Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
In Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians earn $64,320 at the median, or about $30.92 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $65,922 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 39.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Pay for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians in Durham-Chapel Hill runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $78K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 40.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $75K | $77K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $73K | $74K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $80K | $86K |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $79K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $100K | +28% | 200 |
| Rhode Island | $99K | +26% | 290 |
| District of Columbia | $98K | +25% | 240 |
| Hawaii | $96K | +23% | 460 |
| New Mexico | $96K | +23% | 1,000 |
| Maryland | $96K | +23% | 2,170 |
| Washington | $94K | +20% | 2,540 |
| Alaska | $93K | +19% | 230 |
| Nevada | $88K | +13% | 1,140 |
| California | $86K | +10% | 13,450 |
| New Jersey | $86K | +9% | 2,250 |
| Illinois | $86K | +9% | 1,980 |
| West Virginia | $85K | +9% | 300 |
| Maine | $83K | +7% | 270 |
| Louisiana | $83K | +6% | 1,000 |
| Montana | $82K | +5% | 140 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +4% | 1,190 |
| Mississippi | $81K | +4% | 650 |
| North Dakota | $81K | +4% | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | +3% | 1,170 |
| Virginia | $80K | +2% | 4,670 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +0% | 1,540 |
| Georgia | $78K | -0% | 1,630 |
| Oregon | $78K | -0% | 1,920 |
| Arizona | $78K | -0% | 2,260 |
| Massachusetts | $78K | -1% | 4,030 |
| Colorado | $77K | -1% | 1,410 |
| Idaho | $77K | -1% | 650 |
| New York | $77K | -1% | 4,390 |
| Pennsylvania | $76K | -3% | 3,470 |
| North Carolina | $76K | -3% | 2,490 |
| Iowa | $75K | -4% | 880 |
| Michigan | $75K | -4% | 2,350 |
| Vermont | $75K | -4% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $75K | -5% | 590 |
| Alabama | $75K | -5% | 1,620 |
| Texas | $74K | -5% | 8,960 |
| South Carolina | $73K | -6% | 2,060 |
| Florida | $73K | -6% | 4,710 |
| Utah | $73K | -7% | 1,420 |
| Missouri | $72K | -8% | 1,390 |
| Wisconsin | $72K | -8% | 1,520 |
| Indiana | $71K | -10% | 1,800 |
| Kansas | $70K | -10% | 770 |
| Arkansas | $70K | -11% | 310 |
| Delaware | $67K | -14% | 130 |
| Nebraska | $65K | -16% | 710 |
| Kentucky | $64K | -18% | 1,060 |
| Tennessee | $64K | -18% | 1,820 |
| Ohio | $63K | -19% | 3,260 |
| South Dakota | $58K | -25% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 40.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,361/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technician a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $64K here vs. $78K nationally.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $64,320 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,010, and experienced electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians can clear $95,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,228/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 40.5% 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 electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $65,922 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians 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.
