SalaryExplorer

SOC 17-2199 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Engineers, All Other — Raleigh

Raleigh-Cary, NC · 10 metro areas compared

$104,910 /year
$50.44per hour
970jobs in area
−14.7%vs US median

In Raleigh, NC the median wage is $104,910.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $122,93010TH$63,13025TH$82,500MEDIAN$104,91075TH$131,47090TH$163,180

How pay has moved

$146,580$48,7802019202020212022202320242025$104,910
$65,080 in 2019 to $104,910 in 2025, +61.2% before inflation. BLS states that OEWS estimates are not designed for comparison across years: the occupational classification, the sampling frame and the survey method have all changed inside this window. Read the direction, not the exact difference.

The next ten years

Projected to grow about as fast as average

Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
+2.1%
Openings per year
9,300
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree

Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.

Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Raleigh-Cary, NC.

Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.

Salary overview

In Raleigh, NC the median wage is $104,910. That is 14.7% lower than the national median of $122,930. Pay ranges from under $63,130 at the tenth percentile to more than $163,180 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $82,500 to $131,470.

Employment stands at 970, or 1.3 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Greenville records the highest median at $140,970. Of the 571 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 73rd.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Raleigh-Cary, NC · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$63,130−48.6%
25th$82,500−32.9%
Median (50th)$104,910−14.7%
75th$131,470+6.9%
90th$163,180+32.7%
Mean$111,500−9.3%

Why the average earner is usually not a typical earner

Other metro areas in North Carolina

Median annual wage for Engineers, All Other, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1Greenville$140,97040
2Durham$127,710580
3Fayetteville$125,98080
4Hickory$125,16060
5Charlotte$118,2301,030
6Greensboro$118,160280
7Jacksonville$115,21050
8Wilmington$115,210—
9Asheville$105,840—
10Rocky Mount$100,91060

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Raleigh sit close to the national average, so $104,910 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.

Published median

$104,910as reported by BLS

Local price level

98.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$106,833US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $104,910 a year, 14.7% below the national median.
  • Published pay spans $63,130 to $163,180 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 970 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is Greenville, at $140,970.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Engineers, All Other in Raleigh, NC?

The median annual wage is $104,910, or $50.44 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $122,930, so pay in Raleigh, NC is 14.7% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in Raleigh, NC earns more than $163,180 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $63,130 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Which area nearby pays the most?

The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Greenville, at $140,970 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 970 jobs in this occupation in Raleigh, NC. Self-employed workers are not included.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.