Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Salary
In Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, hazardous materials removal workers earn $49,850 at the median, or about $23.97 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $51,092 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 49.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K 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 hazardous materials removal workers
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Hazardous materials removal workers pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 51.5% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for hazardous materials removal workers in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $45K | $46K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $43K | $46K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $45K | $46K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $50K | $50K |
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 hazardous materials removal workers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Hazardous Materials Removal Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $73K | +48% | 4,090 |
| Illinois | $61K | +24% | 1,980 |
| Alaska | $60K | +22% | 140 |
| District of Columbia | $60K | +22% | 50 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +22% | 170 |
| Washington | $60K | +22% | 3,250 |
| Tennessee | $60K | +22% | 570 |
| Colorado | $60K | +21% | 1,400 |
| Missouri | $59K | +20% | 370 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +20% | 730 |
| Hawaii | $58K | +18% | 340 |
| California | $56K | +13% | 7,340 |
| New Jersey | $56K | +13% | 2,250 |
| New Hampshire | $55K | +12% | 140 |
| Montana | $55K | +10% | 250 |
| New Mexico | $53K | +8% | 680 |
| South Dakota | $51K | +4% | 190 |
| Arizona | $51K | +2% | 800 |
| Iowa | $50K | +1% | 270 |
| Oregon | $50K | +1% | 1,130 |
| Idaho | $50K | +1% | 600 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +0% | 2,770 |
| Utah | $49K | -0% | 530 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -1% | 870 |
| Georgia | $49K | -1% | 460 |
| Maryland | $49K | -2% | 660 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -2% | 30 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -2% | 210 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -3% | 1,590 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -3% | 590 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -4% | 460 |
| Nevada | $48K | -4% | 400 |
| Maine | $47K | -4% | 190 |
| Connecticut | $47K | -5% | 750 |
| Vermont | $47K | -5% | 70 |
| Indiana | $47K | -6% | 990 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | -6% | 330 |
| Ohio | $47K | -6% | 830 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -6% | 130 |
| Michigan | $46K | -6% | 1,610 |
| Kansas | $46K | -8% | 480 |
| Virginia | $45K | -8% | 930 |
| Texas | $44K | -10% | 4,450 |
| Oklahoma | $44K | -10% | 650 |
| Delaware | $44K | -11% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $43K | -13% | 1,250 |
| Florida | $42K | -14% | 1,780 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -20% | 250 |
| Alabama | $39K | -22% | 350 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -23% | 880 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -26% | 440 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track hazardous materials removal workers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hazardous materials removal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 51.5% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for hazardous materials removal workers in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hazardous materials removal workers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,407/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 71% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is hazardous materials removal worker a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for hazardous materials removal workers?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do hazardous materials removal workers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $49,850 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,110, and experienced hazardous materials removal workers can clear $85,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,321/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 51.5% 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 hazardous materials removal workers 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 hazardous materials removal workers salary is worth about $51,092 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hazardous materials removal workers 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.