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Accountants and Auditors salary in Durham, NC

Accountants and Auditors in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan area earn a median of $85,090 a year, an average of $98,060. About 3,060 people work in this occupation there. Figures are from the May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS).

Accountants and Auditors pay at a glance

Annual median wage
$85,090
Half earn more, half earn less
Annual mean wage
$98,060
Pulled up by top earners
10th percentile
$60,620
Bottom of the range
90th percentile
$152,900
Top of the range
People employed
3,060
In Durham metro area
Rent share of median wage
19.9%
Median rent ÷ median wage

What this wage buys in Durham

Rent from the ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, compared with the wage above

Median gross rent
$1,412
per month, in Durham, NC
Income needed for median rent
$56,500
Keeps rent at 30% of gross pay
Median accountants and auditors wage
$85,090
50.6% above income needed for median rent
Rent as share of this wage
19.9%
12 months rent ÷ median wage
City median household income
$79,234
All households, not one occupation

Occupations are not paid the same everywhere, and this page does not explain why. It reports what the survey measured for the Durham area. Read the Durham, NC cost of living page for rent, income and the price level, or the methodology for how the numbers are compiled.

Accountants and Auditors pay in other cities

Median annual wage, same occupation, same survey

Anchorage, AK
-3.5%
Median $82,150
Mean $88,850
Employed 1,160
Jersey City, NJ
+24.2%
Median $105,650
Mean $119,280
Employed 111,930
Lincoln, NE
-23.4%
Median $65,170
Mean $73,210
Employed 2,130
St. Louis, MO
-7.3%
Median $78,880
Mean $86,560
Employed 13,610
Greensboro, NC
-5.8%
Median $80,170
Mean $91,400
Employed 3,300
Chandler, AZ
-5.0%
Median $80,820
Mean $90,110
Employed 21,360
Buffalo, NY
-3.5%
Median $82,120
Mean $91,190
Employed 4,870
Madison, WI
-4.7%
Median $81,130
Mean $87,530
Employed 4,440

See accountants and auditors pay in every covered city.

Take-home pay calculator

Estimate your net pay after federal, state, and FICA taxes. Adjust filing status and allowances for your situation.

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Gross annual income $85,090 / year
$85,090
Federal income tax 2024 brackets, Single filing
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State income tax North Carolina (NC)
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FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.65% up to wage base
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Pre-tax deductions 401(k), HSA, etc.
$0
Take-home pay (annual) After all taxes
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Take-home per paycheck Monthly
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Effective tax rate Total tax ÷ gross income
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Estimates use 2024 federal tax brackets, FICA rates (6.2% SS up to $168,600, 1.45% Medicare + 0.9% >$200k), and state rates from Tax Foundation. Does not include local taxes, AMT, or tax credits. Consult a tax professional for actual liability.

Definitions used on this page

Annual median wage
The wage that half of the people in this occupation earn more than and half earn less than, for one year of work.
Annual mean wage
The average of all reported wages. It is higher than the median when a few very high earners pull it up.
Percentiles
The 10th percentile is the wage below which 10% of workers fall; the 90th is the wage above which only 10% rise. The gap between them shows how wide the pay range is.
Employment
The estimated number of jobs in this occupation in the metropolitan area, not the number of residents who hold it.

Sources and limits

Wages describe the metropolitan area, while rent and income describe the city boundaries. The two areas do not cover exactly the same ground. Wages are also averaged across a year and across every industry, so a specific employer can differ widely from the median shown here.