Office Clerks, General Salary
Office Clerks, Generals in North Carolina make a median of $41,770 a year, or about $20.08 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $45,079 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 44.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in North Carolina?
About office clerks, generals
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Office clerks, general pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 45.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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 office clerks, generals (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Office Clerks, General 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 | $47K | +13% | 4,180 |
| Asheville | $45K | +8% | 2,510 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $44K | +6% | 11,350 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $44K | +5% | 16,390 |
| Fayetteville | $43K | +3% | 2,290 |
| Rocky Mount | $41K | -1% | 870 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $41K | -1% | 4,510 |
| Greenville | $41K | -2% | 1,870 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $40K | -3% | 2,060 |
| Winston-Salem | $40K | -5% | 3,500 |
| Wilmington | $39K | -6% | 2,720 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $39K | -6% | 490 |
| Burlington | $39K | -7% | 810 |
| Jacksonville | $39K | -7% | 720 |
| Goldsboro | $39K | -8% | 540 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
Track office clerks, general salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a office clerks, general afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 45.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for office clerks, generals in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new office clerks, generals typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,660/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 77% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is office clerks, general a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for office clerks, generals?
North Carolina pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do office clerks, generals make in North Carolina?
The median is $41,770 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,660, and experienced office clerks, generals can clear $60,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,810/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 45.7% 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 office clerks, general 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 office clerks, general salary is worth about $45,079 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do office clerks, generals 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.