The Asheville, NC metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Asheville, NC (2026)
The average salary in the Asheville metro area is $60,490 a year and the median is $46,870: 8% below the US median and 2% below North Carolina's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $48,570, 299th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $60,490US $69,770
- Median salary
- $46,870US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $22.53BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 96.5US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Asheville earn
| Percentile | Asheville area | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,060 | $28,580 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $36,430 | $36,030 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $46,870 | $47,970 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $65,820 | $75,610 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $101,260 | $119,640 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $60,490 | $64,290 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Asheville
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Asheville area at 96.5 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $96,510 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items96.5
- Housing (rents)93.4
- Goods96.6
- Utilities88.6
- Other services98.2
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 96.5 |
| Housing (rents) | 93.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Asheville
Mean annual wage in the Asheville area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Asheville area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $89,130 | $101,420 | -12% |
| Software Developer | $142,150 | $148,100 | -4% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $52,240 | $72,650 | -28% |
| Accountant | $89,480 | $94,750 | -6% |
| Electrician | $56,720 | $71,490 | -21% |
| Truck Driver | $55,180 | $59,710 | -8% |
| Customer Service Representative | $41,560 | $46,590 | -11% |
| Retail Salesperson | $35,400 | $37,310 | -5% |
| Nursing Assistant | $41,500 | $42,700 | -3% |
| General and Operations Manager | $116,290 | $134,940 | -14% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $49,050 | $53,780 | -9% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $37,000 | $38,730 | -4% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Asheville
BLS publishes estimates for 416 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Nurse Anesthetist$209,230
- 2Family Medicine Physician$202,820
- 3Dentist$198,600
- 4Psychiatrist$195,500
- 5Pediatrician, General$173,700
- 6Financial Manager$170,100
- 7IT Manager$167,170
- 8Optometrist$162,950
- 9Architectural and Engineering Manager$162,930
- 10Farmer or Agricultural Manager$160,600
Jobs Asheville pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Court, Municipal, and License Clerk$58,180 · +11%
- 2Computer Network Support Specialist$90,060 · +10%
- 3Mechanical Engineer$121,620 · +7%
- 4Dental Assistant$53,660 · +7%
- 5Manicurist and Pedicurist$41,160 · +7%
- 6Speech-Language Pathology Assistant$53,730 · +6%
- 7Loan Interviewer and Clerk$55,220 · +5%
- 8Teller$44,300 · +5%
- 9Helpers--Production Worker$42,870 · +4%
- 10First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers$55,490 · +4%
Compare
Other metro areas in North Carolina
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Asheville: FAQ
What is the average salary in Asheville?
Across all occupations in the Asheville, NC metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $60,490 and the median is $46,870, 8% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 180,620 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Asheville?
Above $46,870 out-earns half of workers in the Asheville area; the top 25% start at $65,820 and the top 10% at $101,260. Prices run 3% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $96,510 here.
Is Asheville expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Asheville metro is 96.5 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 93.4, goods 96.6, utilities 88.6. At local prices the median wage is worth $48,570, 299th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Asheville?
By mean annual wage: Nurse Anesthetist ($209,230), Family Medicine Physician ($202,820), Dentist ($198,600), Psychiatrist ($195,500), Pediatrician, General ($173,700) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).