Education Administrators, Postsecondary Salary
In Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, education administrators, postsecondaries earn $84,050 at the median, or about $40.41 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $94,982 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 20.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $84K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 education administrators, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Pay for education administrators, postsecondary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $105K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,095/month, 20.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton can be a reasonable trade-off for education administrators, postsecondarys who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for education administrators, postsecondaries in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $109K | $111K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $94K | $96K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $105K | $113K |
| Winston-Salem | $102K | $111K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level education administrators, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Education Administrators, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Education Administrators, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $140K | +34% | 7,280 |
| New Jersey | $132K | +26% | 4,100 |
| Massachusetts | $129K | +23% | 9,120 |
| Delaware | $129K | +23% | 360 |
| Wyoming | $128K | +22% | 120 |
| Washington | $128K | +22% | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $126K | +21% | 240 |
| California | $125K | +20% | 14,870 |
| Wisconsin | $125K | +19% | 1,190 |
| Connecticut | $123K | +18% | 2,100 |
| Virginia | $121K | +16% | N/A |
| Oregon | $120K | +15% | 2,790 |
| Maryland | $119K | +13% | N/A |
| Colorado | $118K | +13% | 1,770 |
| Kentucky | $114K | +9% | 890 |
| Georgia | $110K | +5% | 2,890 |
| Kansas | $110K | +5% | 1,760 |
| New Mexico | $109K | +5% | 1,160 |
| Michigan | $109K | +4% | 5,110 |
| District of Columbia | $107K | +3% | 1,880 |
| Rhode Island | $107K | +2% | 1,140 |
| Oklahoma | $106K | +1% | 1,700 |
| Minnesota | $105K | +0% | 2,110 |
| Missouri | $105K | -0% | 2,830 |
| Vermont | $104K | -0% | 550 |
| Texas | $104K | -0% | 16,660 |
| New Hampshire | $104K | -0% | 920 |
| Pennsylvania | $104K | -1% | 8,000 |
| Arizona | $103K | -1% | 5,140 |
| Alaska | $103K | -1% | 80 |
| Montana | $103K | -2% | 300 |
| North Dakota | $102K | -3% | 600 |
| Idaho | $101K | -3% | 870 |
| North Carolina | $101K | -3% | 7,390 |
| Tennessee | $101K | -4% | 2,680 |
| Utah | $100K | -4% | 2,320 |
| Alabama | $100K | -4% | 3,760 |
| Illinois | $100K | -5% | 9,530 |
| Louisiana | $99K | -5% | 3,670 |
| Indiana | $98K | -6% | 3,370 |
| Nebraska | $96K | -8% | 1,560 |
| South Carolina | $96K | -9% | 2,990 |
| Iowa | $89K | -15% | 2,510 |
| Nevada | $89K | -15% | 1,320 |
| Maine | $88K | -16% | 860 |
| Ohio | $87K | -16% | 6,880 |
| Mississippi | $87K | -17% | 2,230 |
| West Virginia | $85K | -19% | 1,520 |
| Florida | $84K | -20% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $81K | -23% | 570 |
| Arkansas | $78K | -25% | 1,970 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track education administrators, postsecondary salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a education administrators, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 20.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for education administrators, postsecondaries in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education administrators, postsecondaries typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,995/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is education administrators, postsecondary a high-paying job in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $84K here vs. $105K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for education administrators, postsecondaries?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $95K — below the national median.
How much do education administrators, postsecondaries make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $84,050 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,920, and experienced education administrators, postsecondaries can clear $106,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,311/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 20.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a education administrators, postsecondary salary go in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 education administrators, postsecondary salary is worth about $94,982 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education administrators, 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.