Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers Salary
The median pay for a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers in North Carolina is $51,930/year ($24.97/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $56,044 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 36.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of North Carolina. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $52K get you in North Carolina?
About aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers in North Carolina runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $65K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 37.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assembler afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 37.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,834/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assembler a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $52K here vs. $65K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers?
North Carolina pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers make in North Carolina?
The median is $51,930 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,240, and experienced aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers can clear $70,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,452/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 37.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers salary go in North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers salary is worth about $56,044 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.