Wake Forest Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Wake Forest, NC: $24.99/hr median hourly wage, $51,990 median annual salary, cost of living index 87.9, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and North Carolina taxes.
Wake Forest Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Wake Forest, NC is $24.99/hr,and the median annual wage is $51,990. Entry-level pay estimates around $15.49/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $35.49/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan statistical area (743,120 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Wake Forest shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$51,990
$24.99/hr
Cost of Living
87.9
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
4.1%
rate
Wake Forest, NC Overview
Population
50,970
Median Salary
$51,990
Average Salary
$70,740
Avg Commute
17 min
Median Home Price
$303,000
Median Rent
$1,237/mo
Job Growth
+1.7%
Sales Tax
4.75%
Wake Forest is located in North Carolina with a population of 50,970. The median annual wage across all occupations is $51,990 ($24.99/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Raleigh-Cary, NC metro), which is $1,010 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 +1.7%.
Wake Forest Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Wake Forest, NC built around the $51,990 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Raleigh-Cary, 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 | $32,234 | $15.49/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $51,990 | $24.99/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $73,826 | $35.49/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $92,542 | $44.48/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.
Wake Forest Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Wake Forest, NC, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$42,388
$3,532.36/month · $1,630.32/biweekly · Effective Rate: 18.5%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,630.32 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
$51,990
Federal Tax
-$4,059
State Tax
-$1,566
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,977
Net Pay
$42,388
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,332.50 | $51,990.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$338.23 | -$4,058.80 |
| North Carolina State Tax (3.01% eff.) | -$130.47 | -$1,565.68 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$268.62 | -$3,223.38 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$62.82 | -$753.86 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,532.36 | $42,388.29 |
Salary Comparison: Wake Forest vs Other Cities
See how Wake Forest's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest, NC | $51,990 | 87.9 | $59,147 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Raleigh, NC | $51,990 | 102 | $50,971 |
| Cary, NC | $51,990 | 110 | $47,264 |
| Apex, NC | $51,990 | 99.6 | $52,199 |
| Holly Springs, NC | $51,990 | 87.5 | $59,417 |
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 Wake Forest
Wake Forest's cost of living index is 87.9 (national average = 100). Living in Wake Forest is 12.099999999999994% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$303,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,237
Annual Rent Cost
$14,844
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $42,388 annual take-home pay in Wake Forest has the purchasing power of approximately $48,223 in an average-cost US area. Your $51,990 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Wake Forest
Wake Forest's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $51,990.
Salary Tips for Wake Forest Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Wake Forest has a cost of living 12.099999999999994% below the national average. A salary of $51,990 here has the purchasing power of about $59,147 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Wake Forest's top industries include Banking, Technology, Biotech. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $51,990 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 Wake Forest salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Raleigh-Cary, 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 Wake Forest indexed at 87.9.
- Median salary: $51,990 annual, $24.99 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA (743,120 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $70,740 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Wake Forest was $43,173.
- 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 Wake Forest: 4.1%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Banking, Technology, Biotech, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.7% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for North Carolina.
- Housing context: median home price $303,000, median rent $1,237/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Wake Forest, NC:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Wake Forest unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Wake Forest 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. Wake Forest'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 Wake Forest, NC?
The median hourly wage in Wake Forest, NC is $24.99 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $51,990. Entry-level workers are estimated around $15.49/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $35.49/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Wake Forest, NC?
The median salary in Wake Forest, NC is $51,990 per year, or $24.99 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area). The BLS mean salary is $70,740. This is $1,010 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Wake Forest, NC?
Wake Forest's cost of living index is 87.9 (national average = 100), meaning it is 12.099999999999994% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $303,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,237.
What are the best industries in Wake Forest?
The top industries in Wake Forest, NC include Banking, Technology, Biotech. The city has a job growth rate of 1.7% and an unemployment rate of 4.1%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $51,990.
How does Wake Forest's salary compare to other cities?
Wake Forest's median salary of $51,990 is 2.0% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 87.9), the real purchasing power is approximately $59,147.
What is the minimum wage in Wake Forest, NC?
The minimum wage in Wake Forest, 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.