Hickory Employment

Employment and Industries in the Hickory, North Carolina Area

Hickory, North Carolina is the economic center of the Catawaba River Valley. The Hickory region includes many of the leading furniture manufacturers. It is also one of the world's major producers of fiber optic cable. Hickory is headquarters to fiber cable maker, Corning Cable Systems and telecommunications cable manufacturer CommScope.

Praise for Hickory, North Carolina: Readers Digest named the Hickory Metro the 10th best place to live and raise a family in the nation. Forbes Magazine named the MSA (Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton) the 3rd best MSA in the nation for business cost. The region has been chosen by Inc Magazine as one of the nation's top entrepreneurial areas for traditional and high-tech industries.

In Hickory, the significant job providing segments are furniture and related products, healthcare, educational services, manufacturing, accommodation and food services, electrical equipment, appliances and components; and construction. About 31% of the workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations. Approximately 25% of the workers are employed in sales and office jobs. Production, transportation and material moving occupations comprise 22% of the labor force.

Facts about Hickory, North Carolina: Regarding the adult population, 28% have achieved a bachelor's degree or higher. In 2008 the cost of living index in Hickory was at 85.7. The national average is 100. In 2009 the average salary in Hickory was $28,000.

The major employers located in the Hickory region:

Catawaba County Schools
Frye Regional Medical Center
CommScope, Inc
Merchants Distributors, Inc
Hickory Springs
Catawaba Valley Medical Center
Sherrill Furniture Co
Catawaba County
McCreary Modern
CV Industries, Inc
Shurtape Technologies, Inc
Thomasville Furniture
Newton-Conover City Schools
Pierre Foods
City of Hickory
International Legwear (Ellis)
Hickory Public Schools
Gold Toe Moretz
Ethan Allen, Inc
Vanguard Furniture

Hickory businesses may want to contact these helpful organizations:

Hickory business and industry information is provided by the Hickory Daily Record.

Most Popular Jobs in Hickory, North Carolina Metro Area (2008 data)

