SOC 11-3121

Human Resources Managers Salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, 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: 135.43 (+35.4% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 67.4% Realized
$108,186 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $160,580 $77.20/hr
Effective Tax Drag 26.63% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$42,759 $1,644.59/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 $77.20 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$9,635/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$2,312/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$24,961
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$9,956
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$2,328
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$5,514
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$108,186 ($4,161.00 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Human Resources Managers Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $160,580
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $103k 25th $129k Median: $160,580 50th (Median) $161k 75th $210k 90th $298k You: $160,580
10th (Entry) $103,300 $49.66/hr
25th (Junior) $128,920 $61.98/hr
50th (Median) $160,580 $77.20/hr
75th (Senior) $210,130 $101.02/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $298,410 $143.47/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Human Resources Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
1
HR GeneralistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$94,876$45.61/hr · 0-2 Years
2
HR Business PartnerDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification
$119,510$57.46/hr · 2-5 Years
3
HR ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$160,602$77.21/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Senior HR ManagerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$214,386$103.07/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Director of HR / CHROExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$288,072$138.50/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC medianView National Human Resources Managers Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists+$44,670/yr
National median: $193,950
Skill overlap: 93%
Management Analysts-$47,420/yr
National median: $101,860
Skill overlap: 92%View Salary
Human Resources Specialists-$73,340/yr
National median: $75,940
Skill overlap: 88%
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping-$98,670/yr
National median: $50,610
Skill overlap: 81%
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)
17% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
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$160,580-$42,759$108,186$4,161.00
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$190,689-$52,601$126,647$4,871.03
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$220,798-$61,146$146,403$5,630.90
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$250,906-$71,214$164,638$6,332.24
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$281,015-$82,107$182,047$7,001.80
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

Human Resources Managers 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
$160,580/yr
$77.20/hr · SOC 11-3121
Statutory Tax Drag
26.63% Effective
-$42,759 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
17% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$7,461/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 11-3121
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

Human Resources Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC: Market Snapshot

Human Resources Managers roles in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC report a median annual wage of $160,580, 7.6% above the national median of $149,280. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $103,300 to $298,410, and HUD’s $1,554 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 11.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $29.95 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Human Resources Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$220,460+37.3%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$209,340+30.4%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$191,190+19.1%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$185,100+15.3%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$184,990+15.2%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$177,960+10.8%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$171,360+6.7%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$170,940+6.5%
Midland, MI$170,710+6.3%
Boulder, CO$169,000+5.2%

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
Purchasing Managers$160,370$77.10/hr
Data Engineer$141,770$68.16/hr
Industrial Production Managers$137,950$66.32/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 358 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.

Human Resources Managers Salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (2026) Overview

Human Resources Managers median pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $160,580 a year ($77.20/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Human Resources Managers 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 Human Resources Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

The median annual wage is $160,580 ($77.20 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $103,300 and $298,410. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Human Resources Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $160,580, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $115,124 a year ($9,594 a month) after $45,456 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 28.31%, using 2026 tax rules.