How Much Does an NP Make in Durham, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for NPs in Durham, 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 Durham, 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. Durham ranks 1st of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for NP pay. About 1,450 NPs work in the Durham · Chapel Hill area. Durham is part of the Durham · Chapel Hill metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chapel Hill share these figures.
NP pay in Durham 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 Durham?
Pay in Durham 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 Durham
| Career stage | Durham | 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 Durham
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 Durham 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 Durham compares with other North Carolina cities
Durham 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 Durham | NPs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham metro incl. Chapel Hill | $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 Durham a good place to work as an NP?
NP pay in Durham 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 Durham, NC?
- A typical NP in Durham 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 Durham?
- Typical hourly pay for NPs in Durham 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 Durham?
- Entry-level NP positions in Durham typically offer around $52.02 an hour, or $108,200 a year.
- Is NP pay in Durham higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Durham pay is 3% above the North Carolina figure of $128,990 a year, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.