Where the Majority of Workers Have College Degrees

Rank	Title	Local Jobs	Local Mean Salary	Typical Local Salary	National Growth % 2006-2016	National % With College Degree
1	Registered nurses	3,330	54,620	$40,360 - 69,020	24%	56%
2	Elementary school teachers, except special education	1,860	41,450	$30,830 - 53,490	14%	95%
3	Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products	1,800	51,820	$27,090 - 82,890	8%	51%
4	Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education	710	40,470	$29,210 - 53,920	11%	95%
5	Accountants and auditors	690	57,860	$36,360 - 87,490	18%	79%
6	Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education	680	40,980	$30,850 - 53,100	6%	96%
7	Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school	630	42,130	$29,210 - 57,770	20%	87%
8	Social and human service assistants	540	28,720	$21,110 - 38,490	34%	58%
9	Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors	470	41,750	$27,990 - 51,490	14%	54%
10	Financial managers	460	83,230	$40,090 - 137,200	13%	60%
11	Industrial engineers	360	61,030	$42,220 - 84,020	20%	74%
12	Child, family, and school social workers	350	43,330	$34,100 - 54,470	19%	77%
13	Sales managers	330	103,430	$47,340 -	10%	69%
14	Pharmacists	320	110,470	$87,780 - 135,900	22%	97%
15	Education administrators, elementary and secondary school	270	65,860	$47,720 - 88,690	8%	78%
16	Mental health counselors	260	44,140	$33,110 - 60,100	30%	73%
17	Medical and health services managers	230	76,860	$53,540 - 109,540	16%	57%
18	Medical and clinical laboratory technicians	210	32,680	$22,450 - 44,400	15%	51%
19	Educational, vocational, and school counselors	210	46,350	$33,710 - 61,850	13%	73%
20	Mental health and substance abuse social workers	200	41,860	$33,040 - 52,590	30%	77%
21	Graphic designers	200	38,650	$23,330 - 59,490	10%	55%
22	Mechanical engineers	190	63,430	$46,050 - 82,200	4%	78%
23	Network and computer systems administrators	170	60,970	$41,090 - 86,590	27%	50%
24	Market research analysts	170	66,800	$33,540 - 108,810	20%	82%
25	Teachers and instructors, all other	170	34,160	$17,010 - 59,910	9%	54%
26	Vocational education teachers, secondary school	160	44,730	$31,060 - 56,670	0%	96%
27	Librarians	160	45,560	$36,170 - 56,070	4%	85%
28	Lawyers	160	99,450	$56,410 -	11%	99%
29	Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists	160	42,180	$25,930 - 69,600	18%	56%
30	Computer programmers	150	64,060	$38,640 - 86,290	0%	73%
31	Computer and information systems managers	150	93,290	$51,420 - 149,270	16%	73%
32	Engineering managers	150	84,800	$39,690 - 126,190	7%	84%
33	Instructional coordinators	140	56,590	$38,840 - 86,100	23%	79%
34	Managers, all other	140	75,700	$45,580 - 118,630	7%	55%
35	Marketing managers	130	106,880	$56,740 - 164,620	14%	69%
36	Special education teachers, secondary school	130	45,990	$32,640 - 62,900	9%	87%
37	Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products	130	56,450	$32,510 - 94,140	12%	51%
38	Education administrators, postsecondary	130	66,570	$42,920 - 98,930	14%	78%
39	Community and social service specialists, all other	120	37,910	$25,650 - 50,600	25%	58%
40	Computer systems analysts	120	58,030	$31,970 - 100,870	29%	68%
41	Physician assistants	120	81,630	$64,850 - 102,350	27%	67%
42	Chief executives	120	172,030	$88,170 -	2%	65%
43	Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists	110	38,020	$33,180 - 46,130	11%	58%
44	Medical and clinical laboratory technologists	110	51,460	$38,670 - 65,710	12%	51%
45	Advertising sales agents	110	40,630	$24,980 - 60,600	20%	56%
46	Detectives and criminal investigators	110	41,600	$29,150 - 59,800	17%	54%
47	Social and community service managers	100	50,960	$29,060 - 83,210	25%	72%
48	Occupational therapists	100	63,120	$44,300 - 85,230	23%	90%
49	Physical therapists	100	74,000	$55,270 - 103,330	27%	89%
50	Training and development specialists	100	44,360	$30,080 - 62,570	18%	56%
51	Self-enrichment education teachers	100	43,410	$22,110 - 69,330	23%	54%
52	Medical and public health social workers	100	43,640	$31,760 - 59,700	24%	77%
53	Purchasing managers	100	80,710	$46,130 - 130,400	3%	57%
54	Coaches and scouts	100	26,560	$16,210 - 37,490	15%	60%
55	Rehabilitation counselors	90	40,130	$28,010 - 70,320	23%	73%
56	Management analysts	90		$ -	22%	78%
57	Personal financial advisors	90	70,450	$37,140 - 109,110	41%	81%
58	Computer software engineers, applications	90	67,310	$51,700 - 89,000	45%	85%
59	Speech-language pathologists	90	60,570	$39,500 - 98,860	11%	98%
60	Public relations specialists	90	42,260	$27,410 - 60,280	18%	81%
61	Special education teachers, middle school	80	40,050	$29,540 - 54,070	16%	87%
62	Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents	70	91,740	$41,700 -	25%	67%
63	Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation	70	45,680	$30,740 - 66,320	5%	58%
64	Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists	70	49,680	$35,060 - 66,920	18%	56%
65	Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other	70	34,540	$24,650 - 48,780	15%	72%
66	Floral designers	70	20,830	$14,080 - 30,210	0%	55%
67	Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other	60	49,180	$28,960 - 69,120	17%	56%
68	Civil engineers	60	65,720	$37,800 - 99,910	18%	87%
69	Dietitians and nutritionists	50	46,210	$33,920 - 63,860	9%	72%
70	Electrical engineers	50	71,650	$53,480 - 93,900	6%	81%
71	Network systems and data communications analysts	50	56,540	$35,030 - 81,100	53%	57%
72	Financial analysts	50	66,950	$50,700 - 82,700	34%	87%
73	Education administrators, preschool and child care center/program	40	41,530	$29,190 - 52,000	24%	78%
74	Craft artists	40	30,910	$16,190 - 45,380	8%	58%
75	Financial specialists, all other	40	51,230	$29,360 - 84,750	12%	50%
76	Vocational education teachers, middle school	40	39,920	$28,530 - 52,740	0%	95%
77	Electronics engineers, except computer	40	71,590	$48,220 - 99,900	4%	81%
78	Computer software engineers, systems software	40	84,110	$50,680 - 126,800	28%	85%
79	Commercial and industrial designers	40	73,820	$33,550 -	7%	55%
80	Urban and regional planners	40	48,320	$35,200 - 64,700	15%	92%
81	Veterinarians	30	115,960	$60,330 -	35%	100%
82	Commercial pilots	30	58,470	$27,440 - 99,820	13%	74%
83	Database administrators	30	59,090	$37,580 - 86,140	29%	72%

