Firm counts, employment, and wages for 40 small-business-typical industries reported in North Carolina by the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Click any industry for a national comparison.
Sorted by establishment count. Location quotient (LQ) compares North Carolina's industry concentration to the national average — LQ > 1 means denser than national; LQ < 1 means thinner.
| Industry | Firms | Employment | Avg Pay | LQ | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 9,354 | 178,857 | $26,016 | 1.13 | -1.5% |
| Quick-service restaurants | 8,816 | 171,013 | $21,186 | 1.06 | +2.1% |
| Offices of lawyers | 5,406 | 27,208 | $104,320 | 0.92 | +0.1% |
| Landscaping services | 4,950 | 33,681 | $47,035 | 1.29 | -2.2% |
| Plumbing, heating & AC contractors | 4,797 | 48,441 | $68,912 | 1.25 | +0.1% |
| Gas stations with convenience stores | 4,327 | 29,856 | $29,410 | 1.37 | -1.7% |
| Electrical contractors | 4,143 | 36,314 | $70,472 | 1.34 | +0.2% |
| Portfolio management & investment advice | 3,991 | 16,247 | $188,787 | 1.45 | -0.6% |
| Dental practices | 3,951 | 34,389 | $71,061 | 0.93 | +2.8% |
| Engineering services | 3,540 | 35,857 | $107,996 | 1.14 | +2.2% |
| Janitorial services | 3,173 | 31,298 | $30,549 | 1.22 | -1.8% |
| General auto repair | 3,160 | 14,457 | $54,177 | 1.18 | -1.7% |
| Other general-merchandise retailers | 3,105 | 0 | $0 | 1.55 | +6.1% |
| Child day care | 2,659 | 31,961 | $31,097 | 1.08 | +0.0% |
| Beauty salons | 2,386 | 9,493 | $37,079 | 0.98 | -1.4% |
| CPA offices | 2,361 | 16,233 | $106,899 | 1.20 | +1.2% |
| Other accounting services | 2,142 | 5,468 | $72,092 | 0.96 | +8.3% |
| Supermarkets & grocery | 2,000 | 95,983 | $28,107 | 1.09 | +1.5% |
| Fitness & recreational sports centers | 1,741 | 26,782 | $17,804 | 1.24 | -1.9% |
| Physical therapists | 1,670 | 15,335 | $50,828 | 1.03 | +3.7% |
| Veterinary services | 1,365 | 17,940 | $52,861 | 1.22 | +4.7% |
| Chiropractors | 1,119 | 4,086 | $46,172 | 0.91 | +0.0% |
| Other health practitioners | 1,110 | 4,327 | $63,026 | 0.91 | +7.6% |
| Auto body & paint | 1,110 | 7,866 | $65,053 | 1.00 | -2.5% |
| Pet care (except veterinary) | 1,092 | 7,521 | $28,669 | 1.29 | +2.8% |
| Drinking places (bars) | 1,042 | 9,135 | $25,226 | 0.78 | +3.8% |
| Roofing contractors | 1,005 | 6,271 | $79,126 | 1.02 | +1.1% |
| Convenience retailers | 740 | 2,748 | $26,602 | 0.67 | -2.5% |
| All other miscellaneous retailers | 668 | 3,498 | $47,773 | 0.64 | -6.7% |
| Optometrists | 656 | 5,737 | $60,178 | 0.98 | -1.9% |
| Book retailers & news dealers | 610 | 3,290 | $35,183 | 2.49 | -21.4% |
| Religious organizations | 523 | 3,377 | $40,719 | 0.64 | -1.9% |
| Motor-vehicle parts wholesale | 506 | 4,320 | $71,180 | 1.09 | -0.2% |
| Drycleaning & laundry | 463 | 2,704 | $27,947 | 1.00 | -6.8% |
| Florists | 395 | 1,475 | $26,765 | 1.04 | -1.0% |
| Other similar organizations | 284 | 2,069 | $55,125 | 0.59 | +2.5% |
| Auto glass replacement | 247 | 1,402 | $55,075 | 1.10 | +5.6% |
| Barber shops | 224 | 916 | $42,484 | 0.87 | +0.9% |
| All other auto repair & maintenance | 154 | 604 | $55,284 | 0.65 | +8.5% |
| Parking lots & garages | 122 | 2,427 | $30,085 | 0.50 | -0.8% |