Corning's 414 Wilmington Jobs Would Average $77,000 to $132,000 by Role

Corning will invest $585 million at its Wilmington campus, where it will add 414 jobs to a local workforce of about 1,000, in an expansion made public Wednesday, Oct. 21. The new jobs will be added over the next five years, with average salaries exceeding $85,000 annually, and they would include production, maintenance and engineering roles. The announcement came after New Hanover approved a $3 million grant Oct. 19, and Wilmington signed on for $2 million Oct. 20. For Metaintro readers in the Cape Fear region, this guide sets out what the jobs pay, what the yearly incentive targets say, how the grants hold Corning to its numbers, and which training route already leads into the plant.

What Is Corning Building in Wilmington?

The project will increase the company’s local workforce at its existing Wilmington plant. Corning has grown its site here into one of the world's largest optical fiber manufacturing plants, and the money goes into the Wilmington optical fiber manufacturing facility the company already runs. The spending covers the acquisition of property, plant and equipment amounting to $585 million over a five-year period.

During its confidential phase the site search was called Project Pearl 2, and it will supply fiber for next-generation networks and support long-term customer agreements. The expansion was considered alongside other potential locations before Corning selected Wilmington, and Scott Satterfield, CEO of Wilmington Business Development, confirmed Corning had considered South Carolina, Texas, India and China. A company spokesperson said Wilmington was ultimately selected for this expansion based on its access to water, energy, transportation infrastructure and an international airport, as well as its workforce and the community's record of partnership with Corning.

Corning's optical communications division is leading the Wilmington expansion. A Corning spokesperson said the plans support the optimization of Corning’s current footprint in Wilmington and is expected to come online in phases, with the full capacity ramp extending over the next several years.

We’re proud to expand our presence in Wilmington, where Corning made history with the world’s first optical fiber manufacturing plant and where our people continue to make the fiber that is critical to next-generation networks, John McGirr, senior vice president and general manager of Corning Optical Fiber and Cable, said, according to the Wilmington Business Development announcement.

What Will the New Corning Jobs Pay?

The incentive target is 414 new jobs with an average salary of at least $85,080, and the five-year period could begin as soon as 2027. Corning's announcement gives average salaries exceeding $85,000 annually, set against a New Hanover County overall average wage of about $70,000 per year, a figure the announcement credits to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The new jobs carry salaries 21% higher than the area average, to be roughly $41 an hour, New Hanover County Chief Financial Officer Eric Credle told commissioners. His breakdown was:

• Support engineers averaging $132,000
• Salaried engineers at $119,000
• Around 339 production and maintenance employees at $77,000

Once its hiring is complete, the expansion will produce a payroll impact of more than $35 million per year for the Greater Wilmington Region.

When Will the New Corning Jobs Arrive?

Corning has not announced when individual positions will become available. The company did break down annual jobs and investments it would bring between 2027 and 2031, and city documents set the first target, under which the company would need to create 16 jobs and invest $50.5 million in 2027 to qualify for that year's maximum city payment of $400,000.

Satterfield said Corning is prioritizing the use of local construction companies and support services for the expansion.

Which Roles Is Corning Adding, and Who Will It Hire?

The new positions would include production, maintenance and engineering roles. Under the county agreement, the jobs must be full-time, located in the Wilmington area, and maintained through 2031.

Credle told commissioners that the proposed roles include 15 support engineers, 60 salaried engineers and 339 production and maintenance employees.

Local hiring is encouraged rather than required. Commissioners and council members asked whether the jobs would target locals, and Satterfield noted that while they can't mandate them to hire locally, a suggestion is there to make a reasonable effort. He added that Wilmington Business Development is working with the Cape Fear Community College for job training in these industries.

What Is the Corning Technician Pipeline at Cape Fear Community College?

Corning collaborates with Cape Fear Community College on the Corning Technician Pipeline Program, a two-year apprenticeship that produced its first class of graduates in May 2023.

As of May 2023, the program collaborates with Corning and six North Carolina community colleges, including CFCC, and gives students hands-on work experience while they attend school. At that time, Corning paid 100 % of the tuition, books, and fees for the associate degree in Mechatronics, and graduates were guaranteed a full-time position with Corning.

The first graduate's path shows how it works in practice. In the college's Mechatronics Engineering Technology program he was introduced to the pipeline and applied. He had been an intern at Corning Incorporated for the past two years, and planned to join the Corning Optical Communications plant in Wilmington as a full-time employee after graduation. His favourite class was the Programmable Logic Controller Class. This class taught me a lot about machine programming in the industrial setting, he said.

In April 2026 Cape Fear Community College received a $3 million investment from The Endowment to launch the Cape Fear for Careers New Hanover County Apprenticeship Accelerator. Cape Fear Community College currently supports over 250 active apprentices and partners with more than 123 local and regional businesses, it said in that April 2026 announcement.

How Do the City and County Incentives Work?

County commissioners approved $3 million Monday, while City Council unanimously approved $2 million Tuesday, and the incentives are tied to job creation and investment requirements.

Under the county agreement, Corning must hit job creation and investment targets to be eligible for the annual incentive payments of up to $600,000. On the city side, the company would need to create 16 jobs and invest $50.5 million in 2027 to qualify for that year’s maximum city payment of $400,000. The city's deal provides a maximum of $2 million, up to $400,000 annually for five years, with similar requirements to the county's.

