Top Paying Jobs in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (2026)
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC has 60 jobs across diverse industries. The highest-paying occupations include Chief Executives ($236,800), Nurse Anesthetists ($226,460), Family Medicine Physicians ($214,340). The cost of living index is 88.49 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $1,095/month.
$138K
Avg. median salary
88.49
Cost of living index
$1,095
Median 2BR rent
N/A
Population
Highest paying careers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
| Rank | Occupation | Category | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chief Executives | Management | $237K | $113.84/hr |
| 2 | Nurse Anesthetists | Healthcare | $226K | $108.87/hr |
| 3 | Family Medicine Physicians | Healthcare | $214K | $103.05/hr |
| 4 | Dentists, General | Healthcare | $170K | $81.5/hr |
| 5 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | Management | $166K | $79.85/hr |
| 6 | Natural Sciences Managers | Management | $162K | $77.77/hr |
| 7 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | Management | $152K | $72.99/hr |
| 8 | Marketing Managers | Management | $140K | $67.48/hr |
| 9 | Pharmacists | Healthcare | $135K | $65.01/hr |
| 10 | Financial Managers | Management | $132K | $63.69/hr |
| 11 | Optometrists | Healthcare | $132K | $63.32/hr |
| 12 | Sales Managers | Management | $125K | $60.15/hr |
| 13 | Physician Assistants | Healthcare | $123K | $59/hr |
| 14 | Software Developers | Technology | $122K | $58.46/hr |
| 15 | Nurse Practitioners | Healthcare | $121K | $57.94/hr |
| 16 | Veterinarians | Healthcare | $118K | $56.62/hr |
| 17 | Human Resources Managers | Management | $112K | $53.88/hr |
| 18 | Industrial Production Managers | Management | $112K | $53.84/hr |
| 19 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | Sales | $110K | $53.06/hr |
| 20 | Training and Development Managers | Management | $109K | $52.31/hr |
| 21 | Engineers, All Other | Engineering | $108K | $51.91/hr |
| 22 | Facilities Managers | Management | $106K | $51.13/hr |
| 23 | Electrical Engineers | Engineering | $104K | $49.98/hr |
| 24 | Purchasing Managers | Management | $104K | $49.79/hr |
| 25 | Computer Network Architects | Technology | $103K | $49.46/hr |
Affordability snapshot: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Cost of living vs. national average-11.5% less expensive
Studio apartment (FMR)$/mo
1-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
2-bedroom apartment (FMR)$1,095/mo
3-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
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After federal and state taxes