BLS metro-level wage data places Computer Network Architects pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC at a median of $144,990 per year ($69.71/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $134,050, Durham-Chapel Hill pays +8% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both. Approximately 970 computer network architectss are employed across the Durham-Chapel Hill MSA in SOC 15-1241.

The Durham-Chapel Hill pay distribution spans from $104,310 at the 10th percentile to $184,780 at the 90th — a 1.8× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $121,870 and the 75th at $167,400, so half of Durham-Chapel Hill-based computer network architectss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Durham-Chapel Hill, NC covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide NC data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.