2024: A Strong Year for New Jobs and Investment in North Carolina

The State of North Carolina announced 16,956 new jobs in the state in 2024, representing 218 business recruitment, expansion or rural development projects that engaged with the North Carolina Department of Commerce or its team at the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. in 2024.  These projects will bring $15.2 billion of capital investment into the state.

"Thanks to our talented workforce and our robust business environment, North Carolina is a top state for work and business," said Governor Josh Stein. "As Governor, I will continue to invest in our economic development and ensure that these opportunities reach all corners of our state."

The 2024 performance tops 2023’s announcements of 14,114 jobs and $12.9 billion of capital investment.  In July, CNBC ranked North Carolina second in its Top States for Business review, the fifth year in a row the state has ranked in one of the top three positions in the network’s analysis of the best states to do business in the United States (North Carolina ranked first in both 2022 and 2023).

“North Carolina’s economic development team continues to perform at the highest level as the most dynamic companies from around the world recognize us as a top state for business,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. "We'll continue to bring great jobs for all North Carolinians while focusing our attention on building back stronger than ever in Western North Carolina. I am excited to get to work with this great team.”

• Natron Energy’s selection of Edgecombe County and the Kingsboro Megasite for the first sodium-ion battery gigafactory in the United States, which will create 1,062 jobs;
• Novo Nordisk’s decision to expand its manufacturing operations in Johnston County, creating 1,000 jobs;
• Boviet Solar’s choice of Pitt County for a major solar panel manufacturing facility, creating 908 jobs;
• Ross Stores' choice of Randolph County for a Southeast region distribution center, creating 852 jobs;
• FUJIFILM Diosynth’s choice to expand its new Wake County biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, creating an additional 680 jobs.

Significant projects in the state’s Tier 1 or Tier 2 counties, in addition to the Natron Energy, Boviet Solar, and Ross Stores projects include:

• Johnson & Johnson’s (Janssen Biotech) decision to invest $2 billion in Wilson County to build a new pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in the City of Wilson, creating 420 jobs;
• SCHOTT Pharma USA’s selection of Wilson County for a new production facility, creating 401 new jobs;
• American Titanium Metal’s selection of Cumberland County for a new manufacturing facility to produce aerospace-grade titanium, creating 304 jobs in Fayetteville; 
• Amrep Manufacturing Company’s selection of Rowan County for an expansion, creating 170 jobs to produce front-load and side-load trucks for waste collection; 
• Kyowa Kirin’s selection of Lee County for the Japanese company’s first North American pharmaceutical manufacturing operation, creating 102 jobs in Sanford.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce serves as the state’s lead agency for community, workforce, and economic development.  A searchable directory of all the programs and services offered by the department is available at commerce.nc.gov/directory.