Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
Raleigh, NC Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in Raleigh, NC, North Carolina is $108,045 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 63 occupations and roughly 160,410 workers. Adjusted for Raleigh, NC's cost-of-living index of 99.8, that nominal average translates to $108,262 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Family Medicine Physician at $218,830; the lowest is Automotive Technician at $50,600.
Raleigh, NC, NC sits near the national cost-of-living baseline (index 99.8). 63 occupations are reported here with median wages averaging $108,045.
Highest-paying role in Raleigh, NC on BLS data is Family Medicine Physician at $218,830 median. Top-paying roles in any U.S. city skew toward physicians, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals; the specific ranking varies with the local industry mix. Cities at the national cost-of-living baseline are useful reference points for cross-region comparisons — the gross wage and adjusted wage are roughly equivalent, so headline comparisons work.
Salaries by Occupation in Raleigh, NC
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $218,830 | $197,210 – $283,640 | 0 |
| Pediatrician | Healthcare | $214,680 | $100,250 – $321,330 | 220 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $207,380 | $132,880 – $378,960 | 1,000 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $173,960 | $106,810 – $283,510 | 6,010 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $167,640 | $102,970 – $277,320 | 2,390 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $163,520 | $75,610 – $303,060 | 3,280 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $163,290 | $100,240 – $213,860 | 240 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $163,130 | $100,920 – $309,290 | 3,690 |
| Statistician | Technology | $152,880 | $75,420 – $210,350 | 210 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $144,190 | $93,220 – $264,980 | 1,080 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $143,640 | $78,870 – $168,050 | 2,510 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $133,120 | $101,720 – $165,060 | 1,730 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $132,770 | $80,080 – $185,110 | 12,580 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $131,920 | $79,550 – $331,770 | 4,350 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $130,350 | $79,830 – $213,960 | 520 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $130,240 | $73,380 – $221,050 | 1,500 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $128,370 | $128,370 – $182,000 | 280 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $128,150 | $103,200 – $170,520 | 1,510 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $124,300 | $105,730 – $156,000 | 1,220 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $122,950 | $76,360 – $163,550 | 510 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $120,710 | $72,190 – $180,850 | 1,990 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $120,640 | $74,540 – $173,910 | 2,190 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $114,940 | $56,020 – $268,030 | 9,520 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $113,710 | $69,670 – $248,570 | 2,070 |
| Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $110,800 | $65,970 – $170,750 | 1,760 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $110,030 | $40,920 – $193,540 | 3,620 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $108,480 | $78,510 – $167,280 | 4,530 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $104,910 | $63,130 – $163,180 | 970 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $104,780 | $49,760 – $558,250 | 2,340 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $104,030 | $78,470 – $152,010 | 1,710 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $103,820 | $42,480 – $222,010 | 300 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $103,380 | $60,650 – $161,220 | 2,730 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $102,860 | $58,860 – $170,680 | 770 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $101,440 | $74,170 – $163,710 | 4,640 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $100,000 | $59,220 – $160,170 | 1,810 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $99,900 | $78,490 – $127,530 | 1,190 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $99,200 | $63,060 – $160,710 | 1,380 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $98,800 | $74,940 – $105,730 | 1,220 |
| Audiologist | Healthcare | $97,790 | $76,200 – $149,460 | 80 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $96,820 | $48,870 – $162,620 | 3,710 |
| Architect | Engineering | $91,570 | $64,760 – $164,820 | 790 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $87,400 | $62,900 – $124,090 | 1,050 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $84,830 | $72,460 – $110,220 | 12,780 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $84,080 | $61,770 – $121,210 | 680 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $83,630 | $49,740 – $146,970 | 220 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $82,250 | $54,450 – $138,170 | 430 |
