Rocky Mount Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Rocky Mount, NC: $21.13/hr median hourly wage, $43,960 median annual salary, cost of living index 89.5, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and North Carolina taxes.
Rocky Mount Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Rocky Mount, NC is $21.13/hr,and the median annual wage is $43,960. Entry-level pay estimates around $13.10/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $30.00/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Rocky Mount, NC metropolitan statistical area (54,630 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Rocky Mount shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$43,960
$21.13/hr
Cost of Living
89.5
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3.3%
rate
Rocky Mount, NC Overview
Population
54,147
Median Salary
$43,960
Average Salary
$53,360
Avg Commute
18 min
Median Home Price
$266,000
Median Rent
$1,091/mo
Job Growth
+0.7%
Sales Tax
4.75%
Rocky Mount is located in North Carolina with a population of 54,147. The median annual wage across all occupations is $43,960 ($21.13/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Rocky Mount, NC metro), which is $7,020 below 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 18 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.7%.
Rocky Mount Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Rocky Mount, NC built around the $43,960 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Rocky Mount, 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 | $27,255 | $13.10/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $43,960 | $21.13/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $62,423 | $30.00/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $78,249 | $37.61/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.
Rocky Mount Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Rocky Mount, NC, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$36,257
$3,021.38/month · $1,394.48/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.5%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,394.48 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
$43,960
Federal Tax
-$3,095
State Tax
-$1,245
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,363
Net Pay
$36,257
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,663.33 | $43,960.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$257.93 | -$3,095.20 |
| North Carolina State Tax (2.83% eff.) | -$103.77 | -$1,245.28 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$227.13 | -$2,725.52 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$53.12 | -$637.42 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,021.38 | $36,256.58 |
Salary Comparison: Rocky Mount vs Other Cities
See how Rocky Mount's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mount, NC | $43,960 | 89.5 | $49,117 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Ocala, FL | $43,990 | 94.4 | $46,600 |
| Richmond, IN | $44,000 | 88.6 | $49,661 |
| Burlington, NC | $44,010 | 94.4 | $46,621 |
| Wentzville, MO | $44,011 | 89.7 | $49,065 |
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 Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount's cost of living index is 89.5 (national average = 100). Living in Rocky Mount is 10.5% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$266,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,091
Annual Rent Cost
$13,092
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $36,257 annual take-home pay in Rocky Mount has the purchasing power of approximately $40,510 in an average-cost US area. Your $43,960 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $43,960.
Salary Tips for Rocky Mount Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Rocky Mount has a cost of living 10.5% below the national average. A salary of $43,960 here has the purchasing power of about $49,117 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Rocky Mount's top industries include Banking, Technology, Biotech. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $43,960 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.
Other Cities in North Carolina
Salisbury
Sanford
Statesville
Wake Forest
Wilmington
Wilson
Winston-Salem
Apex
Asheville
Burlington
Cary
Chapel Hill
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Rocky Mount salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Rocky Mount, 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 Rocky Mount indexed at 89.5.
- Median salary: $43,960 annual, $21.13 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Rocky Mount, NC MSA (54,630 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $53,360 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Rocky Mount was $45,647.
- 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 Rocky Mount: 3.3%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Banking, Technology, Biotech, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.7% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for North Carolina.
- Housing context: median home price $266,000, median rent $1,091/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Rocky Mount, NC:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Rocky Mount unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Rocky Mount 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. Rocky Mount'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 Rocky Mount, NC?
The median hourly wage in Rocky Mount, NC is $21.13 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Rocky Mount, NC metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $43,960. Entry-level workers are estimated around $13.10/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $30.00/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Rocky Mount, NC?
The median salary in Rocky Mount, NC is $43,960 per year, or $21.13 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Rocky Mount, NC metro area). The BLS mean salary is $53,360. This is $7,020 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Rocky Mount, NC?
Rocky Mount's cost of living index is 89.5 (national average = 100), meaning it is 10.5% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $266,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,091.
What are the best industries in Rocky Mount?
The top industries in Rocky Mount, NC include Banking, Technology, Biotech. The city has a job growth rate of 0.7% and an unemployment rate of 3.3%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $43,960.
How does Rocky Mount's salary compare to other cities?
Rocky Mount's median salary of $43,960 is 13.8% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 89.5), the real purchasing power is approximately $49,117.
What is the minimum wage in Rocky Mount, NC?
The minimum wage in Rocky Mount, 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.