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

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary in Raleigh, NC

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area earn a median $60,380 a year — 16% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,795 take-home, or $4,066 a month.

Median salary
$60,380
$29.03 per hour
Typical range
$47,330 – $75,190
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Raleigh, NC
4,210
0.83× national concentration
▲4.3%
Pay trend: The median for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Raleigh, NC rose from $57,880 (May 2024) to $60,380 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.9%.

Take-home pay calculator

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

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in Raleigh, NC
Deductions, kids & local tax

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

Your take-home pay
$48,795
per year · effective tax rate 19.2%
$4,066Monthly
$2,033Twice a month
$1,877Every 2 weeks
$23.46Hourly
  • Federal income tax$5,066
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,744
  • Medicare (1.45%)$876
  • North Carolina income tax$1,900
  • Take-home pay$48,795

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state

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

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay by experience in Raleigh, NC

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$47,330$22.75$38,830$3,236
25th percentile$49,560$23.83$40,533$3,378
Median (50th)$60,380$29.03$48,795$4,066
75th percentile$62,890$30.24$50,712$4,226
90th percentile (top earners)$75,190$36.15$59,235$4,936

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

What $60,380 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education's $48,795 take-home pay has the buying power of $49,711 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
$2,470
per month for everything else

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

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education jobs are about as common in Raleigh, NC as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.83).

Best-paying cities for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, adjusted for cost of living

Raleigh, NC ranks #77 of 84 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Seattle, WA $102,670$81,058$72,938
2Fresno, CA $100,750$73,258$71,710
3Bakersfield, CA $99,150$72,302$71,667
4Chicago, IL $98,970$73,701$71,144
5Sacramento, CA $105,060$75,833$71,091
6San Jose, CA $108,230$77,727$70,390
7Providence, RI $92,110$70,792$69,559
8Akron, OH $81,820$64,923$69,533
77Raleigh, NC$60,380$48,795$49,711

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 84 metros →

About the job: secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
-0.2% (slower than average)

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

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salaries elsewhere in North Carolina

Frequently asked questions

How much does a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education make in Raleigh, NC?

The median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area is $60,380 a year, or about $29.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $49,560 and $62,890.

What is a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education’s take-home pay in Raleigh, NC?

On the median $60,380 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $48,795 a year ($4,066 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,900 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.

Is Raleigh, NC a good place to work as a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education?

Pay here is 16% below the national median of $72,040. Local prices are 1.8% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $49,711 would in a typical U.S. city. Raleigh, NC ranks #77 of 84 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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