Agriculture, manufacturing, and banking and finance are the dominant industries in the North Carolina economy. The 7,000-acre Research Triangle Park, the largest research park in the U.S., is a renowned focal point for high-tech North Carolina jobs; over 150 companies and organizations operate in the RTP, employing upwards of 40,000 people. Textile, furniture and tobacco production are a few of the major industrial subsectors creating jobs in North Carolina, though employment in all three areas has declined or diversified in recent years.

Charlotte, the largest city in NC, is now second only to New York City as a U.S. banking and finance capital; Bank of America and Wachovia are headquartered there. Fortune 500 corporations such as SPX and Goodrich create jobs in Charlotte, NC in the high-tech and defense fields. Shipping and distribution is a primary source of jobs in Raleigh, NC, the state capital. Its proximity to the Research Triangle has benefited high-tech employment in Raleigh. A diverse manufacturing sector has helped to create jobs in Greensboro, North Carolina. Along with Burlington, High Point and Winston-Salem, Greensboro forms the Piedmont Triad, a major metro area and manufacturing and high-tech hub in northwest NC.