Asheville, NC metro area
Highest-Paying Occupations in Asheville Metro
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Asheville, NC metro area
Figures describe the Asheville, NC metropolitan statistical area as defined by BLS/OMB — the whole multi-county metro region, not Asheville city limits. Occupations are ranked by published median annual wage; occupations where BLS suppressed the annual median or publishes only hourly wages are not ranked (4 such occupations here).
Top 25 of 425 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physicians, All Other | $360,010 | $173.08 | 1,020 |
| 2 | Chief Executives | $270,520 | $130.06 | 50 |
| 3 | Anesthesiologists | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | 80 |
| 4 | Dermatologists | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | Not published |
| 5 | Radiologists | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | Not published |
| 6 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $225,830 | $108.57 | 340 |
| 7 | Nurse Anesthetists | $223,630 | $107.51 | 150 |
| 8 | Family Medicine Physicians | $212,710 | $102.26 | 90 |
| 9 | Dentists, General | $202,630 | $97.42 | 140 |
| 10 | Pediatricians, General | $170,140 | $81.80 | 80 |
| 11 | Optometrists | $167,980 | $80.76 | 40 |
| 12 | Psychiatrists | $164,520 | $79.10 | 50 |
| 13 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $163,290 | $78.51 | 420 |
| 14 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $160,140 | $76.99 | 200 |
| 15 | Psychologists, All Other | $152,550 | $73.34 | 60 |
| 16 | Financial Managers | $152,270 | $73.21 | 450 |
| 17 | Marketing Managers | $150,610 | $72.41 | 160 |
| 18 | Information Security Analysts | $149,350 | $71.80 | 200 |
| 19 | Pharmacists | $136,460 | $65.61 | 520 |
| 20 | Software Developers | $134,350 | $64.59 | 780 |
| 21 | Natural Sciences Managers | $133,470 | $64.17 | 80 |
| 22 | Physician Assistants | $131,260 | $63.11 | 460 |
| 23 | Veterinarians | $130,330 | $62.66 | 190 |
| 24 | Nurse Practitioners | $127,770 | $61.43 | 520 |
| 25 | Human Resources Managers | $125,420 | $60.30 | 150 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the Asheville metro area overview.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.