StateRates

Raleigh-Cary salaries

The median worker in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area earned $49,560 a year in 2024, about $23.83 an hour. That ranks #93 of the 391 metro areas published here, 0.1% above the national median.

North Carolina

Median pay $49,560 $23.83 per hour
Vs national +0.1% U.S. $49,500
Workers 723,590 wage and salary
Metro rank #93 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Raleigh-Cary pays 5.6% more than North Carolina as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Housing here moved +2.3% over the year to 2026 Q2 and +36.0% over five years. Pay and house prices rarely move together, and where they diverge for long the affordability of an area changes even when nothing about the jobs does. House prices in Raleigh-Cary.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Farm and Home Management Educators 14.36× 690 $62,570
Surveying and Mapping Technicians 4.92× 1,310 $49,530
Natural Sciences Managers 4.15× 1,960 $166,250
Helpers--Electricians 4.07× 1,230 $38,680
Social Science Research Assistants 3.41× 530 $63,160
Cooks, Fast Food 3.38× 10,610 $27,440
Pipelayers 3.16× 500 $47,810
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 3.04× 620 $39,330
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health 2.89× 1,150 $66,370
Chemists 2.76× 1,080 $80,940
Real Estate Sales Agents 2.71× 2,430 $47,390
Civil Engineers 2.69× 4,490 $98,030

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Raleigh-Cary
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
General Internal Medicine Physicians $216,810 $104.24 210
Pediatricians, General $200,290 $96.30 300
Dentists, General $182,020 $87.51 1,090
Computer and Information Systems Managers $169,400 $81.44 5,860
Natural Sciences Managers $166,250 $79.93 1,960
Architectural and Engineering Managers $165,420 $79.53 1,510
Marketing Managers $163,820 $78.76 2,360
Financial Managers $162,120 $77.94 3,300
Optometrists $153,730 $73.91 320
Human Resources Managers $139,840 $67.23 1,100
Pharmacists $139,170 $66.91 1,470
Sales Managers $137,490 $66.10 3,330
Statisticians $136,340 $65.55 330
Managers, All Other $132,880 $63.88 4,080
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary $132,460 n/a 490
Software Developers $131,390 $63.17 12,290
Nurse Practitioners $131,320 $63.14 1,040
Life Scientists, All Other $131,110 $63.03 300
Purchasing Managers $130,950 $62.96 420
Electrical Engineers $130,900 $62.93 1,590
Computer Hardware Engineers $129,200 $62.12 310
Database Architects $129,000 $62.02 660
Public Relations Managers $128,540 $61.80 290
Lawyers $128,130 $61.60 4,340
Physician Assistants $125,710 $60.44 1,300
Veterinarians $124,980 $60.09 530
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $123,250 $59.26 280
Industrial Production Managers $119,380 $57.39 880
Database Administrators $117,570 $56.52 510
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $117,060 $56.28 610
Information Security Analysts $115,990 $55.77 1,460
Sales Engineers $115,830 $55.69 380
Computer Network Architects $114,400 $55.00 1,680
Computer Occupations, All Other $114,300 $54.95 3,490
Construction Managers $111,660 $53.69 3,260
Medical and Health Services Managers $111,120 $53.42 2,150
Training and Development Managers $109,990 $52.88 450
Fundraising Managers $108,010 $51.93 220
General and Operations Managers $107,570 $51.72 10,930
Personal Financial Advisors $106,470 $51.19 1,910
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $106,410 $51.16 800
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $106,290 $51.10 1,810
Computer Systems Analysts $105,610 $50.77 4,780
Facilities Managers $104,400 $50.19 680
Environmental Engineers $104,040 $50.02 230
Technical Writers $102,760 $49.40 540
Mechanical Engineers $102,750 $49.40 1,270
Data Scientists $102,690 $49.37 1,940
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $102,470 $49.26 1,000
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $102,270 $49.17 640
Biological Scientists, All Other $102,030 $49.06 740
Industrial Engineers $101,880 $48.98 1,660
Project Management Specialists $101,520 $48.81 7,310
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $100,470 $48.30 2,820
Engineers, All Other $100,440 $48.29 740
Administrative Services Managers $99,990 $48.07 1,320
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products $99,990 $48.07 3,360
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary $99,490 n/a 470
Financial and Investment Analysts $98,400 $47.31 1,130
Civil Engineers $98,030 $47.13 4,490

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Raleigh-Cary by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Retail Salespersons 18,030 $32,090 $15.43
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 16,860 $35,930 $17.27
Cashiers 15,020 $28,800 $13.85
Customer Service Representatives 14,770 $41,020 $19.72
Registered Nurses 12,820 $84,870 $40.80
Stockers and Order Fillers 12,420 $34,670 $16.67
Software Developers 12,290 $131,390 $63.17
Fast Food and Counter Workers 11,880 $29,970 $14.41
Office Clerks, General 11,860 $39,810 $19.14
Waiters and Waitresses 11,110 $29,450 $14.16
General and Operations Managers 10,930 $107,570 $51.72
Cooks, Fast Food 10,610 $27,440 $13.19
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel 8,710 $66,840 $32.14
Business Operations Specialists, All Other 8,330 $64,400 $30.96
Accountants and Auditors 7,710 $80,650 $38.78
Cooks, Restaurant 7,610 $36,010 $17.31
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 7,440 $48,990 $23.56
Project Management Specialists 7,310 $101,520 $48.81
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 7,130 $50,940 $24.49
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 6,990 $31,370 $15.08

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other North Carolina metro areas

Raleigh-Cary pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Raleigh-Cary?

The median across all occupations is $49,560, or $23.83 an hour, covering 723,590 wage and salary workers. The mean is $68,010, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Raleigh-Cary pay more than the rest of North Carolina?

Yes. The metro median of $49,560 is 5.6% above the North Carolina median of $46,950. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Raleigh-Cary?

General Internal Medicine Physicians ($216,810), Pediatricians, General ($200,290), Dentists, General ($182,020). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Raleigh-Cary unusually full of?

Farm and Home Management Educators, at 14.36× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.