How Much Does an NP Make in Chapel Hill, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for NPs in Chapel Hill, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Durham · Chapel Hill metro area
A typical NP in Chapel Hill, North Carolina earns $63.61 per hour, or $132,300 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $11,025 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $108,200, and the top 10% of earners make over $167,060.
That pay is 3% above the North Carolina figure of $128,990 and right at the national figure of $132,300. Chapel Hill ranks 1st of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for NP pay. About 1,450 NPs work in the Durham · Chapel Hill area. Chapel Hill is part of the Durham · Chapel Hill metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Durham share these figures.
NP pay in Chapel Hill at a glance
- Typical pay is $63.61 an hour, or $132,300 a year.
- That is 3% above the North Carolina figure, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $108,200; the top 10% make over $167,060.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +33% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an NP make in Chapel Hill?
Pay in Chapel Hill runs from entry-level positions at around $52.02 an hour to more than $80.32 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
NP pay by career stage in Chapel Hill
| Career stage | Chapel Hill | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $108,200$52.02 an hour | $103,530$49.77 an hour | $101,340$48.72 an hour |
| First years | $123,970$59.60 an hour | $114,260$54.94 an hour | $117,990$56.73 an hour |
| Typical NP | $132,300$63.61 an hour | $128,990$62.01 an hour | $132,300$63.61 an hour |
| Experienced | $147,160$70.75 an hour | $142,180$68.36 an hour | $156,700$75.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $167,060$80.32 an hour | $164,320$79.00 an hour | $174,420$83.86 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Durham · Chapel Hill area as BLS defines it
NP pay growth in Chapel Hill
Typical (median) annual wage for NPs in the Durham · Chapel Hill area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical NP pay in Chapel Hill was $98,370 a year. By 2025 it had reached $132,300, a change of +34%, compared with +33% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Chapel Hill compares with other North Carolina cities
Chapel Hill pays NPs the most of any metro area in North Carolina. The lowest-paying area in the state is Rocky Mount at $117,880.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chapel Hill | NPs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapel Hill metro incl. Durham | $132,300 | $63.61 | this city | 1,450 |
| 2 | Greensboro metro incl. High Point | $132,230 | $63.57 | 0% | 820 |
| 3 | Burlington | $131,980 | $63.45 | 0% | 80 |
| 4 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $130,840 | $62.90 | -1% | 750 |
| 5 | Greenville | $130,430 | $62.71 | -1% | 280 |
| 6 | Charlotte | $130,310 | $62.65 | -2% | 1,970 |
| 7 | Raleigh metro incl. Cary | $128,150 | $61.61 | -3% | 1,510 |
| 8 | Asheville | $127,770 | $61.43 | -3% | 520 |
| 9 | Morganton | $126,620 | $60.87 | -4% | 300 |
| 10 | Wilmington | $124,990 | $60.09 | -6% | 390 |
| 11 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $124,530 | $59.87 | -6% | 1,300 |
| 12 | Pinehurst metro incl. Southern Pines | $124,520 | $59.87 | -6% | 110 |
| 13 | Goldsboro | $122,950 | $59.11 | -7% | 90 |
| 14 | Fayetteville | $121,410 | $58.37 | -8% | 210 |
| 15 | Jacksonville | $120,700 | $58.03 | -9% | 70 |
| 16 | Rocky Mount | $117,880 | $56.67 | -11% | 40 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with NP wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $128,990
Is Chapel Hill a good place to work as an NP?
NP pay in Chapel Hill sits close to the national figure: $132,300 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Durham · Chapel Hill area, about 4.2 are NP positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.1. That makes the local economy more reliant on NPs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an NP make in Chapel Hill, NC?
- A typical NP in Chapel Hill earns $132,300 a year, or $63.61 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $108,200 and the top 10% earn over $167,060.
- How much does an NP make an hour in Chapel Hill?
- Typical hourly pay for NPs in Chapel Hill is $63.61. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $52.02, and the top 10% earn over $80.32 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an NP in Chapel Hill?
- Entry-level NP positions in Chapel Hill typically offer around $52.02 an hour, or $108,200 a year.
- Is NP pay in Chapel Hill higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Chapel Hill pay is 3% above the North Carolina figure of $128,990 a year, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.