North Carolina Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across North Carolina.
The average salary in North Carolina is $112,204 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 3 metropolitan areas (Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $353,740 median; 37 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 96, the average median equates to $116,879 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
North Carolina has 3 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing North Carolina job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in North Carolina
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 160 jobs in state · top metro: Charlotte ($353,740)
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 380 jobs in state · top metro: Charlotte ($269,270)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 390 jobs in state · top metro: Charlotte ($217,670)
Dentist
Healthcare · 2,330 jobs in state · top metro: Raleigh ($207,380)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 15,150 jobs in state · top metro: Charlotte ($176,840)
Financial Manager
Finance · 14,320 jobs in state · top metro: Charlotte ($172,760)
Marketing Manager
Management · 6,870 jobs in state · top metro: Raleigh ($167,640)
Optometrist
Healthcare · 500 jobs in state · top metro: Raleigh ($163,290)
Sales Manager
Management · 10,350 jobs in state · top metro: Raleigh ($163,520)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 3,810 jobs in state · top metro: Charlotte ($158,930)
Cities in North Carolina
Charlotte, NC
65 occupations tracked · COL index: 96.7
Raleigh, NC
63 occupations tracked · COL index: 99.8
Greensboro, NC
59 occupations tracked · COL index: 91.3
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in North Carolina is $112,204 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 3 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $353,740 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in North Carolina, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($353,740), Family Medicine Physician ($253,099), Pediatrician ($215,983), Dentist ($194,950), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($174,778). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/north-carolina.
37 of the 65 BLS-tracked occupations in North Carolina have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Charlotte, NC leads North Carolina with an average median salary of $112,870 across 65 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across North Carolina's tracked metros is 96 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $112,204 translates to $116,879 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in North Carolina, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
187 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.