SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + NC
COL Index: 99.38 (-0.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.0% Realized
$57,320 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $77,490 $37.25/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.03% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$15,521 $596.94/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $37.25 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,649/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,023/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,195
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,804
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,124
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,398
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$57,320 ($2,204.62 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $77,490
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $50.0k 25th $60.1k Median: $77,490 50th (Median) $77.5k 75th $102k 90th $134k You: $77,490
10th (Entry) $49,990 $24.03/hr
25th (Junior) $60,110 $28.90/hr
50th (Median) $77,490 $37.25/hr
75th (Senior) $102,170 $49.12/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $134,290 $64.56/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$51,858$24.93/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$62,044$29.83/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$77,509$37.26/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$101,678$48.88/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$133,441$64.15/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC medianView National Accountant & Auditor Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Financial Managers+$82,890/yr
National median: $166,570
Skill overlap: 94%View Salary
Financial Examiners+$10,480/yr
National median: $94,160
Skill overlap: 93%
Tax Preparers-$28,760/yr
National median: $54,920
Skill overlap: 93%
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks-$33,010/yr
National median: $50,670
Skill overlap: 89%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
20% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $965/month Requires minimum annual gross of $38,600
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,147/month Requires minimum annual gross of $45,880
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.98/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.64/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$77,490-$15,521$57,320$2,204.62
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$92,019-$20,182$66,317$2,550.64
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$106,549-$24,843$75,313$2,896.66
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$121,078-$29,504$84,310$3,242.68
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$135,608-$34,278$93,193$3,584.33
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Accountant & Auditor in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and North Carolina tax codes.

Market Baseline
$77,490/yr
$37.25/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
20.03% Effective
-$15,521 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
20% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,812/mo
Post-$965/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 13-2011
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Accountant & Auditor in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC report a median annual wage of $77,490, 7.4% below the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $49,990 to $134,290, and HUD’s $965 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 14.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+57.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+42.9%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+36.3%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+31.8%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+31.7%
Midland, TX$100,890+30.2%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+29.6%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+29.2%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+29.1%
Boulder, CO$99,990+29.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$312,730$150.35/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$170,730$82.08/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$163,010$78.37/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$162,690$78.22/hr
Marketing Managers$151,190$72.69/hr
Financial Manager$138,150$66.42/hr
Purchasing Managers$132,570$63.74/hr
Sales Managers$132,060$63.49/hr
Physician Assistant$127,210$61.16/hr
Nurse Practitioner$126,620$60.88/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 393 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (2026) Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $77,490 a year ($37.25/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Accountant & Auditor in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for an Accountant & Auditor in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

The median annual wage is $77,490 ($37.25 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $49,990 and $134,290. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for an Accountant & Auditor in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $77,490, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $60,761 a year ($5,063 a month) after $16,729 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.59%, using 2026 tax rules.