SOC 29-1223 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Psychiatrists — North Carolina
North Carolina · 5 metro areas compared
At $168,880, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Psychiatrists, 40.1% beneath the national figure of $281,870.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +6.1%
- Openings per year
- 900
- Typical entry-level education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for North Carolina.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $168,880, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Psychiatrists, 40.1% beneath the national figure of $281,870. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $133,240 and $266,850. The lowest tenth earn under $101,080, while the highest tenth earn more than $297,250.
Employment stands at 620, or 0.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 46 states with published data for this occupation, North Carolina ranks 42nd by median wage. Durham leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $170,600. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 22nd of 745 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $101,080 | −64.1% |
| 25th | $133,240 | −52.7% |
| Median (50th) | $168,880 | −40.1% |
| 75th | $266,850 | −5.3% |
| 90th | $297,250 | +5.5% |
| Mean | $201,840 | −28.4% |
Highest-paying metro areas in North Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham | $170,600 | 40 | |
| 2 | Charlotte | $169,850 | 100 | |
| 3 | Raleigh | $168,880 | 130 | |
| 4 | Asheville | $164,520 | 50 | |
| 5 | Fayetteville | $155,250 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in North Carolina run 5.7% below the national average, so the median of $168,880 goes as far as $179,088 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 36.5% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$168,880as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$179,088US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $168,880 a year, 40.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $101,080 to $297,250 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 620 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 42nd of 46 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Durham, at $170,600.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Psychiatrists in North Carolina?
The median annual wage is $168,880, or $81.19 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $281,870, so pay in North Carolina is 40.1% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in North Carolina earns more than $297,250 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $101,080 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Durham, at $170,600 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 620 jobs in this occupation in North Carolina. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
Explore related data