Career Tree | NC Careers.org

Career Plan Builder Landing Image NCcareers.org now offers you a personal career GPS! Map your path to success with our Career Plan Builder. This personalized platform assesses your unique skills and aspirations, providing a step-by-step roadmap to your dream career. Update your goals, track your progress, and access targeted resources - all in one place.

Sign in and start building your Career Plan now!

Start Planning

Is it too early to think about careers?

Middle and High School is the perfect time to start thinking about careers. Learn about the advantages of thinking about careers at a young age.

Why should I see my Career Development Coordinator (CDC)?

Career development and Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses help you plan and gain skills for success in your future career. Learn about CTE, Internships, and more from your CDC.

Why should I see my school counselor?

Learn about the services and assistance your school counselor provides and how they can help you with your career planning.

What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)?

Gain skills and career experience through CTE. Learn about courses, clusters, work-based learning, student organizations (CTSOs), NTHS, industry credentials, free college courses and more.

Why should I see my NC Career Coach?

Learn about how these NC Community College staff members can help.

Can I talk to a career counselor if I’m not in school?

NCWorks has programs that can help with career planning and more…

Next Step

Start building your future career today.

By Education

Use your education as a starting point in your journey. Choose a type of education and search for a program to see which occupations best match your education. Click the add education button if you want to include additional education types.

CLEAR

By Current Occupation

Use your current job or any occupation you desire as the starting point in your career journey. Type in an occupation name to learn what is next in line on your career journey.

By Goal Career

This tool can help you understand a potential pathway to a goal career. First start with your goal career. Next, add a starting education or occupation. Now start building. You'll then be presented below with jobs that have similar job skills or job duties to your dream job but typically pay less.

First Step

Your Journey Overview
Compare Occupations

Save Delete Saved Content
Start Over
Previous

Helpers- Extraction Workers

Drag and
Drop here

Helpers- Extraction Workers

Star Rating:

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$44,720

($21.50/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.9%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Choose your next step from the list below.

Sort By

View Options

Star
Rating

Education
Requirement

Median
Annual Wage

Annual
Growth Rate

Avg. Annual
Openings

Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$39,730

($19.10/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

2.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$37,940

($18.24/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.9%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

4,152

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$37,420

($17.99/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.8%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

131

Pile Driver Operators

Star Rating:

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$38,340

($18.44/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.5%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Hand Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$33,060

($15.89/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.4%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

17,604

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$39,310

($18.90/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.2%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

139

Construction Laborers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$36,310

($17.46/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

5,058

Machine Feeders and Offbearers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$35,360

($17.00/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

396

Helpers- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$31,200

($15.00/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

471

Highway Maintenance Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$39,210

($18.85/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

442

Helpers- Roofers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$32,290

($15.53/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Helpers- Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$35,280

($16.96/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

402

Helpers- Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$24,500

($11.78/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Agricultural Equipment Operators

Star Rating:

Education: No formal educational credential

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$37,840

($18.19/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.9%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

430

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$38,000

($18.27/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.8%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

166

Tree Trimmers and Pruners

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$38,390

($18.46/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.8%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

331

Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$27,980

($13.45/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

9,728

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$40,490

($19.47/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

621

Logging Equipment Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$40,510

($19.48/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.6%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

430

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$38,070

($18.30/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.5%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Helpers- Electricians

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$36,080

($17.35/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.4%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

802

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$38,440

($18.48/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.4%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

562

Helpers- Carpenters

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$35,050

($16.85/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.1%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

175

Sailors and Marine Oilers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$39,210

($18.85/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.1%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$40,050

($19.26/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

0.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Farmworkers and Laborers

Star Rating:

Education: No formal educational credential

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$29,310

($14.09/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-0.1%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

2,412

Helpers- Production Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$32,970

($15.85/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-0.3%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

1,706

Helpers- Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$33,470

($16.09/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-0.3%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

118

Median Annual Wage
Education
Experience Needed
Description

Helpers- Extraction Workers

$44,720($21.50/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

Extraction Workers Helpers support extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Their duties include supplying equipment and cleaning their work area.

