Section 03: NC Tech Industry
Tech Industry Earnings
Employees within technology companies in North Carolina earn high incomes on average. The average earnings per worker in the tech industry were $148,100 in 2024
The average earnings for workers across all industries in the state are about $82,100. On average, a tech industry worker earns roughly 1.8 times more than most workers in the state. This metric of earnings includes all wages, salaries, and supplements received by a worker. Supplements, including employee benefits, accounted for about $21,990 of a tech industry worker’s earnings in North Carolina.
North Carolina’s tech earnings remain below the national average. This is both a positive and a negative competitive factor: lower wages can attract businesses relocating from higher-cost regions, but they can also make it more difficult to recruit talent to move to the state. When purchasing power is accounted for, North Carolina’s wages are more comparable with the national average. The highest tech industry wages are found in IT. The average earnings for tech services and tech manufacturing were nearly identical.
Average Annual Earnings per worker by sub-industry, 2024
| Technology Categories | North Carolina |
North Carolina (Purchasing Power) |
National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Energy Tech |
$154,400 |
$164,000 |
$184,700 |
|
Environmental Tech |
$91,400 |
$97,100 |
$101,700 |
|
Life Sciences |
$142,800 |
$151,700 |
$161,900 |
|
IT |
$159,000 |
$168,900 |
$205,000 |
| All Categories | North Carolina |
North Carolina (Purchasing Power) |
National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tech Services |
$148,100 |
$157,400 |
$183,900 |
|
Tech Manufacturing |
$148,100 |
$157,300 |
$169,900 |
|
Total Tech Industry |
$148,100 |
$157,400 |
$181,600 |
Source: EL estimates based on Lightcast 2025.4 and BEA (2025)
Super sub-industries
Tech industries were divided into more detailed groupings called super sub-industries. This breakdown shows that software services remain a significant driver of tech industry growth in the state, employing more than 106,200 workers. Jobs in this group have grown by 37% from 2019 to 2024. R&D and testing and life sciences also show strong growth across almost all categories. Electronics hardware manufacturing was the only group to have a net job decline during this time.
North Carolina's Tech Industry by super sub-industries, 2024
| Subsectors | 2024 Employment | Employment Change (2019-2024) | National Location Quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Software |
106,228 |
37% |
1.09 |
|
Engineering, Environmental, & Clean Tech |
46,795 |
14% |
0.99 |
|
Internet, Social Media, & Telecom |
44,188 |
4% |
0.94 |
|
R&D and Testing |
42,323 |
30% |
1.07 |
|
Life Sciences Manufacturing |
34,510 |
14% |
1.48 |
|
Electronics Hardware |
25,674 |
-3% |
0.97 |
|
Remediation & Waste Management |
13,941 |
14% |
0.86 |
|
Other Energy & Power Generation |
13,750 |
7% |
0.44 |
|
Renewable Energy |
1,006 |
87% |
0.87 |
|
Total Tech Sector |
328,414 |
19% |
1.00 |