Accountant salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC
Hickory-Lenoir is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $77,490 a year1 is 5.6% below the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050, and 7.4% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #218 of 521 areas. About 1,040 accountants work here, 2% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Hickory-Lenoir against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | $49,990 | $77,490 | $134,290 | |
| North Carolina | $53,610 | $82,050 | $146,100 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $134,290, 2.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Hickory-Lenoir earns $60,110–$102,170. The mean ($87,200) is 13% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $42,060 wide, against $42,970 across North Carolina and $42,790 nationally: employers in Hickory-Lenoir pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,990 | $4,166 | $24.03 | $64,503 |
| 25th percentile | $60,110 | $5,009 | $28.90 | $77,561 |
| Median | $77,490 | $6,458 | $37.25 | $99,987 |
| 75th percentile | $102,170 | $8,514 | $49.12 | $131,832 |
| 90th percentile | $134,290 | $11,191 | $64.56 | $173,277 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $17,380 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $24,680, or about $31,845 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Hickory-Lenoir, and the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Hickory-Lenoir
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $22,497 to the $77,490 median and brings it to $99,987 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Hickory-Lenoir
Of the 17 roles we track in Hickory-Lenoir, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($85,490); marketing specialists come next at $75,450.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +10.3% | 490 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,040 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -2.6% | 590 | |
| Recruiter | -16.5% | 670 | |
| Office Manager | -22.2% | 1,010 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Hickory-Lenoir (-7.4%), between e-commerce order specialists (-5.8%) and data entry specialists (-8.2%). The typical role here is at -12.8%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Hickory-Lenoir than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 8.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Hickory-Lenoir, 9.4% across North Carolina and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $73,740 in Jacksonville to $92,910 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $19,170 a year. Of the 10 areas in North Carolina with more accountants than Hickory-Lenoir, 3 pay less: the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($75,790), the Western North Carolina nonmetro area ($74,770) and the Central North Carolina nonmetro area ($75,120).
| Area | Median | vs Hickory-Lenoir | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem, NC | +1.9% | 2,030 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +1.4% | 800 | |
| Wilmington, NC | +0.6% | 1,520 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | this area | 1,040 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -0.7% | 360 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -2.2% | 1,770 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | -2.2% | 370 |
Hickory-Lenoir against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Hickory-Lenoir is #184 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Racine-Mount Pleasant and Kokomo pay just above Hickory-Lenoir and Watertown-Fort Drum and Evansville just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Hickory-Lenoir. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Hickory-Lenoir | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | +8.2% | 1,050 | jobs | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +6.5% | 1,040 | jobs | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | +3.0% | 1,040 | jobs | |
| Kokomo, IN | +0.0% | 170 | pay | |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | +0.0% | 540 | pay | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | this area | 1,040 | ||
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | -0.0% | 220 | pay | |
| Evansville, IN | -0.1% | 1,050 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Hickory-Lenoir, NC?
About $99,987 a year at the median, or $8,332 a month: $77,490 in pay plus about $22,497 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Hickory-Lenoir?
The median was $77,490 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,990, the 90th $134,290, and the middle half earned $60,110 to $102,170.
Is Hickory-Lenoir cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $77,490 against $82,050 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Wilmington at $77,920, the next down Rocky Mount at $76,960.
How many accountants work in Hickory-Lenoir?
BLS counts about 1,040 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the North Carolina total of 49,270. 10 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, with about 1,410.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Hickory-Lenoir?
Yes: $2,040 a year more at the median. The medians are $77,490 and $75,450.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.