Financial Analyst · North Carolina · SOC 13-2051
Financial Analyst Salary in North Carolina (2026)
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- Median Financial Analyst salary in North Carolina: $102,220 nominal, $108,285 real (BEA RPP basis).
- Cost of living below the national index lifts real wage by $6,065 over the nominal — a take-home arbitrage that nominal-ranking tables miss.
- Bottom quartile $80,240, top quartile $130,020. The P90 ($165,020) is roughly 2.6× the P10 ($62,640).
- Financial Analyst ranking: #12 on the BLS table, #3 once cost of living is in.
Wage breakdown — North Carolina
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $62,640 | $66,357 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $80,240 | $85,001 |
| P50 (median) | $102,220 | $108,285 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $130,020 | $137,735 |
| P90 (top tier) | $165,020 | $174,811 |
| Mean | $108,010 | $114,419 |
| Employment | 10,330 Financial Analysts in North Carolina | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | North Carolina index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 94.4 |
| Goods | 96.8 |
| Services | 83.6 |
| Rents | 80.8 |
North Carolina sits below the national baseline (RPP 94.4), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 80.8.
After-tax take-home — North Carolina (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (Financial Analyst) | $102,220 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$13,735 | 13.4% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$3,802 | 4.25% flat (2026) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$7,820 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $76,862 | 75.2% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $81,423 | ÷ (94.4 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the North Carolina state-tax burden means for Financial Analyst take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 3.7% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $76,862 (75.2% of gross). After the 94.4 RPP, real take-home is $81,423.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $101,350 for Financial Analysts with mean pay of $116,490 and total employment of 340,580. North Carolina sits at #12 on nominal pay and #3 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, North Carolina climbs 9 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Financial Analyst make in North Carolina?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $102,220 for Financial Analysts in North Carolina as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $80,240 and the 75th-percentile is $130,020.
- How are North Carolina Financial Analyst salaries calculated on this page?
- Nominal wages come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) — annual employer surveys, May 2026 reference period. Real-wage figures use BEA Regional Price Parities (2023 vintage) to adjust for state-level cost of living. No self-report or jobs-board data is mixed in.
- What does the top of the Financial Analyst pay scale look like in North Carolina?
- The 90th percentile lands at $165,020. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $130,020.
- How many Financial Analysts does North Carolina employ?
- BLS OES counts 10,330 Financial Analysts employed in North Carolina in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- How wide is the wage spread in North Carolina?
- P10 to P90 spans $62,640 to $165,020. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.
- Is North Carolina a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for Financial Analysts?
- Yes — the BEA RPP of 94.4 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $102,220 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $108,285. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for Financial Analysts comparing offers across regions.
- What are the limits of these Financial Analyst salary numbers?
- BLS OES is an employer survey of W-2 wages — it excludes contractor pay, bonuses outside the base wage definition, equity compensation, and tip income. Self-employed practitioners and gig workers are not represented. For occupations with significant non-W-2 income, the BLS figure is a floor, not a complete picture.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 13-2051, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how North Carolina Financial Analyst pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.