SOC 11-3121

Human Resources Managers Salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, 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: 99.38 (-0.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 69.8% Realized
$82,373 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $117,950 $56.71/hr
Effective Tax Drag 24.16% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$28,500 $1,096.17/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 $56.71 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$7,077/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,557/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$15,562
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$7,313
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,710
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,915
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$82,373 ($3,168.18 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Human Resources Managers Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $117,950
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $80.1k 25th $94.6k Median: $117,950 50th (Median) $118k 75th $162k 90th $208k You: $117,950
10th (Entry) $80,130 $38.52/hr
25th (Junior) $94,590 $45.48/hr
50th (Median) $117,950 $56.71/hr
75th (Senior) $161,510 $77.65/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $208,480 $100.23/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Human Resources Managers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
1
HR GeneralistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$69,689$33.50/hr · 0-2 Years
2
HR Business PartnerDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification
$87,783$42.20/hr · 2-5 Years
3
HR ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$117,966$56.71/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Senior HR ManagerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$157,472$75.71/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Director of HR / CHROExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$211,596$101.73/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
14% 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$117,950-$28,500$82,373$3,168.18
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$140,066-$35,792$95,869$3,687.28
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$162,181-$43,303$109,147$4,197.98
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$184,297-$50,814$122,425$4,708.67
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$206,413-$57,023$137,004$5,269.40
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 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
$117,950/yr
$56.71/hr · SOC 11-3121
Statutory Tax Drag
24.16% Effective
-$28,500 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
14% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$5,899/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 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC: Market Snapshot

Human Resources Managers roles in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC report a median annual wage of $117,950, 21.0% below the national median of $149,280. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $80,130 to $208,480, and HUD’s $965 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 9.8% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Human Resources Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$220,460+86.9%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$209,340+77.5%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$191,190+62.1%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$185,100+56.9%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$184,990+56.8%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$177,960+50.9%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$171,360+45.3%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$170,940+44.9%
Midland, MI$170,710+44.7%
Boulder, CO$169,000+43.3%

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, 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Overview

Human Resources Managers median pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $117,950 a year ($56.71/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Human Resources Managers 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 a Human Resources Managers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

The median annual wage is $117,950 ($56.71 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $80,130 and $208,480. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Human Resources Managers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $117,950, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $87,610 a year ($7,301 a month) after $30,340 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 25.72%, using 2026 tax rules.