Learn More About IT Classes in Charlotte
Charlotte, otherwise known as the Queen City, is one of the most popular cities for young professionals today. The generally centralized location (just a few short hours from either the mountains, beach, or other major cities) means there’s enough variety to keep anyone feeling balanced and satisfied. Plus, the city has a lower cost of living than most major cities in other parts of the country. Most of all, job opportunities are abundant thanks to the number of Fortune 500 and,000 companies that have settled in the region.
All this comes as no surprise—the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina shares that North Carolina has been ranked within the top three best states to do business in (for five years in a row), and cities like Charlotte are at the epicenter of this growth and job stability. The region has opportunities in a broad range of industries that require IT experts to conduct cybersecurity measures, analyze data, or maintain digital systems. As the tech industry continues to grow at a substantial rate in Charlotte, more tech-based jobs are popping up, meaning there’s room for advancement and growth at some of the most widely recognized companies in the world.
Careers and Salaries for IT Professionals in Charlotte
With a field as broad as IT, opportunities exist at every corner. Whether you want to focus on analytics or develop new products, the field has a career path for you.
| Title |
Role |
Average Salary (USD) |
|
Software Engineer |
Designs, creates, and maintains the functionality and safety of software applications. |
~$92,000 to ~$131,000/year |
|
Data Analyst |
Draws insights from data trends and provides steps to improve business practices. Often handles data management, analysis, and visualization. |
~$72,000 to ~ $102,000/year |
|
IT Security Specialist
|
Handles efforts to prevent cybersecurity attacks. Maintain security through different protocols, systems, and response plans. |
~$100,000 to ~ $146,000/year |
|
UX Designer |
Designs digital products to operate at maximum functionality, leading to a more user-friendly experience. |
~$71,000 to ~ $112,000/year |
What Are the Current Job Trends in Charlotte?
The city of Charlotte is considered one of the fastest growing in the country, having seen a 2.2% increase in population from 2023 to 2024. With all this growth, competition in the city is fierce, but there’s still enough opportunity to go around. In particular, tech jobs are becoming increasingly more widespread (and lucrative). Northeastern University reports that Charlotte is one of the best cities to find a high-paying tech job, as the area saw a 77% increase in tech workers within a five-year period back in 2016. The continued integration of tech into other industries like healthcare and finance (also strong in the region) shows that the growth shows no signs of slowing as many young professionals flock to the area.
Major Industries in Charlotte That Hire IT Professionals
Charlotte may be known for its finance and tech industries, but it’s also home to several Fortune 500 and,000 retailers and manufacturers. Continue reading to learn about these industries and some of the notable companies within the region.
Finance & FinTech
Charlotte’s finance industry is one of the biggest in the region, with many big-name companies planting roots in the region. Without well-trained IT professionals, the finance industry would suffer significant effects. Between financial systems like mobile applications and analytical measures like financial modeling, IT permeates nearly every corner of the field today. Most important are the cybersecurity pros who ensure clients' sensitive personal data and financial information are not at risk of a breach. Needless to say, to provide the consumer with the best experience and build trust, financial institutions need strong IT teams.
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Bank of America: Charlotte serves as the main headquarters for Bank of America. The company has roots in Queen City, going back to its initial creation back in 1874, but has been formally known as BOA since 1998.
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Wells Fargo: The popular banking and lending services company has an East Coast headquarters in Charlotte. It’s one of the largest employers in the city, with roughly 25,000 employees.
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Lending Tree: As one of the leading websites for generating leads and comparing different financial products and services, Lending Tree has a well-established presence in Charlotte, thanks to its headquarters in nearby Ballantyne, a small neighborhood outside of the city.
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Truist: Truist is one of the leading financial institutions in the country, with its main headquarters in Charlotte. The Truist Center headquarters is unmistakably and easily identified by its bright purple lights once nighttime rolls around.
Technology & Innovation
Much like finance, tech is incredibly strong and growing within the Queen City. Tech is at the heart of roles like Data Analyst, Software Engineer, Cybersecurity Specialist, and Web Designer, so naturally, tech companies will hire a plethora of tech roles. In this professional sphere, IT professionals maintain technical systems (like databases or software applications) and resolve any bugs or technical issues that may pop up. In addition, analysts will determine what’s needed for maximized efficiency and company growth. Moreover, security pros help maintain the integrity of any confidential data or platforms and prevent future data breaches from occurring. All in all, working in-house for a tech company allows IT pros to become more adept at their craft while simultaneously learning about the inner workings of the company.
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Duke Energy: Charlotte is seeing a rise in clean energy initiatives, which allows Duke Energy (a Fortune 500 energy company headquartered in Charlotte) to intersect with the tech industry.
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Amazon: At the beginning of 2025, the company announced it would invest more than $12 billion to expand its facilities in the Charlotte area.
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Honeywell: Honeywell moved their global headquarters to Charlotte in 2018, bringing along with it many jobs for IT, marketing, and management professionals.
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Apple: Axios reported in February of 2025 that Apple plans to expand its data center facilities in nearby Maiden, only a short drive outside of Charlotte. They plan to invest $500 billion over the next four years.
Manufacturing & Industrial Tech
In Charlotte and many of the surrounding areas, manufacturing is king. Between paper products and packaging to automotive parts and biomedical products, Charlotte has a strong manufacturing job market where IT professionals are integral to the effectiveness of the overall production. Learning skills like coding, computer-aided design (CAD), and data science subjects opens the door to numerous opportunities. As technical issues arise with software or digital systems, Software Engineers and Cybersecurity Specialists step in to ensure everything is working as intended. Data Analysts, on the other hand, identify ways the supply chain could operate more efficiently.
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Hendrick Motorsports: An automotive manufacturing company known for its connection to NASCAR and, as of March of this year, the U.S. Army. GM Defense has partnered with the company, having opened a new manufacturing facility to craft military-grade vehicles.
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Octapharma Plasma: This biotech manufacturing group is not headquartered in Charlotte but has several locations. Octapharma shares that they specialize in protein product manufacturing and help create treatments for hematology, immunotherapy, and critical care.
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Nucor: Nucor is a steel manufacturing plant with headquarters in the South Park area of the city. They are considered the largest recycler of scrap materials in the country.
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Sealed Air Corp: packaging material manufacturer with headquarters in West Charlotte. They create protective items like bubble wrap and packaging materials like paper products.
Retail & Ecommerce
Several major retailers were founded in Charlotte and helped create the strong economy that the city has today. Grocers, clothing stores, and automobiles are only scratching the surface of all the retailers in the region. The retail industry hires teams of IT specialists to maintain software, analyze consumer behavior, and design user-friendly interfaces like mobile apps and websites. Plus, IT teams keep ecommerce platforms operating smoothly. Without access to an online platform, consumers may be less likely to purchase products. With this in mind, IT is essential to the retail industry’s continued success and exposure.
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Lowe’s: Lowe’s is the largest retailer in the region. While the company has several storefronts in the area, it also has its technology and data center in the heart of Charlotte’s South End.
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Belk: The preferred department store of the South has its headquarters in Charlotte. Here, consumers can shop for anything from perfume and jewelry to shoes and professional attire.
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Food Lion: The most widely recognized grocery store in North Carolina is based in Salisbury, just a short drive outside of Charlotte.
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Sonic Automotive: This is the largest automotive retailer in the city, and where the company was originally opened. They sell cars of all kinds, from luxury to standard.