Sales Engineers Salary
The median pay for a sales engineers in North Carolina is $121,530/year ($58.43/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $217K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $131,157 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 17.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $122K get you in North Carolina?
About sales engineers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Sales engineers pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $122K locally vs. $125K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 17.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level sales engineers (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $122K. Top earners bring in $217K or more, a $144K spread from bottom to top.
Sales Engineers salary by metro in North Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $175K | +44% | 330 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $130K | +7% | 570 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $121K | -0% | 40 |
| Wilmington | $114K | -6% | 60 |
| Asheville | $111K | -8% | 60 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $111K | -9% | 800 |
| Winston-Salem | $110K | -10% | 60 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $106K | -13% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track sales engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
Related careers in Sales
Frequently asked questions
Can a sales engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $122K, rent takes 17.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for sales engineers in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sales engineers typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,384/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is sales engineer a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $122K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for sales engineers?
North Carolina pays $122K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $131K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sales engineers make in North Carolina?
The median is $121,530 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,070, and experienced sales engineers can clear $216,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $122K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,363/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 17.4% 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 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 sales engineers salary is worth about $131,157 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.