Epidemiologists Salary
In Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, epidemiologists earn $82,990 at the median, or about $39.9 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $181K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $85,057 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 32% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $83K 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 epidemiologists
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Epidemiologists pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $87K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,711/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.6% 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 epidemiologists in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $85K | $86K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $68K | $70K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $71K | $71K |
| Richmond | $82K | $84K |
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 epidemiologists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $181K or more, a $116K spread from bottom to top.
Epidemiologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Epidemiologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $116K | +33% | 660 |
| District of Columbia | $112K | +29% | 90 |
| California | $111K | +27% | 1,480 |
| New Jersey | $110K | +26% | 290 |
| Washington | $108K | +24% | 1,010 |
| Minnesota | $104K | +20% | 310 |
| Illinois | $103K | +18% | 240 |
| Maryland | $102K | +17% | 600 |
| Nevada | $100K | +15% | 80 |
| Tennessee | $97K | +12% | 220 |
| Oregon | $94K | +7% | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $89K | +2% | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $88K | +1% | 360 |
| Michigan | $85K | -3% | 280 |
| Virginia | $85K | -3% | 220 |
| North Carolina | $85K | -3% | 220 |
| South Carolina | $85K | -3% | 50 |
| Connecticut | $84K | -4% | 160 |
| Nebraska | $83K | -5% | 80 |
| New York | $80K | -8% | 670 |
| New Mexico | $80K | -8% | 80 |
| Iowa | $80K | -8% | 90 |
| Kansas | $80K | -9% | 70 |
| Montana | $80K | -9% | 100 |
| Florida | $79K | -9% | 300 |
| Kentucky | $79K | -10% | 120 |
| Indiana | $77K | -11% | 170 |
| Texas | $77K | -12% | 1,160 |
| Utah | $77K | -12% | 190 |
| Hawaii | $77K | -12% | 70 |
| Ohio | $76K | -12% | 300 |
| Alabama | $75K | -14% | 70 |
| Louisiana | $74K | -15% | 120 |
| Colorado | $74K | -15% | 430 |
| Oklahoma | $73K | -17% | 120 |
| Georgia | $71K | -19% | 510 |
| West Virginia | $71K | -19% | 100 |
| Maine | $69K | -21% | 60 |
| Arizona | $67K | -23% | 340 |
| Missouri | $67K | -23% | 120 |
| Idaho | $66K | -24% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $57K | -35% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track epidemiologists 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 epidemiologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 32.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for epidemiologists in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new epidemiologists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,898/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 epidemiologist a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $87K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for epidemiologists?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $87K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do epidemiologists make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $82,990 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,970, and experienced epidemiologists can clear $181,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,253/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 32.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a epidemiologists 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 epidemiologists salary is worth about $85,057 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do epidemiologists 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.