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What does a Optometrists salary really buy you in North Carolina?
North Carolina is 5.8% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
North Carolina's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 94.2, meaning prices are 5.8% lower the national average. A Optometrists earning $161,560 in North Carolina has the equivalent purchasing power of $171,507 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for North Carolina's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $94,320 | $100,127 | +$5,807 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $123,250 | $130,838 | +$7,588 |
| Median (P50) | $161,560 | $171,507 | +$9,947 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $193,790 | $205,721 | +$11,931 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $215,340 | $228,598 | +$13,258 |
A Optometrists in North Carolina earns $161,560 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 6% further — like earning $171,507 in an average-cost state. This makes North Carolina one of the best value states for this occupation.
With an RPP of 94.2, North Carolina is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Optometrists is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After applying North Carolina's RPP, the $161,560 median salary translates to $171,507 in real terms — a 6.2% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Optometrists.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Optometrists, North Carolina places #1 of 51 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Optometrists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
North Carolina ranks #1 out of 51 states for Optometrists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Optometrists take-home pay in North Carolina after taxes →
A Optometrists in North Carolina earns a median salary of $161,560 per year. After adjusting for North Carolina's cost of living (RPP=94.2), the real purchasing power is $171,507 — a +6.2% difference.
North Carolina's cost of living is 5.8% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for North Carolina is 94.2 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Optometrists in North Carolina: $161,560 x (100 / 94.2) = $171,507. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Optometrists in North Carolina enjoys 6.2% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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