Where the Majority of Workers Do Not Have College Degrees

Rank	Title	Local Jobs	Local Mean Salary	Typical Local Salary	National Growth % 2006-2016	National % With College Degree
1	Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food	5,080	16,280	$13,530 - 20,720	18%	5%
2	Home health aides	5,070	21,750	$16,320 - 27,730	49%	7%
3	Retail salespersons	4,670	23,720	$14,570 - 37,610	12%	25%
4	Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	4,660	24,550	$17,220 - 32,560	2%	5%
5	Team assemblers	4,230	25,910	$17,600 - 37,140	0%	5%
6	Cashiers	4,020	17,030	$13,620 - 21,800	-2%	10%
7	Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	3,930	44,050	$28,460 - 60,820	10%	4%
8	Upholsterers	2,820	38,230	$26,180 - 52,110	-8%	0%
9	Helpers--production workers	2,620	25,290	$17,690 - 35,360	0%	4%
10	Sewing machine operators	2,590	29,550	$18,820 - 40,590	-26%	5%
11	First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	2,180	44,630	$28,770 - 64,280	-4%	15%
12	Waiters and waitresses	2,170	17,250	$13,700 - 23,580	11%	14%
13	Office clerks, general	2,060	24,250	$15,380 - 33,420	13%	19%
14	General and operations managers	1,970	103,940	$48,460 -	2%	48%
15	Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive	1,970	27,460	$19,090 - 37,030	1%	18%
16	Customer service representatives	1,850	29,800	$19,700 - 40,930	25%	22%
17	Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners	1,790	20,960	$15,010 - 26,750	15%	4%
18	Teacher assistants	1,770	20,090	$16,640 - 24,690	10%	18%
19	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks	1,750	30,760	$20,890 - 43,060	13%	16%
20	Maintenance and repair workers, general	1,730	34,550	$22,470 - 48,380	10%	6%
21	Stock clerks and order fillers	1,730	21,150	$14,380 - 30,800	-7%	8%
22	First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers	1,650	36,270	$20,430 - 60,070	4%	25%
23	Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks	1,470	26,700	$19,010 - 34,420	4%	6%
24	Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers	1,450	28,120	$19,210 - 38,550	-6%	14%
25	Packers and packagers, hand	1,390	22,860	$15,900 - 34,050	-11%	3%
26	Food preparation workers	1,280	19,280	$14,250 - 24,250	15%	7%
27	First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	1,250	41,060	$26,800 - 60,510	6%	29%
28	Furniture finishers	1,220	27,710	$21,150 - 35,960	-2%	0%
29	First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers	1,200	27,480	$17,730 - 40,970	11%	14%
30	Truck drivers, light or delivery services	1,200	29,080	$19,390 - 41,920	8%	4%
31	Receptionists and information clerks	1,130	23,270	$16,750 - 31,000	17%	13%
32	Executive secretaries and administrative assistants	1,120	36,360	$25,900 - 49,810	15%	18%
33	Correctional officers and jailers	1,120	29,850	$25,860 - 36,420	17%	11%
34	Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders	1,120	27,370	$20,890 - 33,730	-12%	4%
35	Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing	1,080	26,210	$18,310 - 34,230	6%	0%
36	Industrial truck and tractor operators	970	28,600	$20,600 - 37,920	-1%	2%
37	Cutters and trimmers, hand	940	32,780	$22,440 - 47,170	-5%	3%
38	Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants	930	22,350	$16,770 - 30,050	18%	7%
39	Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	900			-6%	0%
40	Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders	880	22,900	$16,860 - 30,210	-23%	0%
41	Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters	850	26,850	$17,550 - 36,640	3%	4%
42	Cooks, restaurant	790	18,570	$13,840 - 24,950	12%	5%
43	Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	780	40,950	$30,680 - 51,530	14%	7%
44	Maids and housekeeping cleaners	730	18,530	$14,140 - 24,830	13%	5%
45	Police and sheriff's patrol officers	730	35,770	$27,090 - 50,730	11%	33%
46	Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders	700	23,120	$18,840 - 29,800	-29%	0%
47	Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	680	21,770	$16,760 - 29,720	18%	6%
48	Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders	650	24,800	$16,420 - 31,690	-4%	5%
