Machinists Salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
The median pay for a machinists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $55,460/year ($26.66/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $56,841 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month — about 46.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K 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 machinists
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level machinists (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Machinists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $102K | +81% | 230 |
| Hawaii | $77K | +37% | 290 |
| Alaska | $73K | +29% | 140 |
| Washington | $65K | +15% | 6,980 |
| Wyoming | $64K | +14% | 300 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | +11% | 7,870 |
| Oregon | $62K | +11% | 3,220 |
| New Jersey | $62K | +10% | 3,530 |
| Maine | $62K | +10% | 1,560 |
| Montana | $61K | +9% | 680 |
| Connecticut | $61K | +9% | 6,070 |
| Virginia | $61K | +8% | 6,140 |
| Utah | $60K | +8% | 3,680 |
| Delaware | $60K | +7% | 390 |
| New York | $60K | +7% | 8,870 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | +7% | 1,540 |
| Minnesota | $60K | +7% | 14,910 |
| Rhode Island | $59K | +6% | 860 |
| Arizona | $59K | +5% | 5,280 |
| Louisiana | $59K | +5% | 4,980 |
| Maryland | $58K | +4% | 1,600 |
| North Dakota | $58K | +3% | 500 |
| Nebraska | $58K | +3% | 2,210 |
| Missouri | $58K | +3% | 8,200 |
| New Mexico | $58K | +2% | 830 |
| Illinois | $57K | +1% | 16,100 |
| California | $56K | +0% | 21,580 |
| Ohio | $56K | +0% | 14,110 |
| Texas | $56K | -0% | 20,770 |
| Nevada | $56K | -1% | 860 |
| North Carolina | $56K | -1% | 8,310 |
| Idaho | $54K | -4% | 1,150 |
| Kentucky | $54K | -4% | 4,150 |
| Iowa | $53K | -5% | 3,010 |
| Alabama | $53K | -5% | 5,620 |
| South Carolina | $53K | -6% | 4,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $53K | -6% | 15,060 |
| Wisconsin | $52K | -7% | 12,530 |
| Oklahoma | $52K | -7% | 4,020 |
| Florida | $51K | -10% | 8,240 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -10% | 2,110 |
| Michigan | $50K | -11% | 23,090 |
| South Dakota | $50K | -11% | 580 |
| Georgia | $49K | -12% | 6,930 |
| Vermont | $49K | -13% | 380 |
| Indiana | $49K | -13% | 16,510 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -13% | 2,390 |
| Tennessee | $49K | -13% | 7,730 |
| Kansas | $48K | -14% | 4,070 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -15% | 1,530 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track machinists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
How much do machinists make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $55,460 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,790, and experienced machinists can clear $73,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,675/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 46.6% 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 machinists 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 machinists salary is worth about $56,841 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do machinists 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.