Chapel Hill Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Chapel Hill, NC: $29.19/hr median hourly wage, $60,720 median annual salary, cost of living index 97.2, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and North Carolina taxes.
Chapel Hill Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Chapel Hill, NC is $29.19/hr,and the median annual wage is $60,720. Entry-level pay estimates around $18.10/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $41.45/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan statistical area (344,020 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Chapel Hill shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$60,720
$29.19/hr
Cost of Living
97.2
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
4.1%
rate
Chapel Hill, NC Overview
Population
61,960
Median Salary
$60,720
Average Salary
$79,700
Avg Commute
17 min
Median Home Price
$260,000
Median Rent
$1,071/mo
Job Growth
+0.6%
Sales Tax
4.75%
Chapel Hill is located in North Carolina with a population of 61,960. The median annual wage across all occupations is $60,720 ($29.19/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro), which is $9,740 above the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 17 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.6%.
Chapel Hill Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Chapel Hill, NC built around the $60,720 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $37,646 | $18.10/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $60,720 | $29.19/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $86,222 | $41.45/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $108,082 | $51.96/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Chapel Hill Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Chapel Hill, NC, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$49,055
$4,087.88/month · $1,886.71/biweekly · Effective Rate: 19.2%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,886.71 take-home per paycheck after estimated North Carolina and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$60,720
Federal Tax
-$5,106
State Tax
-$1,914
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$4,645
Net Pay
$49,055
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $5,060.00 | $60,720.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$425.53 | -$5,106.40 |
| North Carolina State Tax (3.15% eff.) | -$159.50 | -$1,914.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$313.72 | -$3,764.64 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$73.37 | -$880.44 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $4,087.88 | $49,054.52 |
Salary Comparison: Chapel Hill vs Other Cities
See how Chapel Hill's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel Hill, NC | $60,720 | 97.2 | $62,469 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Durham, NC | $60,720 | 102 | $59,529 |
| Portland, OR | $60,690 | 130 | $46,685 |
| Gresham, OR | $60,690 | 110 | $55,173 |
| Hillsboro, OR | $60,690 | 125 | $48,552 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill's cost of living index is 97.2 (national average = 100). Living in Chapel Hill is 2.799999999999997% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$260,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,071
Annual Rent Cost
$12,852
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $49,055 annual take-home pay in Chapel Hill has the purchasing power of approximately $50,468 in an average-cost US area. Your $60,720 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $60,720.
Salary Tips for Chapel Hill Workers
- Research top industries. Chapel Hill's top industries include Banking, Technology, Biotech. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $60,720 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Chapel Hill salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Chapel Hill indexed at 97.2.
- Median salary: $60,720 annual, $29.19 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC MSA (344,020 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $79,700 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Chapel Hill was $50,941.
- Tax burden reflects North Carolina 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3.99%) (no local income tax), sales tax (4.75%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Chapel Hill: 4.1%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Banking, Technology, Biotech, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.6% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for North Carolina.
- Housing context: median home price $260,000, median rent $1,071/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Chapel Hill, NC:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Chapel Hill unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Chapel Hill QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, North Carolina, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Chapel Hill's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent North Carolina labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Chapel Hill, NC?
The median hourly wage in Chapel Hill, NC is $29.19 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $60,720. Entry-level workers are estimated around $18.10/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $41.45/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Chapel Hill, NC?
The median salary in Chapel Hill, NC is $60,720 per year, or $29.19 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area). The BLS mean salary is $79,700. This is $9,740 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Chapel Hill, NC?
Chapel Hill's cost of living index is 97.2 (national average = 100), meaning it is 2.799999999999997% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $260,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,071.
What are the best industries in Chapel Hill?
The top industries in Chapel Hill, NC include Banking, Technology, Biotech. The city has a job growth rate of 0.6% and an unemployment rate of 4.1%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $60,720.
How does Chapel Hill's salary compare to other cities?
Chapel Hill's median salary of $60,720 is 19.1% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 97.2), the real purchasing power is approximately $62,469.
What is the minimum wage in Chapel Hill, NC?
The minimum wage in Chapel Hill, NC is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.