49	Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders	650	26,020	$20,490 - 31,610	-30%	0%
50	Personal and home care aides	640	17,740	$14,850 - 20,300	51%	10%
51	Child care workers	630	19,260	$14,930 - 24,940	18%	15%
52	First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers	610	45,240	$29,830 - 63,560	9%	10%
53	Billing and posting clerks and machine operators	600	28,600	$21,500 - 38,460	4%	15%
54	Bus drivers, school	580	25,240	$20,960 - 31,080	9%	4%
55	Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	570	23,980	$17,320 - 32,070	-14%	0%
56	Security guards	560	21,440	$13,900 - 37,040	17%	13%
57	Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood	550	26,490	$20,770 - 33,550	4%	0%
58	Production, planning, and expediting clerks	550	34,700	$23,890 - 49,890	4%	30%
59	Medical assistants	540	28,120	$22,190 - 34,630	35%	10%
60	Construction laborers	540	27,890	$17,910 - 40,200	11%	5%
61	Machinists	540	31,810	$20,170 - 44,150	-2%	3%
62	Automotive service technicians and mechanics	520	32,870	$20,220 - 49,590	14%	4%
63	Industrial machinery mechanics	520	35,220	$26,010 - 48,110	9%	5%
64	Pharmacy technicians	500	25,880	$17,010 - 35,830	32%	16%
65	Tellers	490	23,400	$19,120 - 28,920	14%	16%
66	Preschool teachers, except special education	490	22,470	$16,160 - 32,910	26%	43%
67	Industrial production managers	490	72,880	$44,220 - 109,560	-5%	43%
68	Carpenters	480	32,820	$25,560 - 40,960	10%	6%
69	Fire fighters	480	27,450	$16,730 - 39,850	12%	18%
70	First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	470	53,660	$35,810 - 76,440	7%	13%
71	Cleaners of vehicles and equipment	460	23,950	$14,380 - 36,150	14%	3%
72	Driver/sales workers	450	30,160	$14,720 - 47,890	-4%	4%
73	Electricians	440	32,280	$22,330 - 42,290	7%	7%
74	First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand	440	38,640	$26,090 - 56,110	13%	17%
75	Machine feeders and offbearers	430	24,000	$18,120 - 31,780	-14%	0%
76	Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators	430	31,680	$23,860 - 39,520	8%	3%
77	Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders	430	25,890	$17,710 - 36,530	-8%	3%
78	Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders	400	30,840	$21,520 - 42,380	-26%	0%
79	Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders	400	27,130	$21,030 - 32,800	-4%	4%
80	Dental assistants	390	33,460	$26,830 - 42,490	29%	9%
81	First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators	390	52,230	$34,290 - 73,600	10%	17%
82	Postal service mail carriers	390			1%	11%
83	Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers	390	29,180	$20,710 - 39,610	5%	2%
84	Business operations specialists, all other	370	62,340	$32,440 - 101,620	21%	49%
85	Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop	330	16,620	$13,680 - 19,900	10%	17%
86	Counter and rental clerks	330	21,250	$13,790 - 34,450	23%	16%
87	Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	330	29,750	$24,870 - 33,890	-29%	0%
88	Kindergarten teachers, except special education	320	37,010	$27,490 - 51,340	16%	43%
89	Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	310	28,820	$22,000 - 35,230	0%	3%
90	Computer support specialists	310	41,110	$23,360 - 62,810	13%	43%
91	Cooks, institution and cafeteria	310	21,220	$15,340 - 26,910	11%	5%
92	Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products	310	46,910	$29,440 - 68,700	0%	42%
93	Order clerks	310	28,240	$18,610 - 38,220	-23%	16%
94	Emergency medical technicians and paramedics	310	30,580	$17,430 - 42,520	19%	14%
95	Healthcare support workers, all other	300	25,010	$19,280 - 31,900	16%	10%
96	Dishwashers	300	17,040	$13,910 - 20,690	10%	3%
97	Radiologic technologists and technicians	300	46,420	$28,370 - 64,790	15%	25%
98	Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	300	34,490	$27,380 - 41,270	-22%	0%
99	Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	290	37,460	$26,920 - 49,790	12%	3%
100	Sales representatives, services, all other	290	56,930	$30,740 - 99,960	28%	48%

