Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Mechanical Engineers actually take home in North Carolina?
4.5% flat rate — 26.0% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Mechanical Engineers earning $100,720 in North Carolina (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $100,720 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$13,999 | 13.9% |
| North Carolina State Income Tax | -$4,532 | 4.5% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$6,244 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,460 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$26,236 | 26.0% |
| Take-Home Pay | $74,483 | 74.0% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Mechanical Engineers in North Carolina.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $71,260 | -$16,176 | $55,083 | 22.7% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $82,490 | -$20,011 | $62,478 | 24.3% |
| Median (P50) | $100,720 | -$26,236 | $74,483 | 26.0% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $125,050 | -$34,744 | $90,305 | 27.8% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $155,550 | -$45,769 | $109,780 | 29.4% |
After federal income tax ($13,999), state tax ($4,532), and FICA ($7,705), a Mechanical Engineers in North Carolina takes home $74,483 per year — or $6,206 per month. The effective tax rate of 26.0% is moderate compared to the national range.
A Mechanical Engineers in North Carolina loses 26.0% of gross pay to taxes — higher than the ~25% national midpoint. Of the $100,720 gross, $74,483 lands in the paycheck after federal ($13,999), state ($4,532), and FICA ($7,705) withholding.
North Carolina applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Mechanical Engineers salary that contributes $4,532 to the 4.5% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Mechanical Engineers salary is $13,999 (53%), but combined state ($4,532, 17%) + FICA ($7,705, 29%) make up the other 47% of the bill.
Moving this same Mechanical Engineers salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $79,016 net — a gain of $4,532 (6.1%) per year versus North Carolina.
North Carolina ranks #32 of 51 states for Mechanical Engineers after-tax pay — lower half of the national distribution. Either gross wages trail the national median, state tax is elevated, or both.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $74,483 net/year works out to $6,207/month or $2,865/bi-weekly for this Mechanical Engineers in North Carolina — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Mechanical Engineers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
North Carolina ranks #32 out of 51 states for Mechanical Engineers after-tax take-home pay.
A Mechanical Engineers in North Carolina earning a median salary of $100,720 will take home approximately $74,483 per year after federal income tax ($13,999), state income tax ($4,532), and FICA ($7,705). That is $6,206 per month or $2,864 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Mechanical Engineers in North Carolina is 26.0%, broken down as: federal income tax 13.9%, 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 Mechanical Engineers's median salary of $100,720, the state income tax amounts to $4,532 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.5%.
After all taxes, a Mechanical Engineers in North Carolina takes home approximately $6,206 per month, or about $35.81 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 $100,720 for Mechanical 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 — $74,483/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
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