Sailors and Marine Oilers Salary
The median pay for a sailors and marine oilers in North Carolina is $44,770/year ($21.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $48,316 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 41.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in North Carolina?
About sailors and marine oilers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for sailors and marine oilers in North Carolina runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $52K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 42.8% 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 sailors and marine oilerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level sailors and marine oilers (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Sailors and Marine Oilers salary by metro in North Carolina
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | $47K | +5% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track sailors and marine oilers 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 sailors and marine oiler afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 42.8% 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 sailors and marine oilers in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sailors and marine oilers typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,005/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is sailors and marine oiler a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $45K here vs. $52K 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 sailors and marine oilers?
North Carolina pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do sailors and marine oilers make in North Carolina?
The median is $44,770 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,420, and experienced sailors and marine oilers can clear $60,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,000/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 42.8% 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 sailors and marine oilers 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 sailors and marine oilers salary is worth about $48,316 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sailors and marine oilers 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.