Salaries & Cost of Living in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Anchored by Research Triangle Park and top universities, Raleigh offers rapid tech growth with low living expenses. Discover salary benchmarks, wage percentiles, state income tax deductions, and housing costs across 20+ high-demand professions in Raleigh-Durham.
Raleigh-Durham Cost of Living by Expense Category
Normalized cost index (100 = U.S. National Average).
Key City Advantages & Living Factors
Climate: Humid Subtropical (Mild 4 Seasons)Role Salaries in Raleigh-Durham
Explore 10th to 90th percentile salary benchmarks and estimated monthly take-home pay in Raleigh-Durham.
| Job Title | Category | Median Base Pay | Est. Net Take-Home | View Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Product Manager | Product | $194,250/yr | ~$12,383/mo | View |
| Senior Software Engineer | Engineering | $183,750/yr | ~$11,714/mo | View |
| Product Manager | Product | $149,100/yr | ~$9,505/mo | View |
| DevOps & Cloud Engineer | Engineering | $147,000/yr | ~$9,371/mo | View |
| Data Scientist | Data | $144,900/yr | ~$9,237/mo | View |
| Backend Engineer | Engineering | $141,750/yr | ~$9,037/mo | View |
| Software Engineer | Engineering | $138,600/yr | ~$8,836/mo | View |
| Frontend Engineer | Engineering | $130,200/yr | ~$8,300/mo | View |
| Product Designer | Design | $128,100/yr | ~$8,166/mo | View |
| Growth Marketer | Marketing | $120,750/yr | ~$7,698/mo | View |
| UX / UI Designer | Design | $117,600/yr | ~$7,497/mo | View |
| Marketing Manager | Marketing | $113,400/yr | ~$7,229/mo | View |
| Account Executive (SaaS) | Sales | $110,250/yr | ~$7,028/mo | View |
| QA & Test Automation Engineer | Engineering | $107,100/yr | ~$6,828/mo | View |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $100,800/yr | ~$6,426/mo | View |
| Technical Recruiter | Human Resources | $98,700/yr | ~$6,292/mo | View |
| Data Analyst | Data | $96,600/yr | ~$6,158/mo | View |
| Customer Success Manager | Customer Support | $93,450/yr | ~$6,347/mo | View |
| SEO Specialist | Marketing | $89,250/yr | ~$6,062/mo | View |
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Frequently Asked Questions: Living & Working in Raleigh-Durham
What is considered a good salary in Raleigh-Durham?
In Raleigh-Durham, an annual salary between $90,000 and $140,000 is generally considered very comfortable for a single professional, easily covering median 1-bedroom rental costs ($1,390/mo) while allowing significant savings.
How do salaries in Raleigh-Durham compare to the U.S. national average?
On average, compensation in Raleigh-Durham is 5% above the U.S. national baseline across technology, product, and engineering roles.
What are state income taxes in Raleigh-Durham (NC)?
The estimated statutory state and local income tax rate in Raleigh-Durham is approximately 4.5%.
What is the average rent in Raleigh-Durham?
The median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina is currently around $1,390 per month.
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