Highest-paying jobs in Raleigh

Despite and falling , 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 , a from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month . 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 with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.

For context, 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 varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may 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. used data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Raleigh. 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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1 / 50

#50. Nurse midwives

- Median annual wage: $111,440
- Median hourly wage: $53.58
- Total employment: 40 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Construction managers

- Median annual wage: $111,660
- Median hourly wage: $53.69
- Total employment: 3,260 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Computer occupations, all other

- Median annual wage: $114,300
- Median hourly wage: $54.95
- Total employment: 3,490 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Computer network architects

- Median annual wage: $114,400
- Median hourly wage: $55.00
- Total employment: 1,680 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Sales engineers

- Median annual wage: $115,830
- Median hourly wage: $55.69
- Total employment: 380 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Information security analysts

- Median annual wage: $115,990
- Median hourly wage: $55.77
- Total employment: 1,460 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Clinical and counseling psychologists

- Median annual wage: $117,060
- Median hourly wage: $56.28
- Total employment: 610 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Database administrators

- Median annual wage: $117,570
- Median hourly wage: $56.52
- Total employment: 510 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Industrial production managers

- Median annual wage: $119,380
- Median hourly wage: $57.39
- Total employment: 880 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Electronics engineers, except computer

- Median annual wage: $123,250
- Median hourly wage: $59.26
- Total employment: 280 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Computer and information research scientists

- Median annual wage: $124,490
- Median hourly wage: $59.85
- Total employment: Not available

Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Veterinarians

- Median annual wage: $124,980
- Median hourly wage: $60.09
- Total employment: 530 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Physician assistants

- Median annual wage: $125,710
- Median hourly wage: $60.44
- Total employment: 1,300 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Compensation and benefits managers

- Median annual wage: $127,160
- Median hourly wage: $61.14
- Total employment: 110 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Lawyers

- Median annual wage: $128,130
- Median hourly wage: $61.60
- Total employment: 4,340 people (6.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Public relations managers

- Median annual wage: $128,540
- Median hourly wage: $61.80
- Total employment: 290 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Database architects

- Median annual wage: $129,000
- Median hourly wage: $62.02
- Total employment: 660 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $129,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SeventyFour // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Computer hardware engineers

- Median annual wage: $129,200
- Median hourly wage: $62.12
- Total employment: 310 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Electrical engineers

- Median annual wage: $130,900
- Median hourly wage: $62.93
- Total employment: 1,590 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Purchasing managers

- Median annual wage: $130,950
- Median hourly wage: $62.96
- Total employment: 420 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

luchschenF // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Life scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $131,110
- Median hourly wage: $63.03
- Total employment: 300 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Nurse practitioners

- Median annual wage: $131,320
- Median hourly wage: $63.14
- Total employment: 1,040 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Software developers

- Median annual wage: $131,390
- Median hourly wage: $63.17
- Total employment: 12,290 people (16.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Engineering teachers, postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $132,460
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 490 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $132,880
- Median hourly wage: $63.88
- Total employment: 4,080 people (5.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Economics teachers, postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $133,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Nuclear engineers

- Median annual wage: $135,040
- Median hourly wage: $64.93
- Total employment: 100 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

dokurose // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Actuaries

- Median annual wage: $136,180
- Median hourly wage: $65.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pheelings media // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Statisticians

- Median annual wage: $136,340
- Median hourly wage: $65.55
- Total employment: 330 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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dokurose // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Sales managers

- Median annual wage: $137,490
- Median hourly wage: $66.10
- Total employment: 3,330 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Pharmacists

- Median annual wage: $139,170
- Median hourly wage: $66.91
- Total employment: 1,470 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Human resources managers

- Median annual wage: $139,840
- Median hourly wage: $67.23
- Total employment: 1,100 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Psychologists, all other

- Median annual wage: $147,830
- Median hourly wage: $71.07
- Total employment: 40 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Optometrists

- Median annual wage: $153,730
- Median hourly wage: $73.91
- Total employment: 320 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Financial managers

- Median annual wage: $162,120
- Median hourly wage: $77.94
- Total employment: 3,300 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Marketing managers

- Median annual wage: $163,820
- Median hourly wage: $78.76
- Total employment: 2,360 people (3.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Architectural and engineering managers

- Median annual wage: $165,420
- Median hourly wage: $79.53
- Total employment: 1,510 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VE.Studio // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Natural sciences managers

- Median annual wage: $166,250
- Median hourly wage: $79.93
- Total employment: 1,960 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Computer and information systems managers

- Median annual wage: $169,400
- Median hourly wage: $81.44
- Total employment: 5,860 people (8.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlurryMe // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other

- Median annual wage: $179,960
- Median hourly wage: $86.52
- Total employment: 190 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prostock-studio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Dentists, general

- Median annual wage: $182,020
- Median hourly wage: $87.51
- Total employment: 1,090 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Pediatricians, general

- Median annual wage: $200,290
- Median hourly wage: $96.30
- Total employment: 300 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlurryMe // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. General internal medicine physicians

- Median annual wage: $216,810
- Median hourly wage: $104.24
- Total employment: 210 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Psychiatrists

- Median annual wage: $232,120
- Median hourly wage: $111.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#1. Chief executives (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 440 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 230 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#1. Cardiologists (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available

wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Physicians, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,330 people (1.83 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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