Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other Salary
In Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others earn $77,590 at the median, or about $37.31 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $87,682 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 21.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton tracks closely to the national median, $78K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,095/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Burlington | $57K | $61K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $64K | $66K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $76K | $78K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $57K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $107K | +37% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $102K | +30% | 1,390 |
| Maryland | $100K | +28% | 2,630 |
| Washington | $100K | +27% | 2,310 |
| Virginia | $98K | +26% | 3,720 |
| Rhode Island | $95K | +21% | 380 |
| Nevada | $94K | +20% | 590 |
| Hawaii | $90K | +15% | 410 |
| Alaska | $90K | +15% | 380 |
| Indiana | $89K | +13% | 480 |
| New Jersey | $87K | +12% | 880 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | +4% | 870 |
| West Virginia | $81K | +4% | 450 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +4% | 670 |
| North Dakota | $81K | +3% | 100 |
| South Carolina | $81K | +3% | 620 |
| California | $80K | +3% | 7,330 |
| Illinois | $80K | +2% | 940 |
| Wyoming | $79K | +1% | 130 |
| Utah | $79K | +1% | 920 |
| Mississippi | $79K | +1% | 350 |
| Ohio | $78K | -1% | 1,340 |
| Oregon | $77K | -2% | 1,010 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -2% | 340 |
| Colorado | $76K | -3% | 1,260 |
| Delaware | $76K | -3% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $75K | -4% | 480 |
| Connecticut | $75K | -4% | 1,300 |
| Alabama | $75K | -5% | 690 |
| Michigan | $74K | -6% | 1,130 |
| Texas | $74K | -6% | 7,110 |
| Missouri | $72K | -8% | 590 |
| North Carolina | $72K | -8% | 1,530 |
| Florida | $71K | -10% | 2,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $69K | -12% | 1,610 |
| Georgia | $68K | -13% | 1,890 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -13% | 230 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | -14% | 990 |
| Nebraska | $67K | -14% | 260 |
| Idaho | $66K | -16% | 260 |
| Montana | $66K | -16% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $66K | -16% | 380 |
| New York | $66K | -16% | 2,000 |
| Iowa | $63K | -19% | 380 |
| Kansas | $62K | -21% | 920 |
| Arizona | $60K | -24% | 990 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -25% | 2,110 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -25% | 990 |
| Vermont | $53K | -33% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,270/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 33% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other a high-paying job in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $78K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $77,590 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,500, and experienced engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others can clear $85,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,957/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 22.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary go in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary is worth about $87,682 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others 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.