| Firefighters | $37,250 | $59,530 | -37.4% |
North Carolina salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in North Carolina?
By average pay, cardiologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for North Carolina, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in North Carolina?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In North Carolina, the largest occupation, retail salespersons, paid a median of $30,090 across 126,060 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 740 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in North Carolina have?
Retail Salespersons is the largest occupation published for North Carolina, with an estimated 126,060 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $33,700.
Which occupations pay more in North Carolina than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 North Carolina jobs, engine and other machine assemblers shows the largest premium: a median of $75,560 in North Carolina versus $52,540 nationally, 43.8% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.