Highest Paying Jobs In Raleigh, NC For 2026
As of 2026, Raleigh remains a vibrant hub for high-paying careers across various industries such as healthcare, technology, and finance. If you’re seeking lucrative job opportunities in the Raleigh area, this comprehensive list will assist you in identifying the most rewarding professions available.
This article explores the 21 highest-paying jobs in Raleigh for 2026, relying on updated data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While many of these positions demand extensive experience, there are also well-compensated entry-level roles for candidates with the appropriate educational qualifications.
The top-paying job in Raleigh is still the Physician, boasting an average annual salary of $280,855 and an entry-level salary of $145,000.
Whether you’re contemplating a career shift, considering relocating to Raleigh, or a recent graduate mapping out your future, this guide to the highest-paying jobs and best industries in Raleigh can help inform your next career move.
Here’s a quick overview of the top 10 highest-paying jobs in Raleigh, North Carolina:
Detailed List of Highest Paying Jobs in Raleigh
| Rank | Job Title | Average Salary | Entry Level Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physician | $280,855 | $145,000 |
| 2 | Hospitalist Physician | $267,699 | $186,000 |
| 3 | Anesthesiology Resident | $262,183 | $119,000 |
| 4 | Outpatient Psychiatrist | $233,401 | $148,000 |
| 5 | Medical Consultant | $222,340 | $126,000 |
| 6 | Medical Director | $220,611 | $141,000 |
| 7 | Vascular Surgeon | $219,082 | $118,000 |
| 8 | Executive Vice President | $217,771 | $119,000 |
| 9 | General Surgery Physician Assistant | $208,065 | $110,000 |
| 10 | Psychiatrist | $207,432 | $130,000 |
| 11 | Radiology Resident | $206,452 | $91,000 |
| 12 | Internal Medicine Physician | $199,054 | $123,000 |
| 13 | Family Practice Physician | $189,888 | $118,000 |
| 14 | Ophthalmologist | $188,117 | $108,000 |
| 15 | Operator And Truck Driver | $184,878 | $92,000 |
| 16 | President | $180,355 | $105,000 |
| 17 | Owner/Operator | $167,636 | $107,000 |
| 18 | Professor | $167,389 | $93,000 |
| 19 | Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | $167,339 | $102,000 |
| 20 | Anesthesiologist Assistant | $167,292 | $80,000 |
| 21 | General Surgeon | $165,384 | $89,000 |
How We Determined the Highest Paid Jobs in Raleigh for 2026
To identify the highest-paying jobs in Raleigh for 2026, we examined the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and additional sources.
Our data science team at Zippia supplements this information by continuously analyzing millions of job postings each day to extract published salaries. We correlate these salaries with companies, locations, and job titles in various datasets.
Finally, we compute a weighted average of these inputs to generate an estimated salary for each job title in Raleigh.
In total, our team reviewed salary data for over 1,000 job titles in Raleigh to pinpoint the most lucrative positions.
Editor’s Note: Article updated for 2026. This marks our eighth ranking of the highest-paying jobs in Raleigh.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
