SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Wilmington, 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: 111.22 (+11.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.9% Realized
$57,586 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $77,920 $37.46/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.1% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$15,658 $602.25/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 $37.46 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,675/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,029/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,284
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,831
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,130
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,414
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$57,586 ($2,214.86 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Wilmington, NC Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $77,920
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $50.4k 25th $60.7k Median: $77,920 50th (Median) $77.9k 75th $100.0k 90th $130k You: $77,920
10th (Entry) $50,390 $24.23/hr
25th (Junior) $60,660 $29.16/hr
50th (Median) $77,920 $37.46/hr
75th (Senior) $99,990 $48.07/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $129,990 $62.50/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Wilmington, NC
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$52,145$25.07/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$62,388$29.99/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$77,939$37.47/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$102,242$49.15/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$134,181$64.51/hr · 14+ Years
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 Wilmington, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
33% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,566/month Requires minimum annual gross of $62,640
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,705/month Requires minimum annual gross of $68,200
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.60/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $22.74/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 Wilmington, 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$77,920-$15,658$57,586$2,214.86
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$92,530-$20,345$66,633$2,562.80
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$107,140-$25,032$75,679$2,910.74
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$121,750-$29,719$84,726$3,258.68
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$136,360-$34,534$93,644$3,601.71
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 Wilmington, 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
$77,920/yr
$37.46/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
20.1% Effective
-$15,658 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
33% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,233/mo
Post-$1,566/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 Wilmington, NC: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Wilmington, NC report a median annual wage of $77,920, 6.9% below the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $50,390 to $129,990, and HUD’s $1,566 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 24.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.60 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+56.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+42.1%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+35.6%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+31.1%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+30.9%
Midland, TX$100,890+29.5%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+28.9%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+28.5%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+28.4%
Boulder, CO$99,990+28.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Wilmington, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$298,730$143.62/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$169,810$81.64/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$166,910$80.25/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$160,980$77.39/hr
Marketing Managers$153,860$73.97/hr
Financial Manager$152,150$73.15/hr
Purchasing Managers$145,730$70.06/hr
Cybersecurity Analyst$145,170$69.79/hr
Human Resources Managers$140,960$67.77/hr
Sales Managers$133,400$64.13/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 Wilmington, NC (2026) Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Wilmington, NC is $77,920 a year ($37.46/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for an Accountant & Auditor in Wilmington, NC?

The median annual wage is $77,920 ($37.46 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $50,390 and $129,990. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $77,920, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $61,046 a year ($5,087 a month) after $16,874 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.65%, using 2026 tax rules.