SOC 17-3023

Building Automation Specialist Salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

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: 135.43 (+35.4% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.5% Realized
$48,561 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $64,320 $30.92/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.5% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,899 $457.67/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 $30.92 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,859/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$463/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$5,075
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,988
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$933
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,904
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$48,561 ($1,867.74 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Building Automation Specialist Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $64,320
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $56.0k 25th $60.2k Median: $64,320 50th (Median) $64.3k 75th $83.4k 90th $96.0k You: $64,320
10th (Entry) $56,010 $26.93/hr
25th (Junior) $60,230 $28.96/hr
50th (Median) $64,320 $30.92/hr
75th (Senior) $83,400 $40.10/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $95,950 $46.13/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Building Automation Specialist in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
1
BMS Field TechnicianHVAC controls fundamentals, sensor wiring, low-voltage safety
$42,776$20.57/hr · 0-2 Years
2
BAS Programmer / SpecialistBACnet, Modbus protocols, direct digital control (DDC) programming
$60,873$29.27/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Controls EngineerSmart building integration, energy management modeling, commissioning
$78,971$37.97/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Automation Project ManagerCommercial building automation projects, client contract management
$98,713$47.46/hr · 8+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians-$4,290/yr
National median: $73,900
Skill overlap: 89%
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer+$52,030/yr
National median: $130,220
Skill overlap: 86%
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians-$3,680/yr
National median: $74,510
Skill overlap: 85%
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment-$4,100/yr
National median: $74,090
Skill overlap: 85%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
38% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,554/month Requires minimum annual gross of $62,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,745/month Requires minimum annual gross of $69,800
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $29.95/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.96/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 Durham-Chapel Hill, 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$64,320-$11,899$48,561$1,867.74
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$76,380-$15,164$56,633$2,178.18
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$88,440-$19,033$64,100$2,465.39
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$100,500-$22,902$71,568$2,752.60
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$112,560-$26,771$79,035$3,039.82
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

Building Automation Specialist in Durham-Chapel Hill, 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
$64,320/yr
$30.92/hr · SOC 17-3023
Statutory Tax Drag
18.5% Effective
-$11,899 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
38% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,493/mo
Post-$1,554/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 17-3023
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

Building Automation Specialist in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC: Market Snapshot

Building Automation Specialist roles in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC report a median annual wage of $64,320, 17.7% below the national median of $78,190. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $56,010 to $95,950, and HUD’s $1,554 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 29.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $29.95 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Building Automation Specialist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$106,250+65.2%
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ$103,480+60.9%
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$103,170+60.4%
Lexington Park, MD$102,640+59.6%
Baton Rouge, LA$102,380+59.2%
Albuquerque, NM$102,250+59.0%
Casper, WY$99,840+55.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$98,180+52.6%
Lake Charles, LA$97,740+52.0%
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$97,680+51.9%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$381,330$183.33/hr
Sales Managers$190,370$91.52/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$183,540$88.24/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$176,190$84.71/hr
Marketing Managers$175,160$84.21/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$172,480$82.92/hr
Financial Manager$165,470$79.55/hr
Human Resources Managers$160,580$77.20/hr
Purchasing Managers$160,370$77.10/hr
Data Engineer$141,770$68.16/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 241 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.

Building Automation Specialist Salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Overview

Building Automation Specialist median pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $64,320 a year ($30.92/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Building Automation Specialist in Durham-Chapel Hill, 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 a Building Automation Specialist in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

The median annual wage is $64,320 ($30.92 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $56,010 and $95,950. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Building Automation Specialist in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $64,320, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $51,803 a year ($4,317 a month) after $12,517 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.46%, using 2026 tax rules.