Industrial Machinery Mechanics Salary
Industrial Machinery Mechanics in Burlington, NC make a median of $48,490 a year, or about $23.31 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.2), which stretches that salary to about $52,028 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,348/month, about 40% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K 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 machinery mechanics
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Burlington
Pay for industrial machinery mechanics in Burlington runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $65K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,348/month, which is 41.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for industrial machinery mechanicss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for industrial machinery mechanics in metros near Burlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $66K | $67K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $60K | $65K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $62K | $63K |
| Winston-Salem | $61K | $66K |
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 machinery mechanics (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Industrial Machinery Mechanics pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Industrial Machinery Mechanics salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88K | +36% | 200 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +21% | 2,010 |
| Nevada | $78K | +21% | 2,240 |
| Alaska | $77K | +20% | 860 |
| Hawaii | $77K | +20% | 910 |
| Washington | $77K | +20% | 10,710 |
| Illinois | $76K | +18% | 12,100 |
| Oregon | $76K | +17% | 7,070 |
| Colorado | $76K | +17% | 7,260 |
| Arizona | $75K | +16% | 5,020 |
| New Jersey | $75K | +16% | 8,380 |
| California | $74K | +15% | 26,830 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +13% | 6,130 |
| Maine | $72K | +12% | 1,190 |
| Minnesota | $72K | +12% | 6,510 |
| Maryland | $72K | +11% | 2,880 |
| Utah | $71K | +10% | 4,040 |
| Connecticut | $70K | +8% | 2,360 |
| New York | $70K | +8% | 12,740 |
| Missouri | $67K | +4% | 5,420 |
| Delaware | $67K | +4% | 890 |
| Montana | $67K | +4% | 820 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | +3% | 13,870 |
| North Dakota | $66K | +2% | 2,560 |
| Kansas | $66K | +2% | 7,700 |
| Ohio | $65K | +1% | 21,950 |
| Tennessee | $65K | +1% | 12,850 |
| Rhode Island | $65K | +0% | 1,070 |
| Kentucky | $65K | +0% | 11,540 |
| Iowa | $64K | -0% | 6,050 |
| Michigan | $64K | -0% | 17,310 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | -1% | 1,950 |
| Nebraska | $64K | -1% | 2,880 |
| Virginia | $64K | -1% | 9,470 |
| Indiana | $64K | -1% | 14,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -1% | 22,160 |
| Vermont | $63K | -2% | 700 |
| Idaho | $63K | -3% | 2,750 |
| North Carolina | $62K | -3% | 15,720 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -3% | 9,890 |
| Texas | $62K | -4% | 56,950 |
| Alabama | $62K | -4% | 17,850 |
| West Virginia | $62K | -4% | 3,150 |
| South Dakota | $62K | -5% | 1,230 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -5% | 6,250 |
| Georgia | $61K | -5% | 14,230 |
| New Mexico | $61K | -6% | 2,780 |
| Florida | $61K | -6% | 17,120 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -7% | 7,410 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -7% | 6,270 |
| Mississippi | $58K | -10% | 4,460 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track industrial machinery mechanics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Burlington numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Can a industrial machinery mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Burlington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 41.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,348/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 industrial machinery mechanics in Burlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new industrial machinery mechanics typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,193/month. At HUD’s $1,348/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is industrial machinery mechanic a high-paying job in Burlington?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $48K here vs. $65K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Burlington compare to the national average for industrial machinery mechanics?
Burlington pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do industrial machinery mechanics make in Burlington, NC?
The median is $48,490 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,550, and experienced industrial machinery mechanics can clear $75,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Burlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,235/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,348/month, which eats 41.7% 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 industrial machinery mechanics 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 machinery mechanics salary is worth about $52,028 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do industrial machinery mechanics 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.