Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Aerospace Engineers actually take home in North Carolina?
4.5% flat rate — 27.6% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Aerospace Engineers earning $122,930 in North Carolina (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $122,930 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$19,041 | 15.5% |
| North Carolina State Income Tax | -$5,531 | 4.5% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$7,621 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,782 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$33,977 | 27.6% |
| Take-Home Pay | $88,952 | 72.4% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Aerospace Engineers in North Carolina.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $79,310 | -$18,925 | $60,384 | 23.9% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $94,210 | -$24,013 | $70,196 | 25.5% |
| Median (P50) | $122,930 | -$33,977 | $88,952 | 27.6% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $149,990 | -$43,759 | $106,230 | 29.2% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $176,720 | -$52,919 | $123,800 | 29.9% |
After federal income tax ($19,041), state tax ($5,531), and FICA ($9,404), a Aerospace Engineers in North Carolina takes home $88,952 per year — or $7,412 per month. The effective tax rate of 27.6% is moderate compared to the national range.
A Aerospace Engineers in North Carolina loses 27.6% of gross pay to taxes — higher than the ~25% national midpoint. Of the $122,930 gross, $88,952 lands in the paycheck after federal ($19,042), state ($5,532), and FICA ($9,404) withholding.
North Carolina applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Aerospace Engineers salary that contributes $5,532 to the 4.5% effective state-tax burden.
Federal income tax ($19,042) accounts for 56% of the total tax bill — the single largest deduction. FICA adds $9,404 (28%), and state tax the remaining $5,532 (16%).
Moving this same Aerospace Engineers salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $94,484 net — a gain of $5,532 (6.2%) per year versus North Carolina.
North Carolina sits near the bottom (#32 of 41) for Aerospace Engineers after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $88,952 net/year works out to $7,413/month or $3,421/bi-weekly for this Aerospace Engineers in North Carolina — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Aerospace Engineers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
North Carolina ranks #32 out of 41 states for Aerospace Engineers after-tax take-home pay.
A Aerospace Engineers in North Carolina earning a median salary of $122,930 will take home approximately $88,952 per year after federal income tax ($19,041), state income tax ($5,531), and FICA ($9,404). That is $7,412 per month or $3,421 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Aerospace Engineers in North Carolina is 27.6%, broken down as: federal income tax 15.5%, North Carolina state tax 4.5%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.7%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
North Carolina has a 4.5% flat rate. On a Aerospace Engineers's median salary of $122,930, the state income tax amounts to $5,531 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.5%.
After all taxes, a Aerospace Engineers in North Carolina takes home approximately $7,412 per month, or about $42.77 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $122,930 for Aerospace Engineers in North Carolina, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), North Carolina state income tax (4.5% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $88,952/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR