Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The median pay for a atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $102,980/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $216K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $105,545 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,711/month, or 25.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $103K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $103K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,711/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | $108K | $112K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $125K | $128K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $77K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $216K or more, a $152K spread from bottom to top.
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $133K | +29% | 1,410 |
| New Jersey | $132K | +28% | 270 |
| New Hampshire | $130K | +26% | 50 |
| Oregon | $128K | +24% | 340 |
| Connecticut | $124K | +20% | 230 |
| Virginia | $120K | +16% | 230 |
| Arizona | $111K | +7% | 240 |
| Massachusetts | $109K | +6% | 470 |
| Maryland | $108K | +4% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $107K | +4% | 130 |
| New Mexico | $107K | +4% | 50 |
| Nevada | $106K | +3% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $106K | +2% | 220 |
| Texas | $105K | +2% | 690 |
| Michigan | $105K | +2% | 180 |
| Oklahoma | $104K | +1% | 30 |
| Washington | $103K | -0% | 210 |
| North Carolina | $103K | -0% | 360 |
| Minnesota | $103K | -0% | 90 |
| Missouri | $102K | -1% | 130 |
| Kansas | $102K | -1% | 80 |
| Wyoming | $100K | -3% | 50 |
| Indiana | $100K | -3% | 130 |
| North Dakota | $98K | -5% | 60 |
| Iowa | $98K | -5% | 50 |
| Utah | $97K | -6% | 180 |
| Kentucky | $96K | -7% | 40 |
| Maine | $95K | -8% | 130 |
| Ohio | $95K | -8% | 150 |
| Georgia | $95K | -8% | 50 |
| New York | $87K | -15% | 1,730 |
| Illinois | $87K | -16% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $85K | -18% | 120 |
| Florida | $82K | -21% | 350 |
| Alabama | $82K | -21% | 90 |
| West Virginia | $82K | -21% | 40 |
| Colorado | $79K | -23% | 340 |
| Mississippi | $78K | -25% | 120 |
| South Carolina | $77K | -26% | 80 |
| South Dakota | $63K | -39% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 40 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 26.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondaries in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,859/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $103K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondaries?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondaries make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $102,980 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,320, and experienced atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondaries can clear $216,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,350/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 26.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $105,545 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.