Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a receptionist make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

In the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan area, receptionists earned a median of $35,990 a year ($17.30 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 880 of these jobs there. That is 41% below the $60,720 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $25,930 and $44,920; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,171 in take-home pay.

Receptionist pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC at a glance

Median salary

$35,990$17.30 per hour · $2,999 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$25,930$12.47/hr
25th percentile$29,990$14.42/hr
75th percentile$39,840$19.15/hr
90th percentile$44,920$21.60/hr
Jobs in this metro880Location quotient 0.44 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here41% belowAll-jobs median $60,720
Against North Carolina2% aboveStatewide median $35,440
Against the U.S.5% belowNational median $38,010

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Receptionist salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC after taxes

$35,990
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,990
Net 84%
Fed 6%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,171After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,514Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,160Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,139 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$927 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,753 / yr

Receptionists pay range in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What receptionists earned in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$12.47/hr$2,161$25,930$22,437
25th percentile$14.42/hr$2,499$29,990$25,589
MedianMedian$17.30/hr$2,999$35,990$30,171
75th percentile$19.15/hr$3,320$39,840$33,111
90th percentile$21.60/hr$3,743$44,920$36,990

Is $35,990 a good salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for receptionists next to both.

Median household income$83,500Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.62.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.1%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Receptionist pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for receptionists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for receptionists in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area was $35,990 in May 2025, about $2,999 a month or $17.30 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $35,440, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for receptionists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

The median hourly wage for receptionists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC was $17.30 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.47 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.60.

How many receptionists work in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

BLS estimated 880 jobs for receptionists in the metro in May 2025, or 2.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.44 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for receptionists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

BLS wage estimates for receptionists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC run from $25,930 at the 10th percentile to $29,990 at the 25th, $39,840 at the 75th, and $44,920 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do receptionists take home after taxes in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

On a median gross salary of $35,990, an estimated $30,171 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,160 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,819 (an effective rate of 16.2%).

How much do receptionists make per month in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

On the median annual salary of $35,990, gross monthly income is $2,999. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,514 per month (or $1,160 every two weeks).

Is $35,990 a good salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

At $35,990, the median salary for receptionists is 43.1% of the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC median household income ($83,500). It is 41% below the $60,720 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.6, so prices here run 2.4% below the U.S. average.