| Accountant | Finance | $81,950 | $57,120 – $134,220 | 9,190 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $81,100 | $60,080 – $167,360 | 340 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $78,980 | $46,090 – $156,400 | 6,470 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $77,330 | $48,320 – $127,300 | 1,560 |
| Writer/Author | Creative | $69,100 | $50,890 – $128,740 | 360 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $68,790 | $44,540 – $149,130 | 2,330 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $63,910 | $42,800 – $104,320 | 1,450 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $61,880 | $38,690 – $85,560 | 2,540 |
| Graphic Designer | Creative | $61,700 | $39,010 – $96,430 | 1,040 |
| Plumber | Trades | $60,540 | $42,940 – $77,610 | 2,810 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $60,380 | $47,330 – $75,190 | 4,210 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $60,170 | $47,500 – $75,710 | 5,830 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $59,750 | $40,190 – $86,490 | 1,810 |
| Welder | Trades | $56,940 | $40,460 – $71,800 | 1,090 |
| Electrician | Trades | $56,800 | $45,700 – $73,760 | 3,740 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $50,820 | $33,350 – $64,830 | 2,680 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $50,600 | $34,650 – $83,210 | 3,650 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in Raleigh, NC is Family Medicine Physician, with a median of $218,830 and a 90th-percentile reading of $283,640. That $86,430 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is typical for a role of this seniority — entry-level workers cluster near the bottom of the band, while senior specialists and managers earn at the top.
Across all 63 BLS-tracked occupations in Raleigh, NC, the average median salary is $108,045. The top five roles average $196,498 — about 1.8× the citywide average — which is the expected shape for a U.S. metro economy: a small concentration of high-skill, high-credential occupations sits well above the broader middle.
Raleigh, NC sits close to the U.S. average on cost of living (index 99.8). Headline salary numbers translate roughly one-for-one into purchasing power — useful as a national benchmark city when comparing offers across markets.
Salary Negotiation in Raleigh, NC
For salary negotiation in Raleigh, NC, the practical input is the percentile band for your role and city, not the citywide average. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile wages for every metro and occupation; you can find your role's exact percentile in the table above and use the SalaryTruth percentile calculator to anchor your offer. Cost-of-living index 99.8 should also factor in any cross-metro comparison.
For city-vs-city moves, the right benchmark is COL-adjusted pay rather than nominal pay. Our COL-adjusted salaries guide shows the exact math; the negotiation playbook covers how to use BLS percentile bands to anchor offers.
How Raleigh, NC Salary Data Is Built
Wages on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a federal survey of more than 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. We pull the BLS data file for Raleigh, NC, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (99.8) is a composite of housing, food, transportation, and utility data from public sources, calibrated to a U.S. national average of 100. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Raleigh, NC in 2026?
The average salary in Raleigh, NC is $108,045 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 63 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $108,045. The top-paying role is Family Medicine Physician at $218,830.
Is $100,000 a good salary in Raleigh, NC?
In Raleigh, NC, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $100,200 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 99.8). That is above $100K of buying power — a $100K salary stretches further in Raleigh, NC than in most U.S. metros. Compared to the city's average median of $108,045, $100K is below the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Raleigh, NC?
The top-paying tracked occupations in Raleigh, NC are Family Medicine Physician ($218,830), Pediatrician ($214,680), Dentist ($207,380), and Computer and Information Systems Manager ($173,960). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $144,190 to $218,830. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/raleigh.
How does Raleigh, NC's cost of living affect salaries?
Raleigh, NC has a cost-of-living index of 99.8, 0% below the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $108,045 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $108,262 in an average-cost U.S. city. Housing is the dominant driver of this gap; in higher-COL markets, mortgage or rent typically eats 5–15 percentage points more of pre-tax pay than in average-cost metros.
How many people are employed in Raleigh, NC?
Across the 63 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the Raleigh, NC metro is approximately 160,410. BLS OEWS sample-based estimates cover all major occupational categories but exclude very small or volatile fields where the sample is too thin to publish.
Where does this Raleigh, NC salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Raleigh, NC MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 63 occupations · COL Index 99.8.