Jobs in the United States → United States guide → Metro areas → Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Jobs in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Pay, demand and occupations in this metropolitan area.

In short: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC: 154,090 jobs, median pay $45,220 a year.

By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.

$45,220median pay
154,090jobs
5cities listed
$85,830top (90th pct.)
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Overview

METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is a metropolitan area in North Carolina. BLS counts 154,090 wage-and-salary jobs here, with a median pay of $45,220 a year (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $28,020 and the highest-paid tenth more than $85,830).

Cities in our guides that belong to this area: Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton, Newton, Lake Norman of Catawba.

Private-sector jobs →Federal jobs →All metro areas

Largest occupations

METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025

The 40 largest occupations here (at least 100 jobs).

Sort:
Occupation ⇅Jobs ⇅Median pay ⇅Entry (10th pct.) ⇅Top (90th pct.) ⇅Location quotient ⇅
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand4,850$40,240$30,520$47,5901.66
Retail Salespersons4,000$30,520$22,500$45,7001.04
Stockers and Order Fillers3,500$38,130$29,460$49,5801.25
Cashiers3,470$27,570$22,150$34,5301.13
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators3,190$42,770$30,710$57,6502.29
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers3,050$57,460$40,640$78,4101.49
Registered Nurses3,020$80,060$66,020$100,9900.90
Fast Food and Counter Workers2,930$27,580$21,340$36,1700.77
Nursing Assistants2,780$37,430$31,240$44,8601.94
Cooks, Fast Food2,650$27,550$21,810$34,3104.16
Customer Service Representatives2,250$37,790$28,770$55,2100.87
Office Clerks, General2,060$40,340$27,610$56,8200.84
Home Health and Personal Care Aides2,040$30,490$23,570$37,3800.48
Waiters and Waitresses2,000$29,310$16,170$57,8300.89
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants1,790$38,380$33,920$48,6601.87
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers1,760$64,910$45,850$95,5702.64
General and Operations Managers1,750$95,640$45,060$219,9200.50
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products1,730$67,150$37,430$131,8701.41
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers1,710$43,140$35,350$58,3002.88
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks1,570$45,130$31,530$61,3801.15
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education1,560$49,540$44,600$58,7101.14
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General1,500$47,690$33,210$72,9700.99
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners1,450$33,350$25,740$41,2200.66
Cooks, Restaurant1,410$30,380$27,720$42,6301.01
Production Workers, All Other1,400$38,720$31,310$57,2405.62
Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers1,340$47,940$43,030$64,9905.47
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers1,220$41,780$29,050$60,6401.01
Light Truck Drivers1,220$38,070$25,940$63,2701.25
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks1,190$42,520$31,750$57,3501.47
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers1,160$47,110$30,220$74,9901.04
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive1,140$41,710$31,870$59,4300.68
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term1,060$33,220$28,840$41,2802.04
Accountants and Auditors1,040$77,490$49,990$134,2900.72
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers1,010$60,320$42,620$88,5100.71
Packers and Packagers, Hand1,010$35,840$27,940$44,3101.83
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics950$46,860$31,200$77,4001.36
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel940$59,850$35,700$134,6900.75
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders930$41,150$30,200$50,2702.47
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary890$27,630$24,300$34,9200.63
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators870$42,850$35,490$50,1401.13

Top pay

METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025

The 40 highest-paying occupations among those with at least 300 jobs.

Sort:
Occupation ⇅Jobs ⇅Median pay ⇅Entry (10th pct.) ⇅Top (90th pct.) ⇅Location quotient ⇅
Physicians, All Other380$313,460$62,590$400,8301.11
Financial Managers310$138,150$84,480$247,6700.37
Pharmacists330$137,180$105,540$166,2001.02
Sales Managers360$132,060$65,280$233,0700.57
Nurse Practitioners300$126,620$99,170$158,0800.94
Industrial Production Managers640$124,290$76,970$200,5202.62
Software Developers420$122,540$76,130$197,0800.25
Managers, All Other380$110,140$62,700$202,1300.62
Medical and Health Services Managers410$106,590$64,310$207,4200.69
General and Operations Managers1,750$95,640$45,060$219,9200.50
Industrial Engineers670$86,640$61,600$128,2901.85
Project Management Specialists490$85,490$52,840$159,8100.46
Registered Nurses3,020$80,060$66,020$100,9900.90
Accountants and Auditors1,040$77,490$49,990$134,2900.72
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists590$75,450$39,970$136,9800.66
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers660$75,120$46,530$111,5501.08
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers640$69,990$48,280$99,0700.80
Business Operations Specialists, All Other660$69,230$45,800$130,6600.61
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products1,730$67,150$37,430$131,8701.41
Buyers and Purchasing Agents480$65,460$46,040$108,7000.99
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers1,760$64,910$45,850$95,5702.64
Human Resources Specialists670$64,700$45,620$102,2600.74
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses740$62,430$51,000$72,1301.15
Industrial Machinery Mechanics850$61,570$41,810$81,5101.95
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors740$60,690$39,310$83,4401.19
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers1,010$60,320$42,620$88,5100.71
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel940$59,850$35,700$134,6900.75
Child, Family, and School Social Workers530$59,840$43,930$77,7701.36
Postal Service Mail Carriers410$58,960$42,390$81,0401.26
Insurance Sales Agents340$58,410$35,080$84,9900.72
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education630$57,790$44,400$59,8300.60
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers3,050$57,460$40,640$78,4101.49
Training and Development Specialists560$56,300$35,040$85,0601.24
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists410$54,480$38,600$72,0001.44
Electricians570$53,730$39,480$75,5700.76
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers770$52,260$44,460$72,7001.16
Computer User Support Specialists370$51,990$34,730$81,1300.52
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education850$51,970$43,050$60,5701.38
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks580$51,860$37,750$74,7401.49
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters330$51,330$37,380$69,2300.71

Fields

METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025

Sort:

Cities

CITY Official statistic Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year (via Census Reporter) · Data: ACS 2020–2024

Sort:
City ⇅State ⇅Population ⇅Median rent ⇅
HickoryNorth Carolina44,258$1,063
LenoirNorth Carolina18,299$664
MorgantonNorth Carolina17,646$944
NewtonNorth Carolina13,333$1,091
Lake Norman of CatawbaNorth Carolina9,906$1,319

Open jobs

Open private-sector jobs by city of this area:

Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton · Newton · Lake Norman of Catawba

FAQ

How many jobs are there in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

BLS counts 154,090 wage-and-salary jobs (OEWS, May 2025).

What is the median pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

$45,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Which occupation pays most in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

Physicians, All Other, with a median of $313,460 among occupations with at least 300 jobs.

Sources

Sources

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