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

$39,730 ($19.10/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain, into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships, using material moving equipment. They may perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products, and gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks.

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

$37,940 ($18.24/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

$37,420 ($17.99/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners cleanse and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains. They can also patch walls and partitions of tank, replace damaged drain tile, or repair breaks in underground piping.

Pile Driver Operators

$38,340 ($18.44/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Pile-driver Operators use large machines mounted on skids, barges, or cranes to hammer long, heavy beams of concrete, wood, or steel into the ground to support retaining walls, bridges, piers, or building foundations.

Hand Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers

$33,060 ($15.89/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Hand Laborers and Material Movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Some of these workers feed or remove material to or from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

$39,310 ($18.90/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators use equipment to apply concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways. They may also use equipment for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials.

Construction Laborers

$36,310 ($17.46/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Construction Laborers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.

Machine Feeders and Offbearers

$35,360 ($17.00/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Machine Feeders and Offbearers feed materials into or remove materials from machines or equipment that is automatic or tended by other workers.

Helpers- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

$31,200 ($15.00/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Worker Helpers assist installation, maintenance, and repair workers in maintenance, parts replacement, and repair of vehicles, industrial machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment. They perform duties such as furnishing tools, materials, and supplies to other workers, cleaning their work area, machines, and tools, and holding materials or tools for other workers.

Highway Maintenance Workers

$39,210 ($18.85/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Highway Maintenance Workers maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Their duties include patching broken or eroded pavement and repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. They may also mow or clear brush from along road, or plow snow from roadway.

Helpers- Roofers

$32,290 ($15.53/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Helpers--Roofers perform many tasks that require physical labor to assist roofers in their duties.

Helpers- Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

$35,280 ($16.96/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters perform many tasks that require physical labor to assist Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in their duties.

Helpers- Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

$24,500 ($11.78/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons perform many tasks that require physical labor to assist Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons in their duties.

Agricultural Equipment Operators

$37,840 ($18.19/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Agricultural Equipment Operators drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops.

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

$38,000 ($18.27/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Hazardous Materials (hazmat) Removal Workers identify and dispose of harmful substances, such as asbestos, lead, mold, and radioactive waste. They also neutralize and clean up materials that are flammable, corrosive, or toxic.

Tree Trimmers and Pruners

$38,390 ($18.46/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Tree trimmers and pruners use climbing and rigging techniques to cut away dead or excess branches to maintain the right-of-way for roads, sidewalks, or utilities. They also work to improve the health, appearance, and value of trees.

Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

$27,980 ($13.45/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Janitors and Cleaners keep many types of buildings clean, sanitary, orderly, and in good condition.

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$40,490 ($19.47/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.

Logging Equipment Operators

$40,510 ($19.48/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Logging Equipment Operators drive logging tractors or wheeled vehicles equipped with one or more accessories such as a bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack, or crane boom to carry out logging operations.

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$38,070 ($18.30/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.

Helpers- Electricians

$36,080 ($17.35/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Helpers--Electricians perform many tasks that require physical labor to assist electricians in their duties.

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$38,440 ($18.48/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Set Up, Operate, or Tend Machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating material.

Helpers- Carpenters

$35,050 ($16.85/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Helpers--Carpenters perform many tasks that require physical labor to assist carpenters in their duties.

Sailors and Marine Oilers

$39,210 ($18.85/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Sailors and Marine Oilers are important parts of a ship's crew. Sailors operate and maintain the vessel and deck equipment. They keep all parts of a ship except engine and motor areas in good working order. Marine Oilers work in the engine room and help engineers maintain the propulsion system.

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

$40,050 ($19.26/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.

Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Farmworkers and Laborers

$29,310 ($14.09/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Farmworkers and laborers maintain the quality of crops by operating machinery and doing physical labor under the supervision of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers.

Helpers- Production Workers

$32,970 ($15.85/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Production Worker Helpers provide assistance to production workers by performing duties requiring less skill. These duties can include supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

Helpers- Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters

$33,470 ($16.09/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters perform many tasks that require physical labor to assist Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters in their work.

Save