What the numbers say
The median wage for Business Operations Specialists in North Carolina was $77,090 in 2024, about 6% below the national median of $82,135. That gap is real, but it does not tell the whole story.
North Carolina's cost of living runs about 5% below the national average. After accounting for what the money actually buys, the in-state figure closes most of the distance from the national median. A dollar stretches further here than it does in states where this occupation pays closer to or above the national benchmark.
The spread across earners is wide. At the 10th percentile, workers in this category earned $46,490. At the 90th, they earned $133,730. That is nearly a 3-to-1 gap between the bottom and top of the distribution. Business Operations Specialists is a broad SOC grouping that pulls in compliance coordinators, management analysts, and project operations roles, among others. The range reflects how much title, industry, and seniority move the number. Two people with the same job code at the same company can land at very different points in that band depending on how senior they are and which sector hired them.
The average wage of $85,440 sits above the median, which means a smaller group of higher earners pulls the mean up. The median is the more useful reference for someone trying to gauge typical pay.
BLS projects average growth for this occupation nationally through 2034, at 3% over the decade. North Carolina employed about 40,580 workers in this category in 2024, a large base that tends to smooth out demand swings. Average growth at that employment scale still produces a steady number of openings each year.
Salary distribution
Where North Carolina business operations specialists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $56,410 and $103,310, with a median of $77,090.
Business Operations Specialists in North Carolina: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 16 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $77,979. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 4 | $61,622 |
| Level II — qualified | 5 | $78,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 3 | $77,979 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 2 | $109,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Business Operations Specialists in North Carolina. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme Networks Inc | Sr Business Process Analyst | 2 | $77,979 |
| Clean Energy Works | Senior Specialist, Market and Policy Innovation, Building De | 2 | $109,000 |
| GOFO, Inc. | Station Operations Specialist | 1 | $51,854 |
| Qorvo US, INC. | Sr. Sustainability Specialist | 1 | $97,718 |
| Map-Collective Inc. | Head of Product and Sustainability | 1 | $85,000 |
| The Ruby Henderson Group LLC | Real Estate Asset Manager | 1 | $68,296 |
| Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. | Sustainability Coordinator | 1 | $86,000 |
| Carolinas Football Club | Goalkeeping Program & Recreation Program Coordinator | 1 | $48,610 |
| ENCYCLE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. | Energy Analyst | 1 | $78,000 |
| AcBel (USA) Polytech, Inc. | Business Continuity Planner | 1 | $60,843 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Station Operations Specialist at GOFO, Inc.$51,854CharlotteDecided Nov 21, 2025I-200-25318-408796
- Sr. Sustainability Specialist at Qorvo US, INC.$97,718GreensboroDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25307-359901
- Sr Business Process Analyst at Extreme Networks Inc$77,979MorrisvilleWage Level IIIDecided Aug 25, 2025I-200-25230-248827
- Head of Product and Sustainability at Map-Collective Inc.$85,000RaleighWage Level IIIDecided Aug 4, 2025I-200-25209-204520
- Real Estate Asset Manager at The Ruby Henderson Group LLC$68,296RaleighWage Level IIDecided Jun 10, 2025I-203-25154-047725
- Sustainability Coordinator at Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc.$86,000CarrboroWage Level IIDecided May 30, 2025I-200-25142-009437
- Goalkeeping Program & Recreation Program Coordinator at Carolinas Football Club$48,610CorneliusWage Level IDecided May 22, 2025I-200-25135-979940
- Senior Specialist, Market and Policy Innovation, Building De at Clean Energy Works$110,000DurhamWage Level IVDecided May 6, 2025I-200-25119-917514
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Business Operations Specialists pay by experience level in North Carolina
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Business Operations Specialists in North Carolina, by industry
Median offered wage across 16 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $77,979.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Extreme Networks Inc | 5 | $77,979 |
| Professional services | GOFO, Inc. | 3 | $75,000 |
| Real estate | The Ruby Henderson Group LLC | 2 | $77,148 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Clean Energy Works | 2 | $109,000 |
| Media and entertainment | Carolinas Football Club | 1 | $48,610 |
| Education | IINFINITE POSSIBILITIES INTERNATIONAL LLC | 1 | $62,400 |
| Retail and wholesale | Belk, Inc. | 1 | $70,000 |
| Technology and software | Kyndryl | 1 | $114,444 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in North Carolina over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+3.0%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Business Operations Specialists in North Carolina?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Business Operations Specialists in North Carolina is $77,090.
- How does North Carolina compare to the national median for Business Operations Specialists?
- The North Carolina median is -6.1% versus the BLS national figure of $82,135.
- What is the salary range for Business Operations Specialists in North Carolina?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $46,490 and the 90th-percentile at $133,730, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Business Operations Specialists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 3.0% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Business Operations Specialists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.