Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $85,600
- Median hourly wage: $41.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Fayetteville
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 Fayetteville. 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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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $88,180
- Median hourly wage: $42.40
- Total employment: 510 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $89,320
- Median hourly wage: $42.94
- Total employment: 370 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $89,450
- Median hourly wage: $43.00
- Total employment: 1,190 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $91,600
- Median hourly wage: $44.04
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $95,980
- Median hourly wage: $46.15
- Total employment: 910 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $96,360
- Median hourly wage: $46.33
- Total employment: 560 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
science photo // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Food scientists and technologists
- Median annual wage: $97,500
- Median hourly wage: $46.88
- Total employment: Not available
Skycolors // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $98,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GLRL // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Median annual wage: $99,200
- Median hourly wage: $47.69
- Total employment: 2,090 people (7.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rido // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,220
- Median hourly wage: $47.70
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: Not available
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $100,000
- Median hourly wage: $48.08
- Total employment: 450 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $101,000
- Median hourly wage: $48.56
- Total employment: 190 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $101,310
- Median hourly wage: $48.71
- Total employment: Not available
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16 / 50#35. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $101,370
- Median hourly wage: $48.74
- Total employment: 170 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,870
- Median hourly wage: $48.97
- Total employment: 1,280 people (4.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $102,030
- Median hourly wage: $49.05
- Total employment: 2,010 people (7.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $102,300
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 510 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $103,440
- Median hourly wage: $49.73
- Total employment: 500 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $103,860
- Median hourly wage: $49.93
- Total employment: 300 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $103,900
- Median hourly wage: $49.95
- Total employment: 70 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $104,210
- Median hourly wage: $50.10
- Total employment: 170 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $107,620
- Median hourly wage: $51.74
- Total employment: 250 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $108,800
- Median hourly wage: $52.31
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $111,900
- Median hourly wage: $53.80
- Total employment: 290 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $112,530
- Median hourly wage: $54.10
- Total employment: 440 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $113,360
- Median hourly wage: $54.50
- Total employment: 250 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $119,610
- Median hourly wage: $57.50
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $126,860
- Median hourly wage: $60.99
- Total employment: 530 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $128,610
- Median hourly wage: $61.83
- Total employment: 400 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $130,410
- Median hourly wage: $62.70
- Total employment: 620 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $130,820
- Median hourly wage: $62.90
- Total employment: 710 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $130,920
- Median hourly wage: $62.94
- Total employment: Not available
Stokkete // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $131,320
- Median hourly wage: $63.14
- Total employment: 230 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $138,490
- Median hourly wage: $66.58
- Total employment: 1,530 people (5.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $138,910
- Median hourly wage: $66.78
- Total employment: 500 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $147,830
- Median hourly wage: $71.07
- Total employment: 330 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $153,130
- Median hourly wage: $73.62
- Total employment: 740 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $162,920
- Median hourly wage: $78.33
- Total employment: 430 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $166,240
- Median hourly wage: $79.92
- Total employment: 740 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $167,210
- Median hourly wage: $80.39
- Total employment: 1,060 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $169,720
- Median hourly wage: $81.60
- Total employment: 320 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $172,490
- Median hourly wage: $82.93
- Total employment: 330 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $176,850
- Median hourly wage: $85.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $182,090
- Median hourly wage: $87.55
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $183,590
- Median hourly wage: $88.26
- Total employment: 150 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $211,880
- Median hourly wage: $101.86
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Animal scientists
- Median annual wage: $218,610
- Median hourly wage: $105.10
- Total employment: Not available
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 370 people (1.39 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.
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