Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Raleigh, NC

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area earn a median $60,170 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,635 take-home, or $4,053 a month.

Median salary
$60,170
$28.93 per hour
Typical range
$47,500 – $75,710
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Raleigh, NC
5,830
0.88× national concentration
▲3.7%
Pay trend: The median for elementary school teachers, except special education in Raleigh, NC rose from $58,010 (May 2024) to $60,170 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.3%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median elementary school teachers, except special education salary in Raleigh, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in Raleigh, NC
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$48,635
per year · effective tax rate 19.2%
$4,053Monthly
$2,026Twice a month
$1,871Every 2 weeks
$23.38Hourly
  • Federal income tax$5,040
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,731
  • Medicare (1.45%)$872
  • North Carolina income tax$1,892
  • Take-home pay$48,635

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay by experience in Raleigh, NC

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$47,500$22.84$38,960$3,247
25th percentile$50,050$24.06$40,907$3,409
Median (50th)$60,170$28.93$48,635$4,053
75th percentile$62,590$30.09$50,482$4,207
90th percentile (top earners)$75,710$36.40$59,580$4,965

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $60,170 buys in Raleigh, NC

Prices in Raleigh, NC are 1.8% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.03× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median elementary school teachers, except special education's $48,635 take-home pay has the buying power of $49,548 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,596
39% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,750
43% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$2,457
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education jobs are about as common in Raleigh, NC as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.88).

Best-paying cities for elementary school teachers, except special education, adjusted for cost of living

Raleigh, NC ranks #86 of 99 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Seattle, WA $102,920$81,234$73,096
2Visalia, CA $98,430$71,872$71,998
3Modesto, CA $101,640$73,789$70,878
4Sacramento, CA $103,390$74,835$70,156
5Bridgeport, CT $98,600$74,347$69,572
6Dayton, OH $80,360$63,936$68,975
7Stockton, CA $97,400$71,256$67,805
8Riverside, CA $98,520$71,925$67,572
86Raleigh, NC$60,170$48,635$49,548

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 99 metros →

About the job: elementary school teachers, except special education

Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level.

Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
-0.4% (slower than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salaries elsewhere in North Carolina

Frequently asked questions

How much does a elementary school teachers, except special education make in Raleigh, NC?

The median elementary school teachers, except special education salary in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area is $60,170 a year, or about $28.93 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $50,050 and $62,590.

What is a elementary school teachers, except special education’s take-home pay in Raleigh, NC?

On the median $60,170 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $48,635 a year ($4,053 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,892 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.

Is Raleigh, NC a good place to work as a elementary school teachers, except special education?

Pay here is 6% below the national median of $63,970. Local prices are 1.8% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $49,548 would in a typical U.S. city. Raleigh, NC ranks #86 of 99 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a elementary school teachers, except special education afford rent in Raleigh, NC?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Raleigh, NC is $1,596 a month ($1,750 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median elementary school teachers, except special education’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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