Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Physicists actually take home in North Carolina?
4.5% flat rate — 29.9% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Physicists earning $174,180 in North Carolina (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $174,180 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$31,341 | 18.0% |
| North Carolina State Income Tax | -$7,838 | 4.5% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$10,453 | 6.0% |
| Medicare | -$2,525 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$52,158 | 29.9% |
| Take-Home Pay | $122,021 | 70.1% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Physicists in North Carolina.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $64,050 | -$13,714 | $50,335 | 21.4% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $81,370 | -$19,628 | $61,741 | 24.1% |
| Median (P50) | $174,180 | -$52,158 | $122,021 | 29.9% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $209,210 | -$62,945 | $146,264 | 30.1% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $256,860 | -$81,457 | $175,402 | 31.7% |
After federal income tax ($31,341), state tax ($7,838), and FICA ($12,978), a Physicists in North Carolina takes home $122,021 per year — or $10,168 per month. The effective tax rate of 29.9% is moderate compared to the national range.
A Physicists in North Carolina loses 29.9% of gross pay to taxes — higher than the ~25% national midpoint. Of the $174,180 gross, $122,021 lands in the paycheck after federal ($31,342), state ($7,838), and FICA ($12,979) withholding.
North Carolina applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Physicists salary that contributes $7,838 to the 4.5% effective state-tax burden.
Federal income tax ($31,342) accounts for 60% of the total tax bill — the single largest deduction. FICA adds $12,979 (25%), and state tax the remaining $7,838 (15%).
The state-tax gap is substantial: a Physicists earning this gross in a no-income-tax state would net about $129,859 — an extra $7,838 (6.4%) annually compared with North Carolina.
North Carolina ranks #13 of 43 states for Physicists after-tax pay — comfortably in the upper half.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $122,021 net/year works out to $10,168/month or $4,693/bi-weekly for this Physicists in North Carolina — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Physicists keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
North Carolina ranks #13 out of 43 states for Physicists after-tax take-home pay.
A Physicists in North Carolina earning a median salary of $174,180 will take home approximately $122,021 per year after federal income tax ($31,341), state income tax ($7,838), and FICA ($12,978). That is $10,168 per month or $4,693 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Physicists in North Carolina is 29.9%, broken down as: federal income tax 18.0%, North Carolina state tax 4.5%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.5%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
North Carolina has a 4.5% flat rate. On a Physicists's median salary of $174,180, the state income tax amounts to $7,838 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.5%.
After all taxes, a Physicists in North Carolina takes home approximately $10,168 per month, or about $58.66 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 $174,180 for Physicists 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 — $122,021/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