Nurse Practitioners Salary
In North Carolina, nurse practitioners earn $128,990 at the median, or about $62.01 an hour. The range runs from $104K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $139,208 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 16.1% 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 $129K get you in North Carolina?
About nurse practitioners
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Nurse practitioners pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $129K locally vs. $132K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 16.5% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level nurse practitioners (10th percentile) start around $104K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Nurse Practitioners salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $132K | +3% | 1,450 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $132K | +3% | 820 |
| Burlington | $132K | +2% | 80 |
| Winston-Salem | $131K | +1% | 750 |
| Greenville | $130K | +1% | 280 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $130K | +1% | 1,970 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $128K | -1% | 1,510 |
| Asheville | $128K | -1% | 520 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $127K | -2% | 300 |
| Wilmington | $125K | -3% | 390 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $125K | -3% | 110 |
| Goldsboro | $123K | -5% | 90 |
| Fayetteville | $121K | -6% | 210 |
| Jacksonville | $121K | -6% | 70 |
| Rocky Mount | $118K | -9% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
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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 nurse practitioner afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 16.5% 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 nurse practitioners in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nurse practitioners typically earn — is $104K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,212/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nurse practitioner a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $129K locally vs. $132K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for nurse practitioners?
North Carolina pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $132K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $139K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nurse practitioners make in North Carolina?
The median is $128,990 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $103,530, and experienced nurse practitioners can clear $164,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,759/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 16.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a nurse practitioners 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 nurse practitioners salary is worth about $139,208 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nurse practitioners 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.