Jobs in North Carolina — Pay & Openings by City
1,082,230 professionals employed across 5 major North Carolina metro areas (BLS OEWS May 2025). Average salary: $47,145/yr. Top hiring industry: Technology.
Last updated: 2026-07-24
Top Industries in North Carolina
Technology, Finance, Agriculture, Biotechnology are the largest employment sectors in North Carolina.
The highest-paying role statewide is typically Operations Manager.
Where you work in North Carolina changes what the same job pays. Across the roles we track, Charlotte averages $48,398/yr while Winston-Salem averages $45,563/yr — about a 6% gap. Weigh that against commute and cost of living before ruling a metro out.
Jobs in North Carolina by City
Every metro below shows the average median pay and total employment across the 46 roles we track from BLS OEWS May 2025 data, plus links to the biggest role hubs by employment.
| City | Avg Median Pay | People Employed | Biggest Roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | $48,398 | 498,710 | Warehouse Associate jobs · Retail Sales Associate jobs · Cashier jobs |
| Raleigh | $47,951 | 252,230 | Retail Sales Associate jobs · Warehouse Associate jobs · Cashier jobs |
| Greensboro | $45,819 | 141,910 | Warehouse Associate jobs · Retail Sales Associate jobs · Cashier jobs |
| Winston-Salem | $45,563 | 102,040 | Registered Nurse jobs · Retail Sales Associate jobs · Cashier jobs |
| Durham | $47,976 | 87,340 | Retail Sales Associate jobs · Fast Food Worker jobs · Warehouse Associate jobs |
This hub links 15 role hubs across 5 North Carolina metros. Employment = BLS OEWS May 2025, not live openings.
Top-Paying Roles in North Carolina
State averages across the North Carolina metros above. Each linked guide breaks the number down city by city and links to live openings you can apply to.
| Role | North Carolina Average Median |
|---|---|
| Operations Manager salary guide | $107,874 |
| Dental Hygienist salary guide | $95,766 |
| Registered Nurse salary guide | $86,107 |
| Logistics Coordinator salary guide | $79,188 |
| Sales Representative salary guide | $64,726 |
| Warehouse Supervisor salary guide | $61,474 |
| Diesel Mechanic salary guide | $59,488 |
| HVAC Technician salary guide | $58,360 |
| Electrician salary guide | $57,916 |
| Plumber salary guide | $57,218 |
| Truck Driver salary guide | $54,262 |
| Welder salary guide | $52,568 |
| Carpenter salary guide | $50,634 |
| Auto Mechanic salary guide | $50,138 |
| Dispatcher salary guide | $48,998 |
15 of these roles have full salary guides. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.