Chief Executives Salary
Chief Executives in North Carolina make a median of $314,290 a year, or about $151.1 an hour. The range runs from $114K at the entry level to $625K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $339,186 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $314K get you in North Carolina?
About chief executives
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What this looks like in North Carolina
North Carolina sits well above the national pay line for chief executives, local pay runs about 47% higher than the U.S. median of $214K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 7.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, North Carolina offers a genuinely strong financial position for chief executivess at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level chief executives (10th percentile) start around $114K. Mid-career wages sit at $314K. Top earners bring in $625K or more, a $511K spread from bottom to top.
Chief Executives salary by metro in North Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $381K | +21% | 140 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $354K | +13% | 160 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $329K | +5% | 740 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $313K | -0% | 50 |
| Wilmington | $299K | -5% | 30 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $286K | -9% | 360 |
| Winston-Salem | $274K | -13% | 80 |
| Asheville | $271K | -14% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chief executif afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $314K, rent takes 7.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chief executives in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chief executives typically earn — is $114K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,853/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 19% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chief executif a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay is 47% above the national median — $314K here vs. $214K nationally.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for chief executives?
North Carolina pays $314K median vs. the U.S. average of $214K — that’s +47%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $339K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chief executives make in North Carolina?
The median is $314,290 a year, that works out to about $151 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $114,210, and experienced chief executives can clear $624,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $314K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $17,445/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 7.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chief executives salary go in North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 chief executives salary is worth about $339,186 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chief executives 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.