Wilmington, NC metro area
Highest-Paying Occupations in Wilmington Metro
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Wilmington, NC metro area
Figures describe the Wilmington, NC metropolitan statistical area as defined by BLS/OMB — the whole multi-county metro region, not Wilmington 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 (6 such occupations here).
Top 25 of 413 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chief Executives | $298,730 | $143.62 | 30 |
| 2 | Physicians, All Other | $252,960 | $121.62 | 450 |
| 3 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | 90 |
| 4 | Surgeons, All Other | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | Not published |
| 5 | Nurse Anesthetists | $218,830 | $105.21 | 150 |
| 6 | Family Medicine Physicians | $207,000 | $99.52 | Not published |
| 7 | Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $187,380 | Not published | 170 |
| 8 | Dentists, General | $185,720 | $89.29 | 220 |
| 9 | Commercial Pilots | $172,320 | Not published | 40 |
| 10 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $169,810 | $81.64 | 190 |
| 11 | Natural Sciences Managers | $166,910 | $80.24 | 330 |
| 12 | Optometrists | $163,800 | $78.75 | 120 |
| 13 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $160,980 | $77.40 | 420 |
| 14 | Marketing Managers | $153,860 | $73.97 | 170 |
| 15 | Financial Managers | $152,150 | $73.15 | 510 |
| 16 | Pharmacists | $151,790 | $72.98 | 480 |
| 17 | Purchasing Managers | $145,730 | $70.06 | 60 |
| 18 | Information Security Analysts | $145,170 | $69.79 | 230 |
| 19 | Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary | $144,160 | Not published | 40 |
| 20 | Human Resources Managers | $140,960 | $67.77 | 130 |
| 21 | Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $139,410 | Not published | 50 |
| 22 | Sales Managers | $133,400 | $64.14 | 520 |
| 23 | Veterinarians | $131,670 | $63.30 | 190 |
| 24 | Database Architects | $131,470 | $63.21 | 50 |
| 25 | Physician Assistants | $131,270 | $63.11 | 270 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the Wilmington 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.