Rido // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,370
- Median hourly wage: $46.33
- Total employment: 110 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Asheville
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Asheville. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
You may also like: Best private K-12 schools in the Asheville metro area
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,570
- Median hourly wage: $46.91
- Total employment: 370 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $97,620
- Median hourly wage: $46.93
- Total employment: 650 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,670
- Median hourly wage: $46.96
- Total employment: 480 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,350
- Median hourly wage: $47.29
- Total employment: 240 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How much house $1 million buys you in Asheville
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $98,480
- Median hourly wage: $47.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $98,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.50
- Total employment: 340 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $99,540
- Median hourly wage: $47.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $100,670
- Median hourly wage: $48.40
- Total employment: 130 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best private high schools in the Asheville metro area
Suwin // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $103,050
- Median hourly wage: $49.54
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $103,200
- Median hourly wage: $49.61
- Total employment: 820 people (4.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $103,480
- Median hourly wage: $49.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,720
- Median hourly wage: $49.87
- Total employment: 350 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $104,000
- Median hourly wage: $50.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Asheville's 2025 housing market year in review
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $104,280
- Median hourly wage: $50.13
- Total employment: Not available
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $105,030
- Median hourly wage: $50.50
- Total employment: 610 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $105,660
- Median hourly wage: $50.80
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $106,920
- Median hourly wage: $51.41
- Total employment: 80 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $107,210
- Median hourly wage: $51.54
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Asheville area by diners
dokurose // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $107,500
- Median hourly wage: $51.68
- Total employment: 540 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $109,300
- Median hourly wage: $52.55
- Total employment: 140 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $110,230
- Median hourly wage: $53.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $111,130
- Median hourly wage: $53.43
- Total employment: 70 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $115,890
- Median hourly wage: $55.71
- Total employment: 340 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated comfort food restaurants in Asheville by diners
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $116,990
- Median hourly wage: $56.24
- Total employment: 140 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $117,190
- Median hourly wage: $56.34
- Total employment: 190 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $117,420
- Median hourly wage: $56.45
- Total employment: 600 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $117,730
- Median hourly wage: $56.60
- Total employment: 360 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $118,850
- Median hourly wage: $57.14
- Total employment: 920 people (4.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants in Asheville by diners
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $119,700
- Median hourly wage: $57.55
- Total employment: 440 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $125,650
- Median hourly wage: $60.41
- Total employment: 180 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $127,520
- Median hourly wage: $61.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $129,600
- Median hourly wage: $62.31
- Total employment: 460 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $131,020
- Median hourly wage: $62.99
- Total employment: 190 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Middle Eastern restaurants in Asheville by diners
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $131,860
- Median hourly wage: $63.39
- Total employment: 440 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $135,670
- Median hourly wage: $65.22
- Total employment: 490 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $146,680
- Median hourly wage: $70.52
- Total employment: 340 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $149,990
- Median hourly wage: $72.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $155,240
- Median hourly wage: $74.64
- Total employment: 140 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best restaurants for 10 cuisines in Asheville
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $169,720
- Median hourly wage: $81.60
- Total employment: 100 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Obstetricians and gynecologists
- Median annual wage: $187,480
- Median hourly wage: $90.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $187,560
- Median hourly wage: $90.17
- Total employment: 210 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $210,790
- Median hourly wage: $101.34
- Total employment: 110 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $221,170
- Median hourly wage: $106.33
- Total employment: 300 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated steak restaurants in the Asheville area by diners
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 720 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
You may also like: Highest-rated ice cream shops in Asheville by diners
