Is North Carolina a good state for your salary to go far?

North Carolina ranks #38 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 96.8 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 94.3 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in North Carolina?

North Carolina's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 94.3, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / North Carolina

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in North Carolina

North Carolina ranks #38 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 96.8, base = 100). Cost of living 94.3 (US = 100); top income tax 4.25%.

Does a salary go further in North Carolina? (cost of living + state tax)

In North Carolina, the cost of living is 94.3 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 96.8 across 371 occupations, ranking it #38 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

North Carolina ranks #38 of 51 states. Mean across 371 occupations; 100 = the average state, 96.8 means pay goes -3.2% less far after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

96.8

Real pay by occupation in North Carolina (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Financial Risk Specialists	$132,040	$134,608	132.0
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	$125,370	$127,837	123.4
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other	$61,580	$63,084	122.8
Optometrists	$161,560	$164,573	122.1
Credit Analysts	$94,570	$96,572	119.5
Biological Technicians	$61,720	$63,226	118.6
Financial Examiners	$100,730	$102,825	116.9
Database Administrators	$113,900	$116,194	116.0
Loan Interviewers and Clerks	$57,780	$59,227	115.7
Travel Agents	$56,180	$57,603	114.8
Data Scientists	$119,090	$121,462	114.7
Biological Scientists, All Other	$100,070	$102,155	114.5
Financial Managers	$166,780	$169,872	114.2
Editors	$73,740	$75,428	114.1
Library Technicians	$46,520	$47,797	113.8
Bartenders	$36,470	$37,595	111.8
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	$91,200	$93,151	111.4
Sales Managers	$150,470	$153,316	111.2
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	$78,410	$80,168	110.9
Tellers	$44,830	$46,081	110.9
Computer and Information Systems Managers	$172,860	$176,044	109.6
Power Plant Operators	$108,300	$110,509	109.6
Managers, All Other	$141,160	$143,866	109.2
Software Developers	$134,710	$137,318	109.0
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists	$38,410	$39,564	108.7
Financial and Investment Analysts	$102,390	$104,510	108.3
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers	$45,010	$46,264	108.1
Food Service Managers	$74,080	$75,773	108.1
Education Administrators, All Other	$98,880	$100,947	107.8
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks	$44,630	$45,878	107.7
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers	$95,260	$97,273	107.5
Opticians, Dispensing	$50,190	$51,522	107.0
Postal Service Clerks	$64,290	$65,835	106.7
Human Resources Managers	$142,990	$145,723	106.6
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other	$48,890	$50,203	106.6
Veterinarians	$129,240	$131,766	106.5
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals	$38,750	$39,909	105.8
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	$70,990	$72,636	105.7
Computer Systems Analysts	$106,850	$109,038	105.7
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other	$54,820	$56,222	105.6

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 371 BLS publishes for North Carolina. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (94.3, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In North Carolina, a $85,000 salary is worth about $86,283 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $3,613 (flat 4.25%) · take-home $81,388 · BEA cost of living 94.3 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $9,669 gain over North Carolina.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

North Carolina real pay — FAQ

Is North Carolina a good state for your salary to go far?: North Carolina ranks #38 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 96.8 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 94.3 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in North Carolina?: North Carolina's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 94.3, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for North Carolina is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.