Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Chemical Engineers actually take home in North Carolina?
4.5% flat rate — 27.2% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Chemical Engineers earning $117,410 in North Carolina (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $117,410 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$17,716 | 15.1% |
| North Carolina State Income Tax | -$5,283 | 4.5% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$7,279 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,702 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$31,982 | 27.2% |
| Take-Home Pay | $85,427 | 72.8% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Chemical Engineers in North Carolina.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $81,020 | -$19,509 | $61,510 | 24.1% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $95,920 | -$24,597 | $71,322 | 25.6% |
| Median (P50) | $117,410 | -$31,982 | $85,427 | 27.2% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $141,260 | -$40,603 | $100,656 | 28.7% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $168,610 | -$50,490 | $118,119 | 29.9% |
After federal income tax ($17,716), state tax ($5,283), and FICA ($8,981), a Chemical Engineers in North Carolina takes home $85,427 per year — or $7,118 per month. The effective tax rate of 27.2% is moderate compared to the national range.
A Chemical Engineers in North Carolina loses 27.2% of gross pay to taxes — higher than the ~25% national midpoint. Of the $117,410 gross, $85,428 lands in the paycheck after federal ($17,717), state ($5,283), and FICA ($8,982) withholding.
North Carolina applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Chemical Engineers salary that contributes $5,283 to the 4.5% effective state-tax burden.
Federal income tax ($17,717) accounts for 55% of the total tax bill — the single largest deduction. FICA adds $8,982 (28%), and state tax the remaining $5,283 (17%).
Moving this same Chemical Engineers salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $90,711 net — a gain of $5,283 (6.2%) per year versus North Carolina.
North Carolina ranks #20 of 41 states for Chemical Engineers after-tax pay — comfortably in the upper half.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $85,428 net/year works out to $7,119/month or $3,286/bi-weekly for this Chemical Engineers in North Carolina — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Chemical Engineers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
North Carolina ranks #20 out of 41 states for Chemical Engineers after-tax take-home pay.
A Chemical Engineers in North Carolina earning a median salary of $117,410 will take home approximately $85,427 per year after federal income tax ($17,716), state income tax ($5,283), and FICA ($8,981). That is $7,118 per month or $3,285 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Chemical Engineers in North Carolina is 27.2%, broken down as: federal income tax 15.1%, North Carolina state tax 4.5%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
North Carolina has a 4.5% flat rate. On a Chemical Engineers's median salary of $117,410, the state income tax amounts to $5,283 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.5%.
After all taxes, a Chemical Engineers in North Carolina takes home approximately $7,118 per month, or about $41.07 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 $117,410 for Chemical 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 — $85,427/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