While cash compensation is often the centerpiece of most rewards packages, rewards for North Carolina state employees go far beyond their salaries. State employees receive a number of valuable benefits, in addition to their regular pay. Many of these — such as health and retirement benefits — are being reduced drastically or phased out altogether by employers in the private sector. This combination of compensation and benefits is often referred to as Total Compensation. However, employee attraction and retention are not motivated by compensation and benefits alone. Work-life, recognition, and development programs are equal, if not more important, factors. This combination of compensation, benefits, work-life, recognition, and development is known as Total Rewards.

Average Compensation & Benefits Value

This table illustrates NC state employee benefits as a percentage of average salary and wages (as of December 2014):

Benefit
Category

Percentage of
Average Salary

Average
Value

Holidays (12 days)

4.62%

$2,023

Sick Leave (12 days)

4.62%

$2,023

Vacation Leave (17 days)

7.69%

$3,367

OASI – DI (Social Security)

7.65%

$3,350

Retirement & Disability

  • Retirement Systems Pension Fund - 9.15%
  • Death Benefit Trust Fund - 0.16%
  • Retiree Health Plan Reserve - 5.37%
  • Disability Income Plan - 0.44%

 

 

15.12%

 

 

$6,620

Health Insurance

12.14%

$5,377

Longevity Pay

1.50%

$657

Total Benefit Value

53.48%

$23,417

In determining the Percentage of Average Salary, the average state employee’s years of service are 12 years and average state employee salary is $43,785. The total benefit value is added to employees' base pay to determine Total Compensation.

Average Base Pay

$43,785

Average Benefit Value

$23,417

Average Total Compensation

$67,202

 

Total Compensation Calculator

Current or prospective state employees can estimate the value of their compensation and benefits with this calculator.