SOC 11-9121 · Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in Hickory, NC

The average salary for natural sciences managers in Hickory, North Carolina is $159,780 a year ($76.82 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $162,690: half of the 40 people in this job in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 14% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($186,872).

$159,780average per year

$76.82 / hourMedian $162,690Take-home ≈ $114,609

  • $77K10th
  • $110K25th
  • $163KMedian
  • $185K75th
  • $264K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

40people in this job
-14%vs U.S. metro average
#10 of 11North Carolina metros
88cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Natural Sciences Managers pay range in Hickory

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,770 a year or less, while the top 10% make $264,020 or more. The middle half of natural sciences managers in Hickory earn between $110,140 and $185,110.

  • $77K10th
  • $110K25th
  • $163KMedian
  • $185K75th
  • $264K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$159,780$13,315$76.82
Median$162,690$13,558$78.22
Entry level (25th percentile)$110,140$9,178$52.95
Experienced (75th percentile)$185,110$15,426$89.00

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

Natural Sciences Managers salary after taxes in Hickory

On the average salary of $159,780, a single filer in Hickory takes home about $114,609 a year, or $9,551 a month and $4,408 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.

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

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Is Hickory a good place for natural sciences managers? 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 $159,780 buys what about $180,571 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Hickory ($45,220). A typical home costs $271,739, or 1.7 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $159,780 is worth in another city

Natural Sciences Managers salary in other North Carolina cities

Hickory ranks 10th of 11 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Durham pays the most ($200,320).

All Natural Sciences Managers salaries in North Carolina

Highest-paying cities for natural sciences managers

Boston, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($260,090).

Natural Sciences Managers salary by city

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Natural Sciences Managers salary in Hickory: questions

How much do natural sciences managers make an hour in Hickory?

$76.82 an hour on average, and $78.21 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level natural sciences managers salary in Hickory?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,770 a year and the 25th percentile is $110,140, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the natural sciences managers take-home pay in Hickory?

About $114,609 a year ($9,551 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $159,780.

Do natural sciences managers earn more in Hickory than elsewhere?

The average here is 14% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($186,872).

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 11-9121; area Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (25860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.3%.
  • 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 0.37, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.37).

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