Top Paying Jobs in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (2026)
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC has 100 jobs across diverse industries. The highest-paying occupations include Family Medicine Physicians ($207,400), General Internal Medicine Physicians ($207,360), Pediatricians, General ($206,230). The cost of living index is 97.57 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $1,711/month.
$161K
Avg. median salary
97.57
Cost of living index
$1,711
Median 2BR rent
N/A
Population
Highest paying careers in Durham-Chapel Hill
| Rank | Occupation | Category | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Medicine Physicians | Healthcare | $207K | $99.71/hr |
| 2 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | Healthcare | $207K | $99.69/hr |
| 3 | Pediatricians, General | Healthcare | $206K | $99.15/hr |
| 4 | Dentists, General | Healthcare | $202K | $97.31/hr |
| 5 | Computer Network Architects | Technology | $172K | $82.83/hr |
| 6 | Sales Managers | Management | $172K | $82.7/hr |
| 7 | Natural Sciences Managers | Management | $171K | $82.4/hr |
| 8 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | Management | $169K | $81.43/hr |
| 9 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | Management | $166K | $79.69/hr |
| 10 | Computer Hardware Engineers | Engineering | $165K | $79.16/hr |
| 11 | Marketing Managers | Management | $164K | $79.02/hr |
| 12 | Financial Managers | Management | $162K | $77.86/hr |
| 13 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | Education | $162K | $/hr |
| 14 | Commercial Pilots | Transportation | $161K | $/hr |
| 15 | Optometrists | Healthcare | $159K | $76.54/hr |
| 16 | Human Resources Managers | Management | $151K | $72.68/hr |
| 17 | Purchasing Managers | Management | $145K | $69.64/hr |
| 18 | Epidemiologists | Science | $140K | $67.15/hr |
| 19 | Managers, All Other | Management | $139K | $66.88/hr |
| 20 | Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | Engineering | $137K | $65.86/hr |
| 21 | Pharmacists | Healthcare | $136K | $65.37/hr |
| 22 | Computer and Information Research Scientists | Technology | $133K | $64.08/hr |
| 23 | Software Developers | Technology | $132K | $63.45/hr |
| 24 | Industrial Production Managers | Management | $132K | $63.25/hr |
| 25 | Database Architects | Technology | $131K | $62.77/hr |
Affordability snapshot: Durham-Chapel Hill
Cost of living vs. national average-2.4% less expensive
Studio apartment (FMR)$/mo
1-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
2-bedroom apartment (FMR)$1,711/mo
3-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
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After federal and state taxes