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Accountant salary and cost of hiring in North Carolina

The median accountant in North Carolina earned $82,050 a year in May 2025[1], 1.9% below the US median of $83,680. That puts North Carolina at #16 of 51 states for this job.

$82,050median annual wage
$117,214employer cost with benefits
$39.45median per hour
49,270people in this job in North Carolina

BLS occupation 13-2011. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
North Carolina$53,610$82,050$146,100
United States$56,020$83,680$144,090
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of accountants in North Carolina earns $65,120–$108,090; the top tenth earns $146,100 or more, 2.7 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the North Carolina median that makes about $117,214 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].

$117,214local hire, first year incl. benefits
-remote hire, first year incl. fee
-difference in year one
-of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in North Carolina

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$92,910
$129,00016,820
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$85,090
$115,7403,060
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$81,950
$105,1609,190
Asheville, NC
$80,400
$105,1601,540
Burlington, NC
$80,320
$100,530430
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$80,170
$104,4403,300
Winston-Salem, NC
$78,950
$105,0202,030
Fayetteville, NC
$78,560
$104,870800
Wilmington, NC
$77,920
$99,9901,520
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$77,490
$102,1701,040
Rocky Mount, NC
$76,960
$98,370360
Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
$75,790
$97,1201,770
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC
$75,750
$97,760370
Greenville, NC
$75,140
$96,260550
Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
$75,120
$99,4001,410
Goldsboro, NC
$75,000
$97,530230
Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
$74,770
$101,5101,720
Jacksonville, NC
$73,740
$94,550360

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC pays the most ($92,910) and Jacksonville, NC the least ($73,740): $19,170 a year apart for the same job.

What an accountant does

An accountant goes beyond bookkeeping: month-end close, financial statements, budgets, management reports and support for audits and tax filings.

Neighbours in the ranking

StateMedianvs North Carolina
New Hampshire
$83,470
+1.7%
Alaska
$83,460
+1.7%
North Carolina
$82,050
+0.0%
Georgia (US state)
$81,900
-0.2%
Minnesota
$81,600
-0.5%

Questions

How much does an accountant earn in North Carolina?

The median was $82,050 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $65,120 to $108,090.

What does it cost to employ an accountant in North Carolina?

About $117,214 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in North Carolina do accountants earn the most?

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, with a median of $92,910 a year.

Other roles in North Carolina

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Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132011.htm
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
  3. Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.