Salaries by state
North Carolina Salaries
What jobs pay in North Carolina, from published federal wage statistics for the state, aged to 2026. Overall, North Carolina pay runs about 7.1% below the national median across occupations.
Highest-paying jobs in North Carolina
Ranked by median annual wage in the state.
1Surgeons, All Other$398,4102Dermatologist$367,3503Emergency Medicine Physician$339,3504Neurologist$325,5505Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric$323,6306Chief Executive$314,2907Chief Sustainability Officer$314,2908General Internal Medicine Physician$289,7809Preventive Medicine Physician$260,33010Sports Medicine Physician$260,33011Urologist$260,33012Physicians, All Other$260,33013Hospitalist$260,33014Allergists and Immunologists$260,33015Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians$260,330
Most common jobs and what they pay in North Carolina
The largest U.S. occupations, with each one’s median wage in the state.
1Home Health and Personal Care Aides$31,2402Retail Salesperson$31,3703Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,5704General and Operations Managers$101,9505Registered Nurse$84,3506Cashier$28,8807Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$38,2308Stockers and Order Fillers$35,9509Customer Service Representative$40,24010Office Clerks, General$41,77011Waiters and Waitresses$32,15012Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$34,50013Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$51,53014Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$45,79015Software Developer$134,710
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All states
Alabama-14%Alaska+7%Arizona-4%Arkansas-18%California+14%Colorado+6%Connecticut+5%Delaware-0%District of Columbia+17%Florida-8%Georgia-7%Hawaii+3%Idaho-8%Illinois-1%Indiana-7%Iowa-9%Kansas-10%Kentucky-12%Louisiana-14%Maine-3%Maryland+4%Massachusetts+10%Michigan-6%Minnesota+2%Mississippi-19%Missouri-8%Montana-8%Nebraska-9%Nevada-4%New Hampshire-0%New Jersey+8%New Mexico-8%New York+10%North Dakota-6%Ohio-7%Oklahoma-14%Oregon+5%Pennsylvania-5%Rhode Island+3%South Carolina-10%South Dakota-11%Tennessee-11%Texas-8%Utah-6%Vermont-1%Virginia-1%Washington+14%West Virginia-15%Wisconsin-5%Wyoming-8%
Source: published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics state wage data by occupation, aged to 2026 using our documented methodology. State lists last compiled August 19, 2026. See Methodology.
