🏆 2026 Job Rankings

Highest-Paying Tech Jobs in Jacksonville, NC (2026)

If you are comparing highest-paying tech jobs in Jacksonville, NC, this guide uses Careerclev salary benchmarks built from the latest official BLS wage baseline to focus on technology-heavy roles in the Jacksonville, NC metro area. It is designed to show where the strongest projected tech pay sits, how quickly compensation falls after the leader, and which roles still have enough hiring depth to matter.

From the current ranking, Software Developer leads at $134,369/year, while Web Administrator stands out for employment depth at about 230 workers. That contrast helps you weigh pure pay against the size of the hiring market.

📅 Updated April 2026📊 Modeled salary benchmarks🇺🇸 Jacksonville, NC · 6 jobs ranked⏱ 12 min read
1
Software Developer
$134K est.
2
Computer Systems Analyst
$107K est.
3
Network and Computer Systems Administrator
$96.7K est.
4
Web Administrator
$101K est.
5
Computer User Support Specialist
$45.7K est.
#1 Job
Software Developer
$134K
Jobs Ranked
6
top roles
Data Layer
Metro
Careerclev salary model
Top Employment
90
employment estimate
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Highest-Paying Tech Jobs in Jacksonville, NC: Full Ranking

If you're targeting high-paying jobs in Jacksonville, NC, Software Developer sits at the top of this 6-job ranking at $134,369 per year in Careerclev's current salary model. From there, the second spot belongs to Computer Systems Analyst at $107,414, which helps show whether the pay curve drops quickly or stays fairly tight after the leader. On entry-level pages, Careerclev uses lower wage percentiles as a transparent proxy for starting pay, because the public source data does not offer a clean entry-level field for every role.

1
SOC 15-1252 · Technology · 90 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
100% benchmark
$134,369
official baseline $134K
2
SOC 15-1211 · Technology · 90 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
vs #1
$107,414
official baseline $107K
3
SOC 15-1244 · Technology · 110 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$96,666.0
official baseline $96.7K
4
SOC 15-1299 · Technology · 230 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$101,269
official baseline $101K
5
SOC 15-1232 · Technology · 130 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
vs #1
$45,745.0
official baseline $45.7K
6
SOC 43-9021 · Office & Admin · 60 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
vs #1
$38,800.0
official baseline $38.8K

What Software Developer Does

Before the pay ranking means much, it helps to understand the work itself. Software Developer sits at the top of this guide because it combines strong pay with the work profile described below.

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

Software Developer Salary Trend

Software Developer leads this ranking on current pay, but the national salary trend helps show whether that pay ceiling is being reinforced by steady wage growth over time.

Careerclev's current 2026 estimate applies an annual modeled growth rate of 1.1% from the last confirmed BLS benchmark year, using wage history, employment outlook, and tech-market signals where available.

2026·$132KEstimated
$121K
2021
$127K
2022
$132K
2023
$129K
2024
$130K
2025*
$132K
2026*
Official Data
May 2024 BLS
20212026 trend (est.)
9.1%
Forecast method
Trend + outlook model

* 2024–2026 values are modeled estimates extending from the last confirmed BLS benchmark. The last confirmed BLS figure ($129K, 2024) is extended with recent wage trend history, employment outlook, and tech-market signals where available, then replaced when official data is published.

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Highest-Paying Jobs by Category

High pay in Jacksonville, NC is not concentrated in a single career path. The leading roles span Technology, Office & Admin . That mix helps show whether the local labor market rewards specialist clinical work, technical depth, executive management, or a broader spread of roles. Each row below shows the top-paying role within that actual SOC category rather than an assumed one.

CategoryTop JobSalaryEmploymentPrep Signal
TechnologySoftware Developer$134,36990Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Office & AdminData Entry Keyer$38,800.060Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Entry-Level Pay Signals

A high median salary only tells half the story. What matters for career planning is where starting pay actually lands. Because BLS does not publish a clean entry-level label for every role, Careerclev uses lower wage percentiles as a transparent proxy. Software Developer shows an estimated early-career pay signal of $98,510.0, compared with a long-run median of $134,369. In turn, that gap gives a better feel for both long-run upside and how quickly a role starts rewarding experience.

JobEntry ProxyMedian SalaryPrep PathTypical Education
Software Developer$98,510.0$134,369Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Computer Systems Analyst$83,374.0$107,414Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Network and Computer Systems Administrator$70,739.0$96,666.0Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Web Administrator$87,588.0$101,269Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Computer User Support Specialist$33,188.0$45,745.0Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation NeededMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Data Entry Keyer$38,139.0$38,800.0Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation NeededUsually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Jobs With Strong Demand

Pay ceilings matter more when the local labor market is deep enough to generate real openings. In Jacksonville, NC, Web Administrator combines a salary of $101,269 with roughly 230 employed workers, which makes it one of the more accessible high-pay options on this list. By contrast, some specialties rank higher on salary but operate as narrower niches where openings are harder to find and entry paths are longer.

