Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a patternmakers, metal and plastic in North Carolina is $47,050/year ($22.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $50,777 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 39.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of North Carolina. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $47K get you in North Carolina?
About patternmakers, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for patternmakers, metal and plastic in North Carolina runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 40.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (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 patternmakers, metal and plastics.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level patternmakers, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track patternmakers, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a patternmakers, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 40.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for patternmakers, metal and plastics in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new patternmakers, metal and plastics typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,924/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is patternmakers, metal and plastic a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $47K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for patternmakers, metal and plastics?
North Carolina pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do patternmakers, metal and plastics make in North Carolina?
The median is $47,050 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,060, and experienced patternmakers, metal and plastics can clear $66,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,144/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 40.8% 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 patternmakers, metal and plastic salary go in North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 patternmakers, metal and plastic salary is worth about $50,777 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do patternmakers, metal and plastics 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.