Cost of hiring in Raleigh-Cary, NC
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 17 jobs in Raleigh-Cary, with about 13,620 people1. Medians run from $36,550 a year for virtual receptionists to $102,280 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Raleigh-Cary
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +10.4% | 520 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +2.7% | 380 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +2.0% | 7,170 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +1.5% | 7,600 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +0.3% | 6,470 | |
| Project Coordinator | -0.0% | 7,930 | |
| Bookkeeper | -0.9% | 7,550 | |
| Paralegal | -1.6% | 2,540 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.0% | 8,970 | |
| Accountant | -2.1% | 9,190 | |
| Recruiter | -2.3% | 5,710 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -3.8% | 3,690 | |
| HR Assistant | -3.9% | 370 | |
| Executive Assistant | -4.0% | n/a | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -6.4% | 13,620 | |
| Office Manager | -7.1% | 5,170 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -7.1% | 590 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $41,900 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $54,065 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Raleigh-Cary against the US
Raleigh-Cary pays above the US median for 4 of the 17 roles, most of all for data entry specialists (+10.4%) and e-commerce order specialists (+2.7%), and below it for 10, furthest for payroll specialists (-7.1%). For marketing specialists, project coordinators and bookkeepers it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is -2.0%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for marketing specialists, #38 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for payroll specialists, #240 of 486.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Raleigh-Cary has more medical administrative assistants (8.7% of these jobs here, against 6.2% nationally) and project coordinators (9.1% against 6.9%), and fewer office managers (5.9% against 9.3%) and payroll specialists (0.7% against 1.0%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Rochester, NY is nearest, at -2.0%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | -1.9% | 17 | 103,510 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -2.0% | 17 | 14,410 |
| Rochester, NY | -2.0% | 17 | 53,600 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | -2.0% (this area) | 17 | 87,470 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | -2.1% | 17 | 16,360 |
| Sheboygan, WI | -2.2% | 14 | 4,530 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Raleigh-Cary span $39,720–$154,720, the widest band (3.9×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $37,220–$57,180. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 10 of 17 roles, data entry specialists most ($31,200–$58,790 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, accountants and 4 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($84,450 against a $68,560 median for sales development representatives).
Raleigh-Cary against North Carolina
Against North Carolina as a whole, Raleigh-Cary pays more for 14 of 17 roles, led by data entry specialists (+15.2%) and sales development representatives (+9.5%). It has the highest median in North Carolina for paralegals, administrative assistants and data entry specialists and 1 more role.
Other areas in North Carolina
By jobs in these roles, Raleigh-Cary is #2 of 18 areas in North Carolina. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Charlotte-Concord to Hickory-Lenoir.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | 150,280 | 17 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 37,280 | 17 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 37,170 | 17 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 26,040 | 17 |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | 21,670 | 17 |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | 21,250 | 17 |
| Wilmington, NC | 19,910 | 17 |
| Asheville, NC | 18,810 | 17 |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | 17,340 | 17 |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | 12,690 | 17 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Raleigh-Cary?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $102,280 a year, about $131,974 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,550.
Is hiring in Raleigh-Cary cheaper than the US median?
For 10 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all payroll specialists (-7.1%). 4 pay more than the US median, led by data entry specialists (+10.4%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.