Dec. 17. Microsoft Corp. will invest $47.5 million and add 500 new jobs in the Wake County town of Morrisville, just west of Raleigh. This comes on top of an expansion announced in Charlotte that will create 430 jobs with a $23 million investment.

“When tech giants choose North Carolina, they join a thriving technology hub with the largest research park in the nation,” said NC Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland.

Over the course of the 12-year term of the grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by nearly $2.1 billion.

“This expansion affirms the value that Microsoft finds in our world-class research universities, innovative research and development network, and strong pipeline of tech talent,” Copeland said.

The NC Department of Commerce led the state’s effort around the expansion.

Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average for all new positions could reach up to $125,354. The current average annual wage in Wake County is $58,138.

Microsoft’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today.

N.C. Sen. Wiley Nickel said Microsoft’s expansions further cement “North Carolina as a booming ecosystem for startups and large information technology companies.”