The Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Durham, NC (2026)
The average salary in the Durham metro area is $79,700 a year and the median is $60,720: 19% above the US median and 27% above North Carolina's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $62,230, 8th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $79,700US $69,770
- Median salary
- $60,720US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $29.19BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 97.6US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Durham earn
| Percentile | Durham area | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,930 | $28,580 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $39,990 | $36,030 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $60,720 | $47,970 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $100,130 | $75,610 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $157,990 | $119,640 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $79,700 | $64,290 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Durham
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Durham area at 97.6 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $97,570 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items97.6
- Housing (rents)98.9
- Goods96.6
- Utilities89.3
- Other services98.2
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 97.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 98.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Durham
Mean annual wage in the Durham area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Durham area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $148,390 | $148,100 | 0% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $53,630 | $72,650 | -26% |
| Accountant | $98,050 | $94,750 | +3% |
| Electrician | $59,680 | $71,490 | -17% |
| Truck Driver | $56,200 | $59,710 | -6% |
| Customer Service Representative | $47,050 | $46,590 | +1% |
| Retail Salesperson | $34,360 | $37,310 | -8% |
| Nursing Assistant | $42,540 | $42,700 | 0% |
| General and Operations Manager | $140,710 | $134,940 | +4% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $53,960 | $53,780 | 0% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $36,050 | $38,730 | -7% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Durham
BLS publishes estimates for 443 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1General Internal Medicine Physician$234,920
- 2Dentist$217,070
- 3Family Medicine Physician$214,300
- 4Natural Sciences Manager$200,320
- 5Sales Manager$199,600
- 6Marketing Manager$192,150
- 7IT Manager$191,920
- 8Computer Hardware Engineer$185,390
- 9Financial Manager$184,890
- 10Sales Engineer$183,520
Jobs Durham pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1First-Line Supervisor of Non-Retail Sales Workers$125,760 · +27%
- 2Hairstylist$55,430 · +26%
- 3Sales Manager$199,600 · +21%
- 4Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$107,080 · +20%
- 5Computer User Support Specialist$79,830 · +19%
- 6Operations Research Analyst$116,830 · +17%
- 7Real Estate Agent$80,430 · +16%
- 8Veterinary Technician$56,450 · +15%
- 9Neurodiagnostic Technologist$66,890 · +14%
- 10Medical and Health Services Manager$160,410 · +14%
Compare
Other metro areas in North Carolina
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Durham: FAQ
What is the average salary in Durham?
Across all occupations in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $79,700 and the median is $60,720, 19% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 344,020 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Durham?
Above $60,720 out-earns half of workers in the Durham area; the top 25% start at $100,130 and the top 10% at $157,990. Prices run 2% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $97,570 here.
Is Durham expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Durham metro is 97.6 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 98.9, goods 96.6, utilities 89.3. At local prices the median wage is worth $62,230, 8th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Durham?
By mean annual wage: General Internal Medicine Physician ($234,920), Dentist ($217,070), Family Medicine Physician ($214,300), Natural Sciences Manager ($200,320), Sales Manager ($199,600) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).