Pay data
Average Salary in North Carolina (2026)
The average salary in North Carolina is $64,290 a year and the median is $47,970, 6% below the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $50,860: 36th of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 40th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $64,290US $69,770
- Median salary
- $47,970US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $23.06BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 94.3US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in North Carolina?
About the 74th percentile
You earn more than about 74% of workers in North Carolina.
At North Carolina prices, $75,000 buys what $79,510 buys at the national average, about the 74th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What North Carolina workers earn
| Percentile | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,580 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $36,030 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $47,970 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $75,610 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $119,640 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $64,290 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in North Carolina
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). North Carolina sits at 94.3 overall, with housing at 81.4. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $94,330 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items6% below US94.3
- Housing (rents)19% below US81.4
- Goods3% below US96.6
- Utilities11% below US88.6
- Other services2% below US98.2
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 94.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 81.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in North Carolina by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $124,390 | -2% | 303,040 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $107,600 | -2% | 195,720 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $91,360 | -8% | 79,670 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $81,270 | -6% | 327,500 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $80,230 | -3% | 356,580 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $78,850 | -4% | 54,090 |
| Legal | $77,950 | -24% | 32,500 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $56,550 | -5% | 202,630 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $55,650 | -11% | 61,150 |
| Community and Social Service | $54,530 | -6% | 70,470 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $49,410 | -18% | 277,370 |
| Construction and Extraction | $49,390 | -17% | 196,760 |
| Protective Service | $46,300 | -8% | 115,740 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $45,450 | -4% | 536,920 |
| Production | $44,120 | -6% | 318,440 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $39,040 | -12% | 450,010 |
| Healthcare Support | $37,800 | -1% | 188,740 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $37,770 | +3% | 6,940 |
| Sales | $37,380 | -3% | 483,760 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $36,070 | -4% | 137,290 |
| Personal Care and Service | $33,670 | -8% | 94,100 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $29,820 | -15% | 452,410 |
The jobs
The jobs behind North Carolina's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Retail Salesperson127,540
- 2Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand116,720
- 3Registered Nurse111,120
- 4Cashier106,440
- 5Fast Food and Counter Worker92,230
- 6Customer Service Representative89,510
- 7Stocker and Order Filler87,510
- 8Cook, Fast Food81,980
- 9Server71,940
- 10Office Clerk, General67,930
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Dermatologist$367,350
- 2Emergency Medicine Physician$339,350
- 3Orthopedic Surgeon, Except Pediatric$323,630
- 4Chief Executive$314,290
- 5General Internal Medicine Physician$289,780
- 6Allergist and Immunologist$260,330
- 7Nurse Anesthetist$224,610
- 8Family Medicine Physician$215,230
- 9Dentist$207,000
- 10Pediatrician, General$183,550
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender6.6x
- 2Upholsterer6.3x
- 3Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender6.0x
- 4Tire Builder5.7x
- 5Cutter and Trimmer, Hand5.5x
- 6Extruding and Forming Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Synthetic and Glass Fiber4.8x
- 7Adhesive Bonding Machine Operator and Tender4.3x
- 8Cook, Fast Food4.0x
- 9Pipelayer3.6x
- 10Helpers--Electrician3.4x
Cities
Average salary by city in North Carolina
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham, NC | $60,720 | $79,700 | 97.6 |
| Raleigh, NC | $51,990 | $70,740 | 98.2 |
| Charlotte, NC-SC | $49,990 | $68,900 | 97.3 |
| Asheville, NC | $46,870 | $60,490 | 96.5 |
| Greensboro, NC | $46,570 | $59,180 | 92.9 |
| Greenville, NC | $46,560 | $60,770 | 88.4 |
| Winston, NC | $46,380 | $59,130 | 92.0 |
| Wilmington, NC | $45,800 | $58,480 | 96.4 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $45,620 | $58,170 | 92.0 |
| Hickory, NC | $45,220 | $54,360 | 88.5 |
| Burlington, NC | $44,010 | $54,240 | 93.2 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $43,960 | $53,360 | 88.0 |
| Pinehurst, NC | $42,920 | $55,140 | 88.3 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $40,570 | $50,660 | 88.5 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $40,230 | $51,170 | 92.1 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in North Carolina. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in North Carolina: FAQ
What is the average salary in North Carolina?
The average (mean) annual wage in North Carolina is $64,290 and the median is $47,970, 6% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 4,941,820 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in North Carolina?
$30.91 an hour on average and $23.06 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in North Carolina?
Above $47,970 out-earns half of North Carolina workers; the top 25% start at $75,610 and the top 10% at $119,640 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in North Carolina run 6% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $106,020 buys nationally.
Is North Carolina expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in North Carolina at 94.3 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 81.4, goods 96.6, utilities 88.6 and other services 98.2. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $94,330 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in North Carolina?
Dermatologist ($367,350), Emergency Medicine Physician ($339,350), Orthopedic Surgeon, Except Pediatric ($323,630), Chief Executive ($314,290), General Internal Medicine Physician ($289,780) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in North Carolina (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in North Carolina?
Retail Salesperson (127,540), Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand (116,720), Registered Nurse (111,120), Cashier (106,440), Fast Food and Counter Worker (92,230) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).