Psychiatrists Salary
The median pay for a psychiatrists in North Carolina is $168,880/year ($81.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $101K at the entry level to $297K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $182,258 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 12.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $169K actually covers in North Carolina, month by month
About psychiatrists
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for psychiatrists in North Carolina runs about 40% below the U.S. median of $282K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 13% 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. Lower pay, lower costs, North Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for psychiatrists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level psychiatrists (10th percentile) start around $101K. Mid-career wages sit at $169K. Top earners bring in $297K or more, a $196K spread from bottom to top.
Psychiatrists salary by metro in North Carolina
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $171K | +1% | 40 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $170K | +1% | 100 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $169K | +0% | 130 |
| Asheville | $165K | -3% | 50 |
| Fayetteville | $155K | -8% | 40 |
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Track psychiatrists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a psychiatrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $169K, rent takes 13% 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 psychiatrists in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychiatrists typically earn — is $101K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,246/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is psychiatrist a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay runs 40% below the national median — $169K here vs. $282K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for psychiatrists?
North Carolina pays $169K median vs. the U.S. average of $282K — that’s -40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $182K — below the national median.
How much do psychiatrists make in North Carolina?
The median is $168,880 a year, that works out to about $81 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $101,080, and experienced psychiatrists can clear $297,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $169K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,882/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 13% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a psychiatrists 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 psychiatrists salary is worth about $182,258 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do psychiatrists 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.