Natural Sciences Managers Salary
In Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, natural sciences managers earn $183,540 at the median, or about $88.24 an hour. The range runs from $117K at the entry level to $318K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $188,111 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,711/month, or 15.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $184K 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 natural sciences managers
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Natural sciences managers pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $184K locally vs. $167K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,711/month, 16% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for natural sciences managers in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $174K | $177K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $173K | $178K |
| Wilmington | $167K | $173K |
| Winston-Salem | $149K | $162K |
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 natural sciences managers (10th percentile) start around $117K. Mid-career wages sit at $184K. Top earners bring in $318K or more, a $200K spread from bottom to top.
Natural Sciences Managers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Natural Sciences Managers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $267K | +60% | 10,590 |
| Connecticut | $211K | +26% | 1,190 |
| California | $210K | +26% | 14,950 |
| New Jersey | $207K | +24% | 10,040 |
| Washington | $182K | +9% | 2,490 |
| North Carolina | $174K | +4% | 6,010 |
| Maryland | $169K | +1% | 4,820 |
| Illinois | $160K | -5% | 2,810 |
| District of Columbia | $157K | -6% | 1,540 |
| Kansas | $154K | -8% | 240 |
| Colorado | $153K | -9% | 1,640 |
| Virginia | $151K | -10% | 1,470 |
| Oregon | $143K | -14% | 1,700 |
| Maine | $141K | -15% | 430 |
| West Virginia | $138K | -17% | 160 |
| Pennsylvania | $138K | -18% | 7,980 |
| Ohio | $137K | -18% | 1,560 |
| Minnesota | $136K | -18% | 1,530 |
| New York | $135K | -19% | 5,690 |
| New Hampshire | $134K | -20% | 240 |
| Alabama | $133K | -20% | 370 |
| North Dakota | $131K | -21% | 140 |
| Vermont | $131K | -21% | 290 |
| South Carolina | $131K | -22% | 780 |
| Alaska | $131K | -22% | 710 |
| Rhode Island | $130K | -22% | 200 |
| Texas | $130K | -22% | 7,470 |
| Missouri | $129K | -23% | 1,230 |
| Michigan | $129K | -23% | 2,220 |
| Wisconsin | $129K | -23% | 1,070 |
| South Dakota | $128K | -23% | 180 |
| Kentucky | $126K | -24% | 400 |
| Arizona | $125K | -25% | 900 |
| Idaho | $125K | -25% | 610 |
| Tennessee | $125K | -26% | 880 |
| Nebraska | $121K | -28% | 550 |
| Mississippi | $119K | -29% | 210 |
| Montana | $119K | -29% | 370 |
| Utah | $119K | -29% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $119K | -29% | 340 |
| Louisiana | $116K | -31% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $112K | -33% | 310 |
| Nevada | $112K | -33% | 320 |
| Florida | $112K | -33% | 4,370 |
| Iowa | $110K | -34% | 610 |
| Wyoming | $109K | -35% | 150 |
| Indiana | $108K | -35% | 1,670 |
| Hawaii | $108K | -36% | 510 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track natural sciences managers 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 natural sciences manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes — at the median salary of $184K, rent takes 16% 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 natural sciences managers in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new natural sciences managers typically earn — is $117K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,042/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is natural sciences manager a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $184K locally vs. $167K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for natural sciences managers?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $184K median vs. the U.S. average of $167K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $188K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do natural sciences managers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $183,540 a year, that works out to about $88 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $117,370, and experienced natural sciences managers can clear $317,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $184K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,700/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 16% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a natural sciences managers 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 natural sciences managers salary is worth about $188,111 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do natural sciences managers 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.