Machinists Salary
The median pay for a machinists in Rocky Mount, NC is $56,920/year ($27.37/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.01), which stretches that salary to about $64,674 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,143/month, or 30% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $57K get you in Rocky Mount?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rocky Mount’s Regional Price Parity (88.01). 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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What this looks like in Rocky Mount
Machinists pay in Rocky Mount tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,143/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.01 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for machinists in metros near Rocky Mount, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $60K | $62K |
| Winston-Salem | $50K | $55K |
| Asheville | $53K | $55K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $61K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rocky Mount, NC
Entry-level machinists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Machinists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Machinists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $84K | +44% | 260 |
| Alaska | $78K | +32% | 120 |
| District of Columbia | $73K | +24% | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | +15% | 7,080 |
| Washington | $66K | +13% | 6,880 |
| Oregon | $64K | +9% | 2,760 |
| New Jersey | $63K | +8% | 3,210 |
| Wyoming | $63K | +7% | 290 |
| Vermont | $63K | +7% | 220 |
| Delaware | $63K | +7% | 310 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +6% | 5,240 |
| North Dakota | $62K | +5% | 560 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +5% | 1,620 |
| Virginia | $61K | +4% | 5,660 |
| Utah | $61K | +4% | 3,810 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +4% | 12,500 |
| Louisiana | $61K | +4% | 4,640 |
| Arizona | $61K | +4% | 4,330 |
| New York | $61K | +4% | 9,400 |
| Montana | $61K | +4% | 630 |
| Colorado | $60K | +2% | 2,800 |
| Maryland | $60K | +2% | 1,380 |
| New Mexico | $59K | +1% | 690 |
| Texas | $59K | +1% | 21,700 |
| Maine | $59K | +1% | 1,780 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | +1% | 12,700 |
| Idaho | $59K | +0% | 1,070 |
| Missouri | $59K | -0% | 8,380 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -0% | 6,040 |
| Illinois | $59K | -0% | 16,520 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -1% | 3,790 |
| Ohio | $58K | -1% | 17,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -2% | 12,380 |
| Indiana | $58K | -2% | 14,320 |
| Rhode Island | $58K | -2% | 860 |
| Iowa | $58K | -2% | 2,880 |
| California | $57K | -3% | 18,950 |
| Florida | $57K | -3% | 8,400 |
| Nebraska | $56K | -5% | 1,810 |
| Alabama | $56K | -5% | 5,170 |
| Mississippi | $56K | -5% | 1,920 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -6% | 8,330 |
| Nevada | $53K | -10% | 900 |
| Georgia | $53K | -10% | 6,090 |
| Michigan | $52K | -11% | 20,350 |
| Kansas | $51K | -13% | 3,870 |
| Arkansas | $51K | -13% | 2,150 |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -13% | 4,230 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -13% | 830 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -16% | 8,270 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -19% | 1,700 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track machinists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rocky Mount numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a machinist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rocky Mount?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 30.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,143/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for machinists in Rocky Mount?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new machinists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,269/month. At HUD’s $1,143/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is machinist a high-paying job in Rocky Mount?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Rocky Mount compare to the national average for machinists?
Rocky Mount pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do machinists make in Rocky Mount, NC?
The median is $56,920 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,820, and experienced machinists can clear $80,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Rocky Mount?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,768/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,143/month, which eats 30.3% 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 Rocky Mount?
Rocky Mount has a Regional Price Parity of 88.01 (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 $64,674 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.