Is it better to focus efforts on acquiring academic credentials or skills if you’re working toward building a good-paying career? The answer, not surprisingly, is both. However, when we control for skills, the wage returns for occupations requiring higher education and experience are reduced by anywhere from a third to two-thirds. This demonstrates that skills are indeed a significant determinant of occupational wages in North Carolina; quantifies the linkage between education and skills; and highlights the importance of skill development at all education levels.