Industrial Engineers Salary
Industrial Engineers in Burlington, NC make a median of $95,870 a year, or about $46.09 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.2), which stretches that salary to about $102,865 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,348/month, or 21.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $96K get you in Burlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Burlington’s Regional Price Parity (93.2). 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 industrial engineers
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What this looks like in Burlington
Industrial engineers pay in Burlington tracks closely to the national median, $96K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,348/month, 22.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.2 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 industrial engineers in metros near Burlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $102K | $105K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $104K | $106K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $103K | $105K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $96K | $103K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Burlington, NC
Entry-level industrial engineers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Industrial Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Industrial Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $157K | +53% | 220 |
| Washington | $129K | +26% | 6,130 |
| Oregon | $128K | +25% | 5,810 |
| New Mexico | $128K | +25% | 1,140 |
| California | $125K | +22% | 32,680 |
| Hawaii | $124K | +21% | 50 |
| Louisiana | $123K | +20% | 1,710 |
| Wyoming | $122K | +19% | 240 |
| Delaware | $120K | +17% | 820 |
| Maryland | $120K | +17% | 3,900 |
| Colorado | $110K | +7% | 5,200 |
| Massachusetts | $109K | +7% | 11,470 |
| Rhode Island | $109K | +7% | 990 |
| West Virginia | $108K | +6% | 850 |
| Arizona | $108K | +6% | 7,520 |
| Texas | $105K | +2% | 30,980 |
| Montana | $104K | +2% | 390 |
| Connecticut | $104K | +2% | 6,020 |
| Utah | $104K | +1% | 5,520 |
| New Jersey | $104K | +1% | 6,870 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +1% | 160 |
| Vermont | $103K | +1% | 440 |
| Minnesota | $103K | +0% | 17,580 |
| New York | $103K | +0% | 11,810 |
| Virginia | $103K | +0% | 5,580 |
| Nevada | $102K | -0% | 1,570 |
| Michigan | $102K | -1% | 30,990 |
| Florida | $102K | -1% | 14,050 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | -1% | 1,940 |
| South Carolina | $101K | -1% | 7,960 |
| Maine | $101K | -1% | 1,030 |
| Idaho | $101K | -2% | 1,330 |
| Illinois | $101K | -2% | 18,640 |
| Georgia | $100K | -2% | 8,940 |
| Ohio | $100K | -2% | 23,480 |
| Alabama | $100K | -2% | 7,650 |
| Kansas | $100K | -3% | 3,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $100K | -3% | 13,180 |
| North Carolina | $99K | -3% | 11,580 |
| Missouri | $99K | -3% | 5,070 |
| Tennessee | $99K | -3% | 7,440 |
| Arkansas | $98K | -4% | 1,710 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -4% | 1,160 |
| Iowa | $98K | -5% | 3,600 |
| Oklahoma | $98K | -5% | 2,170 |
| Indiana | $97K | -5% | 11,680 |
| Wisconsin | $97K | -5% | 13,070 |
| North Dakota | $97K | -5% | 600 |
| Kentucky | $97K | -5% | 6,070 |
| Mississippi | $96K | -6% | 2,450 |
| South Dakota | $93K | -9% | 830 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track industrial engineers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a industrial engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Burlington?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 22.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,348/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for industrial engineers in Burlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new industrial engineers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,925/month. At HUD’s $1,348/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is industrial engineer a high-paying job in Burlington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $96K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Burlington compare to the national average for industrial engineers?
Burlington pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do industrial engineers make in Burlington, NC?
The median is $95,870 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,410, and experienced industrial engineers can clear $126,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Burlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,960/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,348/month, which eats 22.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a industrial engineers salary go in Burlington?
Burlington has a Regional Price Parity of 93.2 (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 industrial engineers salary is worth about $102,865 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do industrial engineers 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.