SOC 11-1011 · Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro

Chief Executives Salary in Hickory, NC

The average salary for chief executives in Hickory, North Carolina is $314,070 a year ($150.99 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $312,730: half of the 50 people in this job in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 11% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($281,693).

$314,070average per year

$150.99 / hourMedian $312,730Take-home ≈ $211,969

  • $130K10th
  • $206K25th
  • $313KMedian
  • $402K75th
  • $521K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

50people in this job
+11%vs U.S. metro average
#7 of 8North Carolina metros
88cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Chief Executives pay range in Hickory

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $129,980 a year or less, while the top 10% make $520,540 or more. The middle half of chief executives in Hickory earn between $205,540 and $402,060.

  • $130K10th
  • $206K25th
  • $313KMedian
  • $402K75th
  • $521K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$314,070$26,172$151.00
Median$312,730$26,061$150.35
Entry level (25th percentile)$205,540$17,128$98.82
Experienced (75th percentile)$402,060$33,505$193.30

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Chief Executives salary after taxes in Hickory

On the average salary of $314,070, a single filer in Hickory takes home about $211,969 a year, or $17,664 a month and $8,153 every two weeks. Taxes take 33% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Advertisement

Is Hickory a good place for chief executives? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Hickory area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $314,070 buys what about $354,938 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 6.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Hickory ($45,220). A typical home costs $271,739, or 0.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $314,070 is worth in another city

Chief Executives salary in other North Carolina cities

Hickory ranks 7th of 8 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Durham pays the most ($425,580).

All Chief Executives salaries in North Carolina

Highest-paying cities for chief executives

Medford, OR pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($503,650).

Chief Executives salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Chief Executives in Hickory, NC.

Chief Executives salary in Hickory: questions

How much do chief executives make an hour in Hickory?

$150.99 an hour on average, and $150.35 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level chief executives salary in Hickory?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $129,980 a year and the 25th percentile is $205,540, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the chief executives take-home pay in Hickory?

About $211,969 a year ($17,664 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $314,070.

Do chief executives earn more in Hickory than elsewhere?

The average here is 11% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($281,693).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 11-1011; area Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (25860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.9%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.23, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.23).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.