North Carolina Jobs and Wages
Wages, unemployment, minimum wage, benefits, visa filings and federal openings for North Carolina from BLS, the Department of Labor and USAJOBS.
- Median wage
- $47,970 a year
- May 2025
- Unemployment rate
- 3.4%
- Sep 2026
- Minimum wage
- $7.25/hr
- Federal rate applies
- Average weekly jobless benefit
- $312
- Sep 2026
Highest paying jobs in North Carolina
Occupations with at least 100 jobs
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| # | Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Surgeons, All Other | 480 | $398,410 | $377,270 |
| 2 | Dermatologists | 800 | $367,350 | $360,910 |
| 3 | Emergency Medicine Physicians | 710 | $339,350 | $340,980 |
| 4 | Neurologists | 180 | $325,550 | $284,770 |
| 5 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 560 | $323,630 | $372,620 |
| 6 | Chief Executives | 1,930 | $314,290 | $347,690 |
| 7 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,700 | $289,780 | $283,840 |
| 8 | Physicians, All Other | 14,080 | $260,330 | $247,750 |
Most common jobs in North Carolina
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| # | Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons | 127,540 | $31,370 | $34,230 |
| 2 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 116,720 | $38,230 | $39,390 |
| 3 | Registered Nurses | 111,120 | $84,350 | $90,470 |
| 4 | Cashiers | 106,440 | $28,880 | $29,390 |
| 5 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | 92,230 | $28,570 | $29,050 |
| 6 | Customer Service Representatives | 89,510 | $40,240 | $43,450 |
| 7 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 87,510 | $35,950 | $36,950 |
| 8 | Cooks, Fast Food | 81,980 | $27,190 | $27,080 |
Wages by metro area
- Asheville, NC
- Burlington, NC
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
- Fayetteville, NC
- Goldsboro, NC
- Greensboro-High Point, NC
- Greenville, NC
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
- Jacksonville, NC
- Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC
- Raleigh-Cary, NC
- Rocky Mount, NC
- Wilmington, NC
- Winston-Salem, NC
- Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
- Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
- Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
Visa filings for jobs in this state
Employer filings with the Department of Labor
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)15,743 certified, median offer $116,709
- PERM (FY 2026 through Q3)2,774 certified, median offer $121,900
Top H-1B employers in North Carolina
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| # | Employer | Certified | Median wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 987 | $131,109 |
| 2 | Cognizant Technology Solutions US Corp | 497 | $113,797 |
| 3 | Infosys Limited | 439 | $94,952 |
| 4 | Lowe's Companies, Inc. | 236 | $133,536 |
| 5 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 224 | $157,501 |
| 6 | Randstad Digital, LLC | 208 | $130,000 |
| 7 | Cisco Systems, Inc. | 189 | $135,408 |
| 8 | Duke University | 178 | $77,854 |
More North Carolina labor data
- Unemployment by county3.4% statewide
- Jobs by industry5.13 million jobs, +1.3% in a year
- Minimum wage$7.25 an hour
- Unemployment benefits$312 a week on average
- Union membership2.5% in 2025
- Federal job openings410 open now
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median wage in North Carolina?
- The median wage for all occupations in North Carolina is $47,970 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
- What is the unemployment rate in North Carolina?
- North Carolina's unemployment rate was 3.4% in Sep 2026 (seasonally adjusted).
- What is the highest paying job in North Carolina?
- Surgeons, All Other have the highest median wage among occupations with at least 100 jobs in North Carolina: $398,410 a year.