CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When it comes to high potential earnings, the Queen City has a lot of potential.
A new study by How To Home analyzed the U.S. Bureau of Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Regional Price Parities' data to determine the rankings.
Charlotte came in at the No. 2 spot when it came to affordable large U.S. metro areas with the most six-figure jobs. Raleigh took the top spot, however.
The study showed the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia area, which has over 1.2 million employed residents, had 11.7% of its residents earning at least $100,000 a year. In fact, the average wage for a resident of the area that earns more than $100,000 is $124,459.
That area's cost of living is about 5.4% below the national average.
When it came to midsize metro areas, another North Carolina city ranked high. Durham-Chapel Hill boasted 15.3% of its residents earning over $100,000 a year. The total number of residents in Durham-Chapel Hill earning more than $100,000 is 47,650. The average salary of that group is $129,053.
The study found coastal stats have some of the biggest concentrations of employees who earn six figures, including North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, California and Washington state.
The analysis found the most lucrative jobs in these affordable cities are:
- Software developers
- Financial managers
- Lawyers
- Managers
- Computer and Information systems managers
- Sales managers
- Medical and Health services managers
- Pharmacists
- Marketing managers
- Nurse practitioners
In summary, those who wish they could earn more should lean heavily into pursuing a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.