Very Deep Market
Web Administrator
$101,269
230 employed
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. in a job zone four: considerable preparation needed pathway.
Very Deep Market
Computer User Support Specialist
$45,745.0
130 employed
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. in a job zone three: medium preparation needed pathway.
Strong Market
Network and Computer Systems Administrator
$96,666.0
110 employed
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. in a job zone four: considerable preparation needed pathway.
Strong Market
Software Developer
$134,369
90 employed
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. in a job zone four: considerable preparation needed pathway.
Strong Market
Computer Systems Analyst
$107,414
90 employed
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training. in a job zone five: extensive preparation needed pathway.
Strong Market
Data Entry Keyer
$38,800.0
60 employed
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. in a job zone 1-2: very little to some preparation needed pathway.

Salary vs Employment

The highest-paying job is not always the largest market, and that distinction changes the practical calculus. Software Developer leads on salary at $134,369, while Web Administrator supports roughly 230 workers locally, a useful sanity check before committing to a long training path for a role with limited local openings.

Software DeveloperSOC 15-1252
$134K
90
Computer Systems AnalystSOC 15-1211
$107K
90
Network and Computer Systems AdministratorSOC 15-1244
$96.7K
110
Web AdministratorSOC 15-1299
$101K
230
Computer User Support SpecialistSOC 15-1232
$45.7K
130
Data Entry KeyerSOC 43-9021
$38.8K
60

How to Choose a High-Paying Job Strategically

Salary rankings are a starting point, not a decision. In Jacksonville, NC, the gap between Software Developer at $134,369 and the early-pay signal from Software Developer at $98,510.0 shows why access, market size, and training timelines belong in the same conversation as the headline number. That is where this page becomes more useful than a simple ranking list.

1
Match salary to access realistically
A high median means little if there are only a handful of openings per year. Check the employment estimate alongside the salary. A role with 230 workers in Jacksonville, NC is fundamentally easier to enter than one with a few hundred.
2
Factor in education and licensure timelines
Some of the highest-paying roles on this list sit in prep bands such as Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed and often pair that with expectations like most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.. Build that timeline into your planning before targeting the salary ceiling.
3
Separate entry pay from long-run upside
The entry proxy column in this guide gives you an early-career anchor. A role that starts at $98,510.0 and scales to $134,369 offers a very different career arc than one that starts and peaks near the same figure.
4
Check the work before chasing the pay
Compare the day-to-day work with the training path before you commit. A role can rank highly on pay and still be a poor fit if the work itself does not match the kind of problems, environment, or responsibilities you want.
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Next Pages to Read

High-pay rankings are most useful when you read them alongside the core salary guide, the career entry path, and a few nearby role comparisons. That turns this page from a ranking into a better decision route for software developer.

FAQs

These questions cover the practical parts of the ranking: how entry pay is estimated, why wage fields sometimes differ by source, and how to compare the top salary with the real size of the job market.

What is the highest-paying job in Jacksonville, NC?
Software Developer is currently the highest-paying role in this ranking at $134,369 per year in Careerclev's current salary model, built from the latest available BLS OEWS wage baseline for Jacksonville, NC.
Is the entry-level pay data directly from BLS?
Not exactly. BLS publishes wage percentiles rather than experience-level labels, so Careerclev uses the 25th percentile (or the low-end wage where available) as an entry-pay proxy. It is a transparent approximation, not a direct label.
Is Jacksonville, NC a good market for Software Developer?
Jacksonville, NC is a strong metro market for Software Developer. BLS data shows an employment estimate of 90 workers locally, with a median salary of $134,369. A deeper employment count generally points to more active hiring, which improves access alongside the pay ceiling.
How much preparation does Software Developer usually require?
Software Developer is currently tagged as job zone four: considerable preparation needed in the O*NET prep model. The most common education signal is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not., while the training path is described as employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training..
Does the top-paying job also have the most openings?
Not always. Web Administrator may support a deeper employment market than the #1 salary role, which can make it more practical for job seekers despite a lower pay ceiling.
How should I compare salary with accessibility?
Use the ranking salary, entry-pay proxy, employment estimate, and preparation path together. The best target is usually the role that balances strong pay with a realistic path in.
Can a lower-ranked job be a better target than Software Developer?
Yes. A lower-ranked role can be the better choice if it has a shorter prep path, stronger entry pay, more openings, or a work profile that fits you better than Software Developer.
Why do some high-paying roles look hard to enter?
Many top-paying roles sit behind longer training, licensing, or related-experience requirements. That is why Careerclev shows preparation signals next to salary instead of treating all high-paying jobs as equally accessible.
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Data Sources & MethodologyRankings use Careerclev salary facts built from BLS OEWS wage data and extended through Careerclev's current salary projection model where applicable. National pages use U.S. aggregate data, state pages use state-level data, and city pages use the BLS metro dataset behind the largest-city public label. Category labels are derived from BLS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) major group codes, while prep-path notes come from imported O*NET job-zone and career requirement data where available.
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