Raleigh Career Guide

No one city was immune to the economy slump and Raleigh, North Carolina was no exception. Raleigh couldn't escape two major economic hits over the past years. First, North Carolina had a bad run and lost thousands of jobs in two key areas during a recession: manufacturing and financial services. Construction was a major force during the boom years, but, sadly the real estate debacle choked off that sector.



Not a city to be counted out, Raleigh still has a solid and impressive economic base. There are three universities and Research Park, a myriad of employers, from biotech to computers. Recession or not, Raleigh is open for business when it comes to viable careers, good news for job-hunters everywhere.



For many years, Raleigh's biggest employers were the state government and the college/universities. The average household income in Raleigh is about $51,000 and the cost of living is 15% lower than the national average. As far as the work force, almost half received a bachelor's degree or higher.



The highest paid salary in Raleigh goes to a career in the healthcare sector; General Internists are pocketing $198,000 to start their careers. Physicians and all other Surgeons pull in a pinch less at $190,000 to start. Dentists are in the mix as well, when it comes to highly paid careers-they weigh in at about $181,000 to begin. Family and General Practitioners are entitled to at least $172,000; Pediatricians bring home about $150,000 beginning. Clearly, the highest paid salaries on average are placed in the healthcare sectors.



As a side note, Registered Nurses were the most popular healthcare and overall career. Nurses are compensated with an average beginning salary of almost $45,000 that can soar into the mid eighty thousand dollar bracket. Not only are health care careers highly compensated, they are also in very high demand. Medical Assistance careers are in high demand, so are Physician Assistants that call for a whopping $82,000 a year.



Now, if none of these careers are particularly appealing to you, Raleigh has a lot more to offer the average job-hunter. If education is more your interest, postsecondary Chemistry teachers are bringing home a salary that is on average about $99,000. Engineering teachers, postsecondary call for a salary that is a staggering $116,000! The career of a Real Estate Agent is profitable, the salary is right around $68,000.



Further, if you are a bit short when it comes to a college degree, the Raleigh can still accommodate you! The career of a Customer Service Representative can net you a salary of about $31,000. Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants are calling for a salary average of $38,000. If you can crunch numbers like a pro, you can snag a career as a Bookkeeping Clerk; they have an average yearly take home salary of $33,000. To learn more about North Carolina jobs, including salary and employment information, click here.



Raleigh has been mentioned time and again in different publications as one of the 5 Top Cities in the US for jobs, low cost of living, affordable housing and an all around great place to raise a wholesome family. It has also been mentioned many times as the vacation getaway for Mayberry residents on the Andy Griffith Show.