Fastest-growing jobs in North Carolina
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in North Carolina. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in North Carolina.
#50. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.2% (7,780 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 41,260
--- Employment in 2022: 33,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,150
#49. Public relations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.4% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,370
--- Employment in 2022: 1,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $127,180
#48. Logisticians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.5% (1,460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,680
--- Employment in 2022: 6,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,100
#47. Food service managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.6% (1,730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,060
--- Employment in 2022: 7,330
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,560
#46. Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.9% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,850
--- Employment in 2022: 2,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,240
#45. Data scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.1% (1,290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,640
--- Employment in 2022: 5,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $126,940
#44. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.2% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,260
--- Employment in 2022: 1,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,630
#43. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.4% (760 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,880
--- Employment in 2022: 3,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,400
#42. Public relations specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.8% (1,640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,260
--- Employment in 2022: 6,620
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,090
#41. Producers and directors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.9% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,010
--- Employment in 2022: 2,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,590
#40. Floral designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.3% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,190
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,960
#39. Occupational therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.2% (910 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,250
--- Employment in 2022: 3,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $91,100
#38. Glaziers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.5% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,160
--- Employment in 2022: 910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,570
#37. Property appraisers and assessors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.5% (520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,410
--- Employment in 2022: 1,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,610
#36. Parking attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.7% (570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,630
--- Employment in 2022: 2,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,820
#35. Sales managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.8% (3,150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,480
--- Employment in 2022: 11,330
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $125,270
#34. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.0% (780 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,470
--- Employment in 2022: 2,690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $100,610
#33. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.1% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,820
--- Employment in 2022: 1,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $53,220
#32. File clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.7% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,790
--- Employment in 2022: 1,380
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,110
#31. Real estate brokers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.9% (890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,870
--- Employment in 2022: 2,980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $91,220
#30. Facilities managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.9% (810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,520
--- Employment in 2022: 2,710
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $98,110
#29. Optometrists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.0% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $154,560
#28. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.1% (1,310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,270
--- Employment in 2022: 3,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,070
#27. Computer occupations, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.3% (2,190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,770
--- Employment in 2022: 6,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $83,840
#26. Fundraisers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.3% (730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,920
--- Employment in 2022: 2,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,990
#25. Social workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.8% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,550
--- Employment in 2022: 1,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,320
#24. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.3% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,110
--- Employment in 2022: 1,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,360
#23. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.2% (2,300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,660
--- Employment in 2022: 6,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,220
#22. Orderlies
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.0% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,670
--- Employment in 2022: 1,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,560
#21. Couriers and messengers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.7% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,510
--- Employment in 2022: 1,810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,780
#20. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.6% (900 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,170
--- Employment in 2022: 2,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,330
#19. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.8% (1,830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,430
--- Employment in 2022: 4,600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $98,520
#18. Family medicine physicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.9% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,280
--- Employment in 2022: 1,630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $229,620
#17. Financial examiners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.5% (810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,810
--- Employment in 2022: 2,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $97,870
#16. Architectural and civil drafters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.2% (960 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,290
--- Employment in 2022: 2,330
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,530
#15. Library technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.7% (800 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,720
--- Employment in 2022: 1,920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,680
#14. Natural sciences managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.1% (1,850 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,240
--- Employment in 2022: 4,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $163,910
#13. Surveyors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.3% (520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,720
--- Employment in 2022: 1,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,800
#12. Commercial pilots
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +49.4% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,270
--- Employment in 2022: 850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $108,680
#11. Cargo and freight agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +52.2% (1,310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,820
--- Employment in 2022: 2,510
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,040
#10. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +61.5% (11,970 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 31,440
--- Employment in 2022: 19,470
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,860
#9. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +69.8% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,460
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,230
#8. Medical transcriptionists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +70.4% (570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,380
--- Employment in 2022: 810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,150
#7. Cooks, short order
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +71.5% (1,230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,950
--- Employment in 2022: 1,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $24,810
#6. Engine and other machine assemblers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +87.4% (900 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,930
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $56,340
#5. Brokerage clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +96.3% (790 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,610
--- Employment in 2022: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,750
#4. Flight attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +97.5% (1,920 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,890
--- Employment in 2022: 1,970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,450
#3. General internal medicine physicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +125.3% (990 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,780
--- Employment in 2022: 790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#2. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +150.0% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Employment in 2022: 400
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#1. Biological scientists, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +178.5% (2,410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,760
--- Employment in 2022: 1,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $95,070
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
