Top Paying Jobs in Wilmington, NC (2026)
Wilmington, NC has 80 jobs across diverse industries. The highest-paying occupations include General Internal Medicine Physicians ($230,880), Dentists, General ($202,850), Business Teachers, Postsecondary ($179,820). The cost of living index is 96.42 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $1,426/month.
$141K
Avg. median salary
96.42
Cost of living index
$1,426
Median 2BR rent
N/A
Population
Highest paying careers in Wilmington
| Rank | Occupation | Category | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | Healthcare | $231K | $111/hr |
| 2 | Dentists, General | Healthcare | $203K | $97.52/hr |
| 3 | Business Teachers, Postsecondary | Education | $180K | $/hr |
| 4 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | Management | $165K | $79.41/hr |
| 5 | Natural Sciences Managers | Management | $157K | $75.31/hr |
| 6 | Optometrists | Healthcare | $156K | $74.88/hr |
| 7 | Engineers, All Other | Engineering | $149K | $71.43/hr |
| 8 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | Management | $141K | $67.88/hr |
| 9 | Marketing Managers | Management | $136K | $65.44/hr |
| 10 | Family Medicine Physicians | Healthcare | $135K | $64.95/hr |
| 11 | Pharmacists | Healthcare | $133K | $63.99/hr |
| 12 | Financial Managers | Management | $133K | $63.85/hr |
| 13 | Commercial Pilots | Transportation | $131K | $/hr |
| 14 | Statisticians | Technology | $128K | $61.66/hr |
| 15 | Human Resources Managers | Management | $127K | $60.89/hr |
| 16 | Nurse Practitioners | Healthcare | $125K | $60.2/hr |
| 17 | Veterinarians | Healthcare | $125K | $59.95/hr |
| 18 | Physician Assistants | Healthcare | $124K | $59.8/hr |
| 19 | Purchasing Managers | Management | $124K | $59.49/hr |
| 20 | Nuclear Engineers | Engineering | $123K | $59.23/hr |
| 21 | Managers, All Other | Management | $121K | $58.05/hr |
| 22 | Industrial Production Managers | Management | $120K | $57.87/hr |
| 23 | Software Developers | Technology | $120K | $57.81/hr |
| 24 | Environmental Engineers | Engineering | $119K | $57.38/hr |
| 25 | Sales Managers | Management | $119K | $57.3/hr |
Affordability snapshot: Wilmington
Cost of living vs. national average-3.6% less expensive
Studio apartment (FMR)$/mo
1-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
2-bedroom apartment (FMR)$1,426/mo
3-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
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After federal and state taxes