Office Manager salary in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
Hiring an office manager costs less in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area than in North Carolina or the country as a whole. The median is $58,020 a year1: 6.9% below the North Carolina statewide median of $62,340 and 16.5% below the US median of $69,500. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#435 of 519). BLS counts about 1,920 people in this job here, 5% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $37,840 | $58,020 | $83,340 | |
| North Carolina | $43,880 | $62,340 | $97,900 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area earns $47,280–$69,070. The top tenth earns $83,340 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $21,790 wide, against $28,070 across North Carolina and $29,140 nationally: employers in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,840 | $3,153 | $18.19 | $48,826 |
| 25th percentile | $47,280 | $3,940 | $22.73 | $61,006 |
| Median | $58,020 | $4,835 | $27.89 | $74,865 |
| 75th percentile | $69,070 | $5,756 | $33.21 | $89,123 |
| 90th percentile | $83,340 | $6,945 | $40.07 | $107,535 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,740 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $11,050, or about $14,258 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 $69,500 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $62,340 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local office managers earn.
What a hire really costs in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
At the $58,020 median, a local hire costs about $74,865 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,845 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 office managers 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 the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between executive assistants ($60,750) and sales development representatives ($57,390). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,390.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +9.9% | 720 | |
| Executive Assistant | +4.7% | 300 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 1,920 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.1% | 1,390 | |
| Paralegal | -3.7% | 680 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area (-16.5%), between recruiters (-15.6%) and medical administrative assistants (-17.6%). The typical role here is at -13.2%, so, measured against the US, office managers cost less in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Office managers hold 8.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, 6.8% 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 $54,150 in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area to $68,450 in Durham-Chapel Hill, a gap of $14,300 a year. All 4 areas in North Carolina with more office managers than the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($65,170) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($64,550).
| Area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mount, NC | +2.0% | 340 | |
| Greenville, NC | +1.4% | 530 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 1,440 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,920 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | -4.3% | 300 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -5.0% | 350 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -6.7% | 1,850 |
the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area is #120 of 517 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Lubbock and Homosassa Springs pay just above the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area and El Paso and Twin Falls just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | +36.9% | 1,910 | jobs | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | +7.9% | 1,930 | jobs | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | +0.4% | 310 | pay | |
| Lubbock, TX | +0.2% | 2,210 | pay | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,920 | ||
| El Paso, TX | -0.2% | 4,050 | pay | |
| Twin Falls, ID | -0.3% | 420 | pay | |
| Mobile, AL | -0.4% | 1,910 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $74,865 a year at the median, or $6,239 a month: $58,020 in pay plus about $16,845 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for office managers in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $58,020 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,840, the 90th $83,340, and the middle half earned $47,280 to $69,070.
Is the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $58,020 against $62,340 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is the Central North Carolina nonmetro area at $58,240, the next down Pinehurst-Southern Pines at $55,510.
How many office managers work in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,920 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the North Carolina total of 35,830. 4 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Greensboro-High Point, with about 2,510.
Does an office manager cost more than a sales development representative in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
Yes: $630 a year more at the median. The medians are $58,020 and $57,390.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: 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.