Satterfield urged commissioners to treat the grant as performance-based, saying the parameters have to be met before any payment would be made to the company. If Corning misses a target, the incentive would be reduced proportionally, Wilmington Chief of Staff Dennis LaCaria said, and if the entity fails, then there are recapture provisions in the agreement. Credle predicted that cumulative increased property tax from the expansion would exceed the county’s total overall investment of $3 million by the end of the 4th year.

City staff are weighting the jobs more than investment in facilities, LaCaria said, and the city and county will independently assess the data and certify it together. Council member Salette Andrews asked how staff would measure jobs, wages and performances, as well as verify retention, distinguish replacement hires and transfers.

We believe that’s really what matters, is getting people connected to opportunity, Wilmington Chief of Staff Dennis LaCaria said, according to the Port City Daily report on the votes.

The $585-million investment is the largest incentive deal the county has been a part of to date, according to the county’s financial officer, Credle. Wilmington’s City Council and the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners approved the incentive package, and the announcement names no state grant.

Why Is Corning Expanding Fiber Output Now?

Growth in Corning's Optical Communications business is being driven by fiber demand from AI network operators and telecommunications networks, the company's announcement says, and the investment will support growing demand for optical fiber used in artificial intelligence infrastructure and telecommunications networks.

The firm struck four multibillion-dollar deals this year with tech leaders Amazon, Meta, AT&T and NVIDIA, supplying optical fiber and expanding its manufacturing footprint in North Carolina. In January, Meta Platforms unveiled a $6 billion multi-year fiber-optic supply agreement with Corning, with Corning set to increase capacity at its Hickory, North Carolina, facility under the deal.

With the Meta deal, Corning will add up to 20% more workers in the state, including scientists, engineers and production teams. The Meta pledge named sites in Hickory and Durham, while the Wilmington expansion is where Corning will add 414 jobs. Hyundai Transys's hybrid powertrain plan in West Point, Georgia also left its hiring start date open.

How Long Has Corning Been in Wilmington?

Corning opened its first Wilmington plant in 1966 after being recruited by Wilmington Industrial Development, the Committee of 100, now known as Wilmington Business Development. The site initially manufactured electric resistors used in televisions and household appliances.

In 1970, Corning engineers invented the first low-loss optical fiber. The company later became a pioneer in optical fiber technology, with its Wilmington operation becoming the world’s first optical fiber manufacturing plant.

Corning, founded in 1851, is headquartered in New York and employs more than 70,000 people worldwide. Locally, Corning is one of the largest taxpayers and employers in the county, in Credle's words to commissioners. The company also invests in STEM education, and the Wilmington plant has hosted field trips for area schools, and it takes part in the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce's Career Leadership Academy, talking with students about jobs in engineering and manufacturing in grades seven through ten.

What Do Local Leaders Say About the Expansion?

County Board Chair LeAnn Pierce tied the grant to the paychecks, saying this expansion means 414 new jobs at an average wage of more than $85,000 and that the grant is tied to those jobs and that investment.

Mayor Bill Saffo called it a project that represents hundreds of new, good-paying jobs, a significant investment in our local economy and opportunities for families across our region. Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Spears wants the city to invest holistically and understand there are also people here who have barriers, and he asked to sit on the board that checks whether the company meets its criteria. Council member JC Lyle said we’ve got to get our people who already live here ready for jobs like yours, and we have to prepare for the housing for the folks that you need to bring in.

Satterfield said it’s impossible to overstate how important this company is to Greater Wilmington.

What This Means for Job Seekers in the Cape Fear Region, and What Should You Do Next?

The jobs will be added over the next five years, and the first city target is 16 jobs and $50.5 million in 2027.

• Train for the production and maintenance block. Credle listed 339 production and maintenance employees with an average annual wage of $77,000, and in May 2023 the Corning Technician Pipeline trained students toward an associate degree in Mechatronics, and plant applicants can list those skills for a manufacturing resume.
• Look at Cape Fear Community College's apprenticeships. Corning works with the college on the two-year apprenticeship, and the college's wider apprenticeship pathways cover electrical, welding and automotive technology.
• Use the pay figures when you negotiate. The incentive target is an average salary of at least $85,080, and Credle put salaried engineers at $119,000 and support engineers averaging $132,000.
• Watch for hiring dates. Corning has not announced when individual positions will become available.
• Watch how hires are counted. Payments are contingent on the company meeting job creation, wage and investment targets, and a council member asked how the city will verify retention, distinguish replacement hires and transfers.

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People Also Asked

Q: How many jobs is Corning adding in Wilmington, North Carolina?

A: Corning will add 414 jobs to its local workforce of about 1,000 over the next five years, and the roles would include production, maintenance and engineering.

Q: How much will the new Corning jobs in Wilmington pay?

A: The new jobs are expected to pay an average salary of more than $85,000 a year, with production and maintenance roles averaging $77,000 and salaried engineers at $119,000.

Q: When will Corning start hiring for the Wilmington expansion?

A: The company has not announced when individual positions will become available, and city documents set a first target of 16 jobs in 2027.

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