Highest-paying jobs in Winston-Salem

Written by:
July 8, 2022
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Highest-paying jobs in Winston-Salem

Stacker collected information on the highest-paying jobs in Winston-Salem, NC, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2021.

In Winston, the annual mean wage is $51,070 or 12.3% lower than national mean of $58,260, while the highest-paying occupation makes $281,030. Read on to see which jobs make the list.

#50. Physical therapists

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $92,280
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490

National
- Annual mean salary: $92,920
- Employment: 225,350
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($123,190)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,370)
--- Midland, TX ($116,880)

#49. Computer programmers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $93,610
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $96,650
- Employment: 152,610
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($144,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,220)
--- Dalton, GA ($123,500)

#48. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $93,620
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420

National
- Annual mean salary: $92,320
- Employment: 243,920
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)

#47. Computer systems analysts

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $94,010
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,210
- Employment: 505,150
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,290)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($131,650)
--- Huntsville, AL ($118,690)

#46. Architects, except landscape and naval

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $94,080
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,900
- Employment: 100,400
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($120,430)
--- Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL ($115,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,780)

#45. Data scientists

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $96,520
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $108,660
- Employment: 105,980
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($157,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($153,180)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($135,900)

#44. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $96,630
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $87,640
- Employment: 22,490
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($120,210)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,510)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($114,280)

#43. Database architects

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $96,860
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $121,840
- Employment: 50,440
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($187,070)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($161,830)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($156,530)

#42. Information security analysts

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $98,380
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $113,270
- Employment: 157,220
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,820)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($149,250)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($135,080)

#41. Database administrators

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $99,040
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $96,550
- Employment: 85,870
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($123,540)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,430)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($120,280)

#40. Electrical engineers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $99,130
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $107,890
- Employment: 186,020
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($148,870)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($133,640)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($124,680)

#39. Financial risk specialists

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $99,260
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $110,610
- Employment: 54,320
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($146,590)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($141,890)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($141,590)

#38. Personal financial advisors

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $100,500
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,960
- Employment: 263,030
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($172,780)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($161,010)
--- East Stroudsburg, PA ($158,790)

#37. Administrative services managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $104,550
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

National
- Annual mean salary: $113,030
- Employment: 224,620
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,360)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($142,650)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($141,950)

#36. Construction managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $104,710
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790

National
- Annual mean salary: $108,210
- Employment: 284,750
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($160,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,050)
--- Napa, CA ($145,430)

#35. Computer network architects

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $104,940
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $120,650
- Employment: 168,830
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,600)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($152,900)
--- Rapid City, SD ($145,810)

#34. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $105,250
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

National
- Annual mean salary: $105,580
- Employment: 144,640
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#33. Operations research analysts

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $106,440
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $95,830
- Employment: 98,700
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($164,730)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($127,330)
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($118,710)

#32. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $109,050
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $104,050
- Employment: 108,550
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Memphis, TN-MS-AR ($176,770)
--- Columbia, SC ($155,570)
--- Danbury, CT ($151,970)

#31. Nurse practitioners

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $109,720
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $118,040
- Employment: 234,690
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($197,870)
--- Napa, CA ($184,700)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($180,380)

#30. Software developers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $109,740
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,490

National
- Annual mean salary: $120,990
- Employment: 1,364,180
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($167,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($158,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($148,220)

#29. Industrial production managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $111,490
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550

National
- Annual mean salary: $117,780
- Employment: 192,270
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($155,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($153,860)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($153,470)

#28. Environmental engineers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $111,630
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $100,220
- Employment: 42,660
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($131,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,470)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($127,160)

#27. General and operations managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $112,280
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,890

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,250
- Employment: 2,984,920
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,340)
--- Trenton, NJ ($165,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,210)

#26. Facilities managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $112,810
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $101,970
- Employment: 101,230
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($146,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($136,440)
--- Ithaca, NY ($136,210)

#25. Training and development managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $112,880
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $128,800
- Employment: 35,830
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($180,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($176,270)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($166,410)

#24. Veterinarians

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $113,590
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $109,920
- Employment: 77,260
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($144,440)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,670)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($140,390)

#23. Commercial pilots

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $116,940
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,080
- Employment: 42,770
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
--- Savannah, GA ($177,450)

#22. Public relations managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $118,280
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $138,000
- Employment: 59,850
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($183,410)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($182,890)
--- Boulder, CO ($174,250)

#21. Physician assistants

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $119,300
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,460
- Employment: 132,940
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($167,240)
--- Panama City, FL ($165,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($164,150)

#20. Compensation and benefits managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $119,760
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $139,470
- Employment: 15,330
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($190,560)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($187,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,130)

#19. Purchasing managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $120,940
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $134,590
- Employment: 69,310
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($181,030)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($174,760)

#18. Sales engineers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $122,100
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $118,630
- Employment: 59,550
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salisbury, MD-DE ($169,330)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($158,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($158,320)

#17. Optometrists

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $122,270
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $125,440
- Employment: 38,720
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Wilmington, NC ($198,370)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($172,190)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($169,140)

#16. Sales managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $122,560
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420

National
- Annual mean salary: $142,390
- Employment: 453,800
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($198,960)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($196,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($182,820)

#15. Fundraising managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $125,300
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,400
- Employment: 23,190
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($175,610)
--- Syracuse, NY ($155,700)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($153,980)

#14. Pharmacists

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $125,560
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820

National
- Annual mean salary: $125,690
- Employment: 312,550
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($168,640)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($163,840)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($158,420)

#13. Medical and health services managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $126,030
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,840
- Employment: 436,770
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($162,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($157,340)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($156,370)

#12. Human resources managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $129,250
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $136,590
- Employment: 166,530
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($190,020)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($186,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($175,410)

#11. Marketing managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $133,000
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,440
- Employment: 278,690
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($210,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($198,870)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($191,310)

#10. Lawyers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $137,370
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600

National
- Annual mean salary: $148,030
- Employment: 681,010
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($231,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($191,460)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($186,610)

#9. Computer and information systems managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $141,180
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630

National
- Annual mean salary: $162,930
- Employment: 485,190
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,470)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($202,800)

#8. Architectural and engineering managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $141,370
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

National
- Annual mean salary: $158,970
- Employment: 187,100
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($206,050)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($198,430)

#7. Natural sciences managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $142,540
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $156,110
- Employment: 74,760
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($222,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($219,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($216,750)

#6. Financial managers

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $154,150
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 810

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,460
- Employment: 681,070
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($209,100)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($201,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,900)

#5. Dentists, general

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $203,830
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $167,160
- Employment: 108,680
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Manchester, NH ($276,510)
--- Salinas, CA ($234,410)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($229,800)

#4. Nurse anesthetists

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $206,910
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $202,470
- Employment: 43,950
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Springfield, IL ($298,890)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($283,550)
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($276,810)

#3. Psychiatrists

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $241,210
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $249,760
- Employment: 25,520
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($360,840)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($360,740)
--- Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN ($333,190)

#2. Chief executives

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $249,140
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $213,020
- Employment: 200,480
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($313,440)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($298,960)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($296,480)

#1. Family medicine physicians

Winston-Salem, NC
- Annual mean salary: $281,030
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $235,930
- Employment: 102,930
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Coeur d'Alene, ID ($336,820)
--- Fond du Lac, WI ($336,140)
--- Gainesville, GA ($330,930)

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