Accountant salary in Wilmington, NC
Wilmington is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $77,920 a year1 is 5.0% below the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050, and 6.9% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #196 of 521. About 1,520 accountants work here, 3% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Wilmington, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Wilmington against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, NC | $50,390 | $77,920 | $129,990 | |
| North Carolina | $53,610 | $82,050 | $146,100 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Wilmington earns $60,660–$99,990. The top tenth earns $129,990 or more, 2.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($85,960) is 10% 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 $39,330 wide, against $42,970 across North Carolina and $42,790 nationally: employers in Wilmington 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 | $50,390 | $4,199 | $24.23 | $65,019 |
| 25th percentile | $60,660 | $5,055 | $29.16 | $78,271 |
| Median | $77,920 | $6,493 | $37.46 | $100,542 |
| 75th percentile | $99,990 | $8,332 | $48.07 | $129,019 |
| 90th percentile | $129,990 | $10,832 | $62.50 | $167,729 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $22,070 a year in pay and about $28,477 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $17,260 in pay. 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 Wilmington, and the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Wilmington
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 $22,622 to the $77,920 median and brings it to $100,542 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 Wilmington
Of the 17 roles we track in Wilmington, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($89,120); marketing specialists come next at $69,480.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +14.4% | 1,220 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,520 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -10.8% | 880 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -17.2% | 1,730 | |
| Recruiter | -17.3% | 850 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Wilmington (-6.9%), between HR assistants (-6.3%) and sales development representatives (-7.8%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Wilmington than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 7.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Wilmington, 9.4% across North Carolina and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 8 areas in North Carolina with more accountants than Wilmington, 2 pay less: the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($75,790) and the Western North Carolina nonmetro area ($74,770).
| Area | Median | vs Wilmington | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | +2.9% | 3,300 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | +1.3% | 2,030 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +0.8% | 800 | |
| Wilmington, NC | this area | 1,520 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -0.6% | 1,040 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -1.2% | 360 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -2.7% | 1,770 |
Wilmington against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Wilmington is #127 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside North Carolina, South Bend-Mishawaka and New Orleans-Metairie pay just above Wilmington and Owensboro and Lewiston just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Wilmington. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Wilmington | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +17.6% | 1,510 | jobs | |
| Salem, OR | +12.3% | 1,510 | jobs | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | +0.0% | 3,740 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | +0.0% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Wilmington, NC | this area | 1,520 | ||
| Owensboro, KY | -0.2% | 250 | pay | |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | -0.2% | 150 | pay | |
| Green Bay, WI | -0.3% | 1,490 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Wilmington, NC?
About $100,542 a year at the median, or $8,378 a month: $77,920 in pay plus about $22,622 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Wilmington?
The median was $77,920 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,390, the 90th $129,990, and the middle half earned $60,660 to $99,990.
Is Wilmington cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $77,920 against $82,050 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Fayetteville at $78,560, the next down Hickory-Lenoir at $77,490.
How many accountants work in Wilmington?
BLS counts about 1,520 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the North Carolina total of 49,270. 8 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Asheville, with about 1,540.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Wilmington?
Yes: $8,440 a year more at the median. The medians are $77,920 and $69,480.
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.