Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary
The median pay for a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $51,970/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $58,730 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,095/month, about 31.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations
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What this looks like in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Pay for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,095/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem | $55K | $59K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $59K | $61K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $57K | $61K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $57K | $58K |
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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $102K | +59% | 10,510 |
| California | $99K | +54% | 37,300 |
| New York | $95K | +47% | 38,670 |
| Connecticut | $94K | +45% | 7,920 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +44% | 2,370 |
| Massachusetts | $89K | +39% | 16,570 |
| District of Columbia | $80K | +24% | 1,540 |
| Utah | $79K | +23% | 5,960 |
| Alaska | $79K | +23% | 1,150 |
| New Jersey | $79K | +22% | 23,650 |
| Maryland | $79K | +22% | 14,530 |
| Oregon | $78K | +22% | 6,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | +21% | 22,720 |
| Ohio | $77K | +20% | 30,450 |
| Illinois | $76K | +18% | 24,770 |
| New Mexico | $75K | +17% | 4,260 |
| Vermont | $74K | +15% | 1,620 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | +11% | 3,120 |
| Hawaii | $69K | +8% | 2,480 |
| Delaware | $68K | +5% | 2,350 |
| Nevada | $66K | +3% | 3,910 |
| Georgia | $65K | +1% | 23,610 |
| Michigan | $64K | -1% | 15,420 |
| Colorado | $64K | -1% | 13,280 |
| Maine | $64K | -1% | 2,780 |
| Virginia | $64K | -1% | 18,290 |
| Texas | $63K | -2% | 80,160 |
| Minnesota | $63K | -3% | 8,890 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -3% | 4,150 |
| Wyoming | $62K | -3% | 1,290 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | -4% | 14,460 |
| Alabama | $62K | -4% | 10,000 |
| Montana | $62K | -4% | 1,980 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -5% | 8,040 |
| Idaho | $61K | -5% | 2,360 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -6% | 9,750 |
| Indiana | $61K | -6% | 11,700 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -6% | 13,060 |
| Kansas | $61K | -6% | 6,230 |
| Iowa | $60K | -6% | 6,270 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -7% | 1,400 |
| Arizona | $60K | -7% | 9,020 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -7% | 6,140 |
| Missouri | $59K | -8% | 11,330 |
| Florida | $59K | -8% | 31,370 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -9% | 5,560 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -11% | 4,090 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -19% | 20,650 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -21% | 2,130 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -21% | 6,260 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -25% | 7,620 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 31.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,583/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education a high-paying job in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $52K here vs. $64K 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $51,970 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,050, and experienced middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations can clear $60,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,455/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 31.7% 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary is worth about $58,730 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations 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.