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North Carolina — sector wage premiums across 22 occupational sectors

Which sectors in North Carolina pay above the national average?

As of May 2025 BLS OEWS data, North Carolina pays +0.5% above the national average for Healthcare Support Occupations (state median: $37,800 vs national approx. $37,607). Across 22 sectors, North Carolina's highest-premium sector is Healthcare Support Occupations. Re-dated annually from BLS OEWS.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — Major Group Rollups·As of May 2025 state estimates (major-group rollup) · updated annually (BLS OEWS) · last refreshed

Gera US Sector Pay Premium Index

North Carolina's top sector premium: Healthcare Support Occupations at GUPPI +0.5% (national avg: $37,607).

How this is calculated
Healthcare Support Occupations +0.5%

North Carolina — GUPPI across all occupational sectors (BLS OEWS May 2025)

#SectorState medianNational avgGUPPI
1Healthcare Support Occupations$37,800$37,607+0.5%
2Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations$37,770$37,695+0.2%
3Management Occupations$124,390$126,800−1.9%
4Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations$56,550$59,120−4.3%
5Sales and Related Occupations$37,380$39,171−4.6%
6Computer and Mathematical Occupations$107,600$113,425−5.1%
7Office and Administrative Support Occupations$45,450$47,910−5.1%
8Personal Care and Service Occupations$33,670$35,534−5.2%
9Community and Social Service Occupations$54,530$57,575−5.3%
10Production Occupations$44,120$46,816−5.8%
11Business and Financial Operations Occupations$80,230$85,690−6.4%
12Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations$36,070$38,525−6.4%
13Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations$78,850$85,407−7.7%
14Architecture and Engineering Occupations$91,360$100,184−8.8%
15Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations$81,270$90,805−10.5%
16Transportation and Material Moving Occupations$39,040$43,676−10.6%
17Protective Service Occupations$46,300$51,939−10.9%
18Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations$29,820$33,497−11.0%
19Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations$55,650$64,550−13.8%
20Construction and Extraction Occupations$49,390$60,202−18.0%
21Educational Instruction and Library Occupations$49,410$61,160−19.2%
22Legal Occupations$77,950$106,531−26.8%

Benchmark your salary against the sector median in North Carolina

Enter your annual salary to see how you compare to the BLS OEWS May 2025 sector median for North Carolina.

Sector GUPPI for North Carolina: +0.5%State median: $37,800 · National avg: $37,607

Frequently asked questions

Which sector pays the most premium in North Carolina?
Healthcare Support Occupations has the highest sector GUPPI in North Carolina: +0.5% (BLS OEWS May 2025 median $37,800/yr vs national $37,607/yr).
Which sector pays below average in North Carolina?
Legal Occupations has the lowest sector GUPPI in North Carolina: −26.8% (BLS OEWS May 2025 median $77,950/yr vs national $106,531/yr).
How does North Carolina compare to other states for sector pay?
North Carolina (NC) has 2 sectors paying above the national employment-weighted average and 20 sectors below. Use the Gera Sector Pay Premium Index to browse all 22 sectors for any state.

Find jobs in North Carolina with salary ranges

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Data source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — Major Group Rollups · May 2025 state estimates (major-group rollup) · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)

GUPPI computed by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-20. Full methodology · ← All sectors

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