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Jobs More Common Near Hickory Than Most Other Cities

* Average job popularity for metro areas = 1.0

Title	Mean Local Salary	Local Jobs	Pop. vs. Avg.*
Patternmakers, wood	29,310	100	366.6
Upholsterers	38,230	2,820	104.4
Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders	23,120	700	78.1
Furniture finishers	27,710	1,220	73.8
Fabric and apparel patternmakers	36,110	230	54.7
Cutters and trimmers, hand	32,780	940	53.6
Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders	22,900	880	41.1
Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders	26,020	650	33.2
Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders	30,840	400	28.8
Cementing and gluing machine operators and tenders	25,030	290	24
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood	26,490	550	20.8
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing	26,210	1,080	17.3
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	29,750	330	17.3
Sewing machine operators	29,550	2,590	16.8
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders	27,370	1,120	11.5
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic		900	11
Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors	41,750	470	8
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters	26,850	850	6.9
Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders	25,890	430	6.6
Painting, coating, and decorating workers	25,140	170	6.2
Grinding and polishing workers, hand	24,740	200	5.9
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	34,490	300	5.8
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	30,770	110	5.8
Helpers--production workers	25,290	2,620	5.1
Home health aides	21,750	5,070	5
Correctional officers and jailers	29,850	1,120	4.9
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	28,340	110	4.2
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	28,820	310	3.9
Machine feeders and offbearers	24,000	430	3.7
Team assemblers	25,910	4,230	3.6
Slaughterers and meat packers	16,980	100	3.5
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders	32,410	140	3.5
Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials	20,280	230	3.5
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	44,630	2,180	3
Industrial production managers	72,880	490	2.8
Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders	27,130	400	2.8
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers	28,120	1,450	2.8
Glaziers	29,950	120	2.8
Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders	27,550	180	2.8
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders	33,260	250	2.7
Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school	42,130	630	2.6
Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers	18,140	200	2.6
Job printers	39,510	100	2.5
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	23,980	570	2.3
Eligibility interviewers, government programs	31,300	210	2.3
Mental health counselors	44,140	260	2.3
Maintenance workers, machinery	34,040	160	2.2
Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping	24,570	160	2.2
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	44,050	3,930	2.1
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists	38,020	110	2.1

Work Paying Relatively Well in the Hickory, North Carolina Metro Area (2008 data)

