PanuShot // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $127,960
- Median hourly wage: $61.52
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Charlotte
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 Charlotte. 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.
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Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $128,150
- Median hourly wage: $61.61
- Total employment: 260 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $129,640
- Median hourly wage: $62.33
- Total employment: 2,530 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $130,650
- Median hourly wage: $62.81
- Total employment: 1,530 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $130,750
- Median hourly wage: $62.86
- Total employment: 1,180 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $131,110
- Median hourly wage: $63.03
- Total employment: 3,870 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $132,100
- Median hourly wage: $63.51
- Total employment: 20,010 people (14.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $132,110
- Median hourly wage: $63.52
- Total employment: 2,500 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $132,270
- Median hourly wage: $63.59
- Total employment: 3,110 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Life scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $132,500
- Median hourly wage: $63.70
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $134,890
- Median hourly wage: $64.85
- Total employment: 470 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $135,050
- Median hourly wage: $64.93
- Total employment: 320 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $135,420
- Median hourly wage: $65.11
- Total employment: 100 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $136,530
- Median hourly wage: $65.64
- Total employment: 890 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $137,240
- Median hourly wage: $65.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $137,270
- Median hourly wage: $65.99
- Total employment: 5,290 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $138,480
- Median hourly wage: $66.58
- Total employment: 1,660 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $139,950
- Median hourly wage: $67.28
- Total employment: 2,670 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $140,000
- Median hourly wage: $67.31
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $143,360
- Median hourly wage: $68.92
- Total employment: 2,280 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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dokurose // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $144,770
- Median hourly wage: $69.60
- Total employment: 5,650 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $146,090
- Median hourly wage: $70.24
- Total employment: 5,990 people (4.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $153,090
- Median hourly wage: $73.60
- Total employment: 30 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $154,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,110 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $154,700
- Median hourly wage: $74.38
- Total employment: 330 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $158,490
- Median hourly wage: $76.20
- Total employment: 3,750 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $163,530
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 420 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $164,160
- Median hourly wage: $78.93
- Total employment: 220 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $165,120
- Median hourly wage: $79.38
- Total employment: 480 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $167,470
- Median hourly wage: $80.52
- Total employment: 8,790 people (6.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $167,590
- Median hourly wage: $80.57
- Total employment: 1,780 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $172,100
- Median hourly wage: $82.74
- Total employment: 7,580 people (5.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Emergency medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $172,640
- Median hourly wage: $83.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $192,580
- Median hourly wage: $92.59
- Total employment: 820 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $238,780
- Median hourly wage: $114.80
- Total employment: 980 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
36 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 600 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
37 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
38 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 220 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
40 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
41 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 180 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
42 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 2,160 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Neurologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 420 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 190 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tijana Simic // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elnur // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Podiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 980 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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