Sales Engineers Salary
The median pay for a sales engineers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $121,100/year ($58.22/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $211K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $136,852 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 14.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $121K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 sales engineers
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What this looks like in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Sales engineers pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton tracks closely to the national median, $121K locally vs. $125K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,095/month, 14.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for sales engineers in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $111K | $114K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $130K | $132K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $175K | $180K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $106K | $114K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level sales engineers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $121K. Top earners bring in $211K or more, a $164K spread from bottom to top.
Sales Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Sales Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $167K | +34% | 80 |
| Maryland | $153K | +23% | 850 |
| Rhode Island | $150K | +20% | 30 |
| Washington | $148K | +18% | 760 |
| Colorado | $140K | +12% | 2,800 |
| California | $139K | +11% | 6,310 |
| New Jersey | $139K | +11% | 1,760 |
| New York | $137K | +10% | 3,150 |
| Massachusetts | $136K | +9% | 3,150 |
| West Virginia | $135K | +8% | 40 |
| Arizona | $132K | +6% | 1,000 |
| Arkansas | $131K | +5% | 30 |
| Texas | $131K | +5% | 6,800 |
| Oregon | $128K | +3% | 540 |
| Idaho | $128K | +3% | 360 |
| Florida | $126K | +1% | 2,410 |
| Connecticut | $124K | -1% | 760 |
| Louisiana | $122K | -3% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $122K | -3% | 2,530 |
| New Mexico | $119K | -4% | 80 |
| South Dakota | $119K | -5% | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $118K | -6% | 1,300 |
| Utah | $118K | -6% | 480 |
| Vermont | $117K | -6% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $115K | -8% | 290 |
| South Carolina | $114K | -9% | 770 |
| Michigan | $114K | -9% | 2,290 |
| Tennessee | $112K | -11% | 530 |
| New Hampshire | $108K | -14% | 300 |
| Alabama | $104K | -16% | 220 |
| Minnesota | $101K | -19% | 990 |
| Illinois | $100K | -20% | 1,150 |
| Nevada | $99K | -21% | 320 |
| Georgia | $99K | -21% | 1,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $99K | -21% | 1,980 |
| Kansas | $98K | -22% | 220 |
| Ohio | $97K | -22% | 1,210 |
| Maine | $95K | -24% | 140 |
| Missouri | $91K | -27% | 710 |
| Kentucky | $90K | -28% | 380 |
| Nebraska | $90K | -28% | 130 |
| Iowa | $83K | -33% | 310 |
| Indiana | $75K | -40% | 980 |
| Alaska | $71K | -43% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track sales engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton numbers change.
Related careers in Sales
Frequently asked questions
Can a sales engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Yes — at the median salary of $121K, rent takes 14.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for sales engineers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sales engineers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,795/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is sales engineer a high-paying job in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $121K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for sales engineers?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $121K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $137K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sales engineers make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $121,100 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,590, and experienced sales engineers can clear $210,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $121K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,340/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 14.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a sales engineers salary go in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 sales engineers salary is worth about $136,852 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sales engineers 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.