Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Recreational Therapists actually take home in North Carolina?
4.5% flat rate — 20.3% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Recreational Therapists earning $51,030 in North Carolina (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $51,030 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$4,139 | 8.1% |
| North Carolina State Income Tax | -$2,296 | 4.5% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$3,163 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$739 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$10,339 | 20.3% |
| Take-Home Pay | $40,690 | 79.7% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Recreational Therapists in North Carolina.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $41,490 | -$8,035 | $33,454 | 19.4% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $45,950 | -$9,112 | $36,837 | 19.8% |
| Median (P50) | $51,030 | -$10,339 | $40,690 | 20.3% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $63,860 | -$13,649 | $50,210 | 21.4% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $78,340 | -$18,594 | $59,745 | 23.7% |
After federal income tax ($4,139), state tax ($2,296), and FICA ($3,903), a Recreational Therapists in North Carolina takes home $40,690 per year — or $3,390 per month. The effective tax rate of 20.3% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 20.3%, a Recreational Therapists in North Carolina keeps $40,690 of $51,030 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
North Carolina applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Recreational Therapists salary that contributes $2,296 to the 4.5% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Recreational Therapists salary is $4,140 (40%), but combined state ($2,296, 22%) + FICA ($3,904, 38%) make up the other 60% of the bill.
A Recreational Therapists earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $42,987 — only $2,296 (5.6%) more than in North Carolina.
North Carolina sits near the bottom (#37 of 48) for Recreational Therapists after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $40,690 net/year works out to $3,391/month or $1,565/bi-weekly for this Recreational Therapists in North Carolina — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Recreational Therapists keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
North Carolina ranks #37 out of 48 states for Recreational Therapists after-tax take-home pay.
A Recreational Therapists in North Carolina earning a median salary of $51,030 will take home approximately $40,690 per year after federal income tax ($4,139), state income tax ($2,296), and FICA ($3,903). That is $3,390 per month or $1,565 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Recreational Therapists in North Carolina is 20.3%, broken down as: federal income tax 8.1%, 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 Recreational Therapists's median salary of $51,030, the state income tax amounts to $2,296 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.5%.
After all taxes, a Recreational Therapists in North Carolina takes home approximately $3,390 per month, or about $19.56 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 $51,030 for Recreational Therapists 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 — $40,690/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