Accountant salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC
Raleigh-Cary pays accountants close to the North Carolina norm. The median is $81,950 a year1, about level with the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050 and 2.1% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#98 of 521). BLS counts about 9,190 people in this job here, 19% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Raleigh-Cary, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Raleigh-Cary against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $57,120 | $81,950 | $134,220 | |
| North Carolina | $53,610 | $82,050 | $146,100 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Raleigh-Cary earns $67,050–$105,160. The top tenth earns $134,220 or more, 2.3 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($93,340) is 14% 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 $38,110 wide, against $42,970 across North Carolina and $42,790 nationally: employers in Raleigh-Cary 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 | $57,120 | $4,760 | $27.46 | $73,703 |
| 25th percentile | $67,050 | $5,588 | $32.24 | $86,516 |
| Median | $81,950 | $6,829 | $39.40 | $105,742 |
| 75th percentile | $105,160 | $8,763 | $50.56 | $135,690 |
| 90th percentile | $134,220 | $11,185 | $64.53 | $173,187 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $23,210 over the median, the 25th only $14,900 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $29,948 a year in employer cost. 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 Raleigh-Cary, and the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Raleigh-Cary
At the $81,950 median, a local hire costs about $105,742 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $23,792 here. 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 Raleigh-Cary
Of the 17 roles we track in Raleigh-Cary, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($102,280); marketing specialists come next at $78,980.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +24.8% | 7,930 | |
| Accountant | this role | 9,190 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -3.6% | 6,470 | |
| Recruiter | -9.5% | 5,710 | |
| Executive Assistant | -10.3% | n/a |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Raleigh-Cary (-2.1%), between sales development representatives (-2.0%) and recruiters (-2.3%). The typical role here is at -2.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 10.5% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Raleigh-Cary, 9.6% across North Carolina and 9.4% 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. The one area in North Carolina with more accountants, Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($92,910), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Raleigh-Cary | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | +13.4% | 16,820 | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +3.8% | 3,060 | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | this area | 9,190 | |
| Asheville, NC | -1.9% | 1,540 | |
| Burlington, NC | -2.0% | 430 | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -2.2% | 3,300 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | -3.7% | 2,030 |
Raleigh-Cary against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Raleigh-Cary is #35 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside North Carolina, Albany and Ogden pay just above Raleigh-Cary and Columbus and Charlottesville just below. All four are within $420 a year of the median in Raleigh-Cary. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Raleigh-Cary | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +2.4% | 9,240 | jobs | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | +0.2% | 8,660 | jobs | |
| Ogden, UT | +0.1% | 1,650 | pay | |
| Albany, OR | +0.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | this area | 9,190 | ||
| Columbus, OH | -0.3% | 11,410 | pay | |
| Charlottesville, VA | -0.5% | 1,100 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -1.6% | 10,050 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
About $105,742 a year at the median, or $8,812 a month: $81,950 in pay plus about $23,792 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Raleigh-Cary?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $81,950 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $57,120, the 90th $134,220, and the middle half earned $67,050 to $105,160.
Is Raleigh-Cary cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for accountants?
About the same: a median of $81,950 against $82,050 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Durham-Chapel Hill at $85,090, the next down Asheville at $80,400.
How many accountants work in Raleigh-Cary?
BLS counts about 9,190 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the North Carolina total of 49,270. Only Charlotte-Concord has more in North Carolina.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Raleigh-Cary?
Yes: $2,970 a year more at the median. The medians are $81,950 and $78,980.
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.