Plant and System Operators, All Other Salary
The median pay for a plant and system operators, all other in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $61,110/year ($29.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $62,256 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,750/month, about 42.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). 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 plant and system operators, all others
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What this looks like in Raleigh-Cary
Plant and system operators, all other pay in Raleigh-Cary tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,750/month, which is 43.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for plant and system operators, all others in metros near Raleigh-Cary, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $61K | $63K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $44K | $44K |
| Columbia | $71K | $75K |
| Knoxville | $55K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level plant and system operators, all others (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Plant and System Operators, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Plant and System Operators, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121K | +93% | 40 |
| Washington | $89K | +42% | 190 |
| Minnesota | $88K | +41% | 200 |
| Maryland | $82K | +31% | 270 |
| Montana | $81K | +30% | 170 |
| Nevada | $80K | +28% | 150 |
| California | $78K | +25% | 1,560 |
| Illinois | $78K | +25% | 230 |
| Iowa | $76K | +21% | 50 |
| New York | $75K | +20% | 310 |
| Oklahoma | $74K | +19% | 80 |
| Kansas | $74K | +19% | 60 |
| Oregon | $72K | +15% | 140 |
| West Virginia | $71K | +13% | 120 |
| Indiana | $70K | +13% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $70K | +12% | 290 |
| Kentucky | $69K | +11% | 30 |
| Arizona | $69K | +11% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $69K | +10% | 100 |
| Utah | $68K | +9% | 180 |
| Wyoming | $67K | +7% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $65K | +4% | 140 |
| Michigan | $65K | +4% | 250 |
| Ohio | $64K | +3% | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | +2% | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | +1% | 160 |
| Louisiana | $63K | +0% | 350 |
| Maine | $62K | -0% | 110 |
| Virginia | $62K | -1% | 180 |
| Idaho | $62K | -1% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -2% | 220 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -4% | 150 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -8% | 190 |
| South Carolina | $56K | -10% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $56K | -11% | 120 |
| Alabama | $52K | -17% | 30 |
| Colorado | $52K | -17% | 1,050 |
| Missouri | $52K | -17% | 380 |
| Florida | $51K | -19% | 590 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -19% | 620 |
| Texas | $51K | -19% | 3,570 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -23% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -26% | 120 |
| Georgia | $45K | -28% | 240 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track plant and system operators, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Raleigh-Cary numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a plant and system operators, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 43.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for plant and system operators, all others in Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plant and system operators, all others typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,870/month. At HUD’s $1,750/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 plant and system operators, all other a high-paying job in Raleigh-Cary?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for plant and system operators, all others?
Raleigh-Cary pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do plant and system operators, all others make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $61,110 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,840, and experienced plant and system operators, all others can clear $74,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,033/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 43.4% 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 plant and system operators, all other salary go in Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (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 plant and system operators, all other salary is worth about $62,256 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do plant and system operators, all others 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.