New Mecklenburg manager gets a $96k salary raise. Here’s how that stacks up
Newly hired Mecklenburg County Manager Mike Bryant’s will get a $96,000 pay raise with his promotion.
Bryant, who’s worked for the county since 2003 and currently serves as a deputy county manager, will see his base salary jump to more than $400,000. Additional benefits will push his total compensation to more than $500,000. The compensation plan took effect Tuesday, county spokeswoman Tammy Thompson said.
Mecklenburg County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to promote Bryant after a nationwide search to replace outgoing County Manager Dena Diorio, who will retire this summer.
The county manager is Mecklenburg’s chief administrator, leading myriad county departments, helping develop the county’s multi-billion dollar annual budget and executing the county commission’s decisions.
While Bryant will start out making less than Diorio, his new salary outpaces that of many other county managers in the Charlotte region and North Carolina.
New Mecklenburg County manager’s pay
Bryant’s salary as a deputy county manager was $324,272, according to The Charlotte Observer’s salary database.
As county manager, he’ll start with a base salary of $420,000, Thompson said.
Bryant will also receive $30,576 in “deferred compensation,” money set aside to be paid at a later date, usually at retirement; a $26,460 expense allowance; and $23,237.78 in 401K matching funds. That brings his total compensation to $500,273.78. The county’s statement did not specify what the expense allowance can be spent on.
How does Mike Bryant’s salary compare to other Charlotte-area, NC leaders?
Bryant’s compensation package trails that of his predecessor.
Diorio’s salary is $464,756, according to the Observer’s database. Her total compensation for her final year in office is $545,024.92, county commissioners said when they approved an 8% pay raise in September.
Bryant also trails Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones, who has a salary of $480,229, according to the Observer’s database.
But Bryant will make more money than many other local leaders around the Charlotte area and North Carolina.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill’s salary is $318,270, the Observer reported previously.
Cabarrus County Manager Sean Newton makes $286,500 annually. Gaston County Manager Matt Rhoten has a salary of $315,000, according to The Gaston Gazette. And Union County Manager Brian Matthews makes $238,768 annually, according to the Observer’s database.
In the Raleigh-Durham area, Wake County Manager David Ellis has a salary of $373,212, according to The Raleigh News & Observer’s salary database. Durham County Manager Claudia Hager was hired in 2024 on a salary of $295,000, the News & Observer reported previously.
This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 12:51 PM.
