Average Salaries in Jacksonville, NC
Explore salaries across 227 occupations in Jacksonville, NC. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $57.4K, -12.7% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 227 occupations and 46,520 total jobs in Jacksonville, NC.
How the metro compares
Jacksonville, NC pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Jacksonville, NC is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Physicians, All Other. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Jacksonville, NC
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Jacksonville, NC
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $282.1K | 50 |
| Dentists, General | $188.9K | 50 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $154.5K | 30 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $148.3K | 70 |
| Pharmacists | $132.9K | 80 |
| Managers, All Other | $124.5K | 130 |
| Software Developers | $123.1K | 140 |
| Financial Managers | $121.4K | 100 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $120.7K | 70 |
| Veterinarians | $120.4K | 40 |
Largest occupations in Jacksonville, NC
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 2,040 | $29.5K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 1,900 | $27.3K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,830 | $22.9K |
| Cashiers | 1,630 | $26.4K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,330 | $33.9K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 1,140 | $28.9K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,130 | $34K |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,000 | $48.4K |
| Registered Nurses | 870 | $84.8K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 790 | $33.3K |
What Jacksonville, NC specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Jacksonville, NC than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Jacksonville, NC
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Education Administrators, All Other | 14.11 | $105.3K |
| Teachers And Instructors, All Other | 9.66 | $50K |
| Avionics Technicians | 8.75 | $97.2K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 8.45 | $22.9K |
| Pipelayers | 5.94 | $44K |
| Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other | 5.22 | $61.4K |
| Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, And English As A Second Language Instructors | 3.97 | $47.7K |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 3.57 | $62.9K |
| Procurement Clerks | 3.55 | $51.6K |
| Septic Tank Servicers And Sewer Pipe Cleaners | 3.45 | $45.5K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Jacksonville, NC
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.