Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area
Highest-Paying Occupations in Hickory Metro
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area
Figures describe the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan statistical area as defined by BLS/OMB — the whole multi-county metro region, not Hickory 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 385 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physicians, All Other | $313,460 | $150.70 | 380 |
| 2 | Chief Executives | $312,730 | $150.35 | 50 |
| 3 | Nurse Anesthetists | $213,630 | $102.71 | 120 |
| 4 | Family Medicine Physicians | $206,360 | $99.21 | 30 |
| 5 | Dentists, General | $193,320 | $92.94 | 130 |
| 6 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $170,730 | $82.08 | 200 |
| 7 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $163,010 | $78.37 | 220 |
| 8 | Natural Sciences Managers | $162,690 | $78.21 | 40 |
| 9 | Marketing Managers | $151,190 | $72.69 | 200 |
| 10 | Financial Managers | $138,150 | $66.42 | 310 |
| 11 | Pharmacists | $137,180 | $65.95 | 330 |
| 12 | Optometrists | $136,920 | $65.83 | 40 |
| 13 | Purchasing Managers | $132,570 | $63.74 | 80 |
| 14 | Sales Managers | $132,060 | $63.49 | 360 |
| 15 | Physician Assistants | $127,210 | $61.16 | 190 |
| 16 | Nurse Practitioners | $126,620 | $60.87 | 300 |
| 17 | Engineers, All Other | $125,160 | $60.18 | 60 |
| 18 | Veterinarians | $124,970 | $60.08 | 70 |
| 19 | Industrial Production Managers | $124,290 | $59.75 | 640 |
| 20 | Software Developers | $122,540 | $58.91 | 420 |
| 21 | Sales Engineers | $121,100 | $58.22 | 40 |
| 22 | Human Resources Managers | $117,950 | $56.71 | 140 |
| 23 | Information Security Analysts | $115,250 | $55.41 | 40 |
| 24 | Training and Development Managers | $113,070 | $54.36 | 40 |
| 25 | Facilities Managers | $111,610 | $53.66 | 110 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the Hickory 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.