* Average Salary Index for metro areas = 1.0

Title	Mean Local Salary	Salary Index *	Local Jobs
Sewing machine operators	29,550	1.31	2,590
Cutters and trimmers, hand	32,780	1.28	940
Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders	30,840	1.24	400
Upholsterers	38,230	1.24	2,820
Family and general practitioners	195,690	1.19	220
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	44,050	1.17	3,930
Driver/sales workers	30,160	1.15	450
Chief executives	172,030	1.14	120
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment	23,950	1.14	460
Market research analysts	66,800	1.14	170
Bakers	26,980	1.12	140
Packers and packagers, hand	22,860	1.12	1,390
Sales representatives, services, all other	56,930	1.1	290
First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers	76,500	1.1	210
Mental health counselors	44,140	1.08	260
Vocational education teachers, postsecondary	52,550	1.08	200
General and operations managers	103,940	1.08	1,970
Helpers--production workers	25,290	1.07	2,620
Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance	37,080	1.07	140
Child, family, and school social workers	43,330	1.07	350
Business operations specialists, all other	62,340	1.06	370
Pharmacists	110,470	1.05	320
Sales managers	103,430	1.05	330
Mental health and substance abuse social workers	41,860	1.05	200
Marketing managers	106,880	1.05	130
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	30,660	1.04	180
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders	33,260	1.04	250
Dental assistants	33,460	1.04	390
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	40,950	1.03	780
Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials	20,280	1.02	230
Home health aides	21,750	1.02	5,070
Surgical technologists	39,790	1.02	110
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	24,550	1.02	4,660
Recreation workers	24,550	1.02	170
Insurance claims and policy processing clerks	33,650	1.02	170
Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers	37,640	1.01	120
Social and human service assistants	28,720	1.01	540
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	34,490	1.01	300
Fabric and apparel patternmakers	36,110	1.01	230
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers	24,970	1.01	110
Maintenance and repair workers, general	34,550	1.01	1,730
First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators	52,230	1.01	390
Order clerks	28,240	1	310
Customer service representatives	29,800	1	1,850
Truck drivers, light or delivery services	29,080	1	1,200
Food preparation workers	19,280	1	1,280
Medical assistants	28,120	1	540
Physician assistants	81,630	1	120
Child care workers	19,260	1	630
Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders	26,020	1	650

Highest Paying Jobs in Hickory, North Carolina Metro Area (2008 data)

Title	Mean Local Salary	Local Jobs
Obstetricians and gynecologists	199,650	60
Family and general practitioners	195,690	220
Chief executives	172,030	120
Dentists, general	161,410
Psychiatrists	154,360
Veterinarians	115,960	30
Pharmacists	110,470	320
Marketing managers	106,880	130
General and operations managers	103,940	1,970
Sales managers	103,430	330
Lawyers	99,450	160
Computer and information systems managers	93,290	150
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents	91,740	70
Engineering managers	84,800	150
Funeral directors	84,220
Computer software engineers, systems software	84,110	40
Construction managers	83,670	200
Financial managers	83,230	460
Physician assistants	81,630	120
Purchasing managers	80,710	100
Medical and health services managers	76,860	230
First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers	76,500	210
Managers, all other	75,700	140
Physical therapists	74,000	100
Commercial and industrial designers	73,820	40
Industrial production managers	72,880	490
Electrical engineers	71,650	50
Electronics engineers, except computer	71,590	40
Personal financial advisors	70,450	90
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers	69,130	140
Computer software engineers, applications	67,310	90
Financial analysts	66,950	50
Market research analysts	66,800	170
Education administrators, postsecondary	66,570	130
Education administrators, elementary and secondary school	65,860	270
Civil engineers	65,720	60
Administrative services managers	64,670	110
Computer programmers	64,060	150
Business teachers, postsecondary	63,660	80
Mechanical engineers	63,430	190
Occupational therapists	63,120	100
Business operations specialists, all other	62,340	370
Industrial engineers	61,030	360
Network and computer systems administrators	60,970	170
Speech-language pathologists	60,570	90
Dental hygienists	59,840
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary	59,700	70
Database administrators	59,090	30
Sociology teachers, postsecondary	59,000	30
Power plant operators	58,750

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