Average Salary in Charlotte NC: Median Income by Job & City
Median annual wage, all jobs
$49,990
Half of workers in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earn more than $49,990 a year and half earn less, about the same as the U.S. median of $50,980. The average (mean) wage is $68,900.
Wages in Charlotte vs. the U.S.
| Measure | Charlotte | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $49,990 | $50,980 |
| Mean annual wage | $68,900 | $69,770 |
| Median hourly wage | $24.03 | $24.51 |
| 10th percentile (annual) | $29,640 | $31,200 |
| 25th percentile (annual) | $37,330 | $37,590 |
| 75th percentile (annual) | $79,830 | $80,520 |
| 90th percentile (annual) | $130,510 | $128,560 |
| Jobs counted | 1,358,370 | 155,495,730 |
All occupations combined. Wages exclude self-employed workers and owners. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
What is a good salary in Charlotte?
In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, the lowest-paid 10% of workers earn under $29,640 a year and the top 10% earn over $130,510. A salary above the median of $49,990 puts you in the upper half of earners there.
The mean ($68,900) is higher than the median because a smaller number of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better guide to what a typical worker earns.
Median pay by occupation group in Charlotte
| Occupation group | Median annual | U.S. median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $133,220 | $126,520 | 89,870 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $120,930 | $109,280 | 62,140 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $95,050 | $99,520 | 20,620 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $86,110 | $82,660 | 116,030 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $84,370 | $86,530 | 76,230 |
| Legal | $83,100 | $102,500 | 9,990 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $81,850 | $82,530 | 8,200 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $59,960 | $59,620 | 56,560 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $59,340 | $62,750 | 18,060 |
| Community and Social Service | $54,760 | $58,300 | 17,210 |
| Construction and Extraction | $51,140 | $59,540 | 55,470 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $50,270 | $60,570 | 63,290 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $47,210 | $47,450 | 146,340 |
| Production | $46,680 | $46,990 | 75,490 |
| Protective Service | $45,100 | $50,080 | 33,520 |
| Sales and Related | $40,880 | $38,530 | 139,760 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $40,550 | $44,350 | 142,580 |
| Healthcare Support | $38,850 | $38,340 | 44,170 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $37,080 | $36,630 | 1,260 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $36,630 | $37,680 | 34,410 |
| Personal Care and Service | $34,400 | $36,410 | 27,400 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $33,530 | $35,050 | 119,770 |
Groups follow the Standard Occupational Classification. Each group mixes many jobs, so a single job can pay well above or below its group. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
Highest and lowest paying fields in Charlotte
The best-paid occupation groups by median wage are management ($133,220), computer and mathematical ($120,930), architecture and engineering ($95,050), business and financial operations ($86,110), healthcare practitioners and technical ($84,370).
The lowest-paid groups are food preparation and serving related ($33,530), personal care and service ($34,400), building and grounds cleaning and maintenance ($36,630).
Where these numbers come from
BLS reports wages for metropolitan areas, not city limits. The figures here cover the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, which includes the surrounding counties.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys employers about the wages they pay each job. The figures are pre-tax and count wage and salary workers only, so they leave out self-employed people and business owners. They also do not include benefits such as health insurance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Charlotte?
The median annual wage for all jobs is $49,990 and the mean is $68,900.
What is the median hourly wage in Charlotte?
$24.03 an hour, across all occupations.
Do people in Charlotte earn more than the national average?
The median wage in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area is about the same as the U.S. median of $50,980.
Which jobs pay the most in Charlotte?
Among broad occupation groups, management jobs have the highest median wage, at $133,220 a year.