Salary guide, May 2025
Automation Engineer pay in Raleigh-Cary, NC
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Engineers, All Other in Raleigh-Cary, NC was $104,910 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $82,500 and $131,470.
The Raleigh-Cary, NC median is $18,020 below the national median of $122,930, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about raleigh-Cary, NC?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $63,130 | $82,500 | $104,910 | $131,470 | $163,180 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30.35 | $39.66 | $50.44 | $63.21 | $78.45 |
BLS estimated 970 workers employed in this occupation in Raleigh-Cary, NC. Location quotient: 1.32.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $66,810 | $90,970 | $122,930 | $158,090 | $189,950 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $32.12 | $43.73 | $59.10 | $76.01 | $91.32 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Automation Engineer median is $104,910. The all-occupations median in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $51,990. Ratio: 2.02 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.32 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $75,190 | $100,440 | $134,810 |
| May 2025 | $82,500 | $104,910 | $131,470 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other, Raleigh-Cary, NC. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mount, NC | $100,910 | $91,590 to $124,650 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $127,710 | $100,240 to $163,130 |
What does this data mean for your opening?
The Raleigh-Cary market reflects a median salary of $104,910 for an Automation Engineer based on the broader SOC 17-2199 classification. This figure increased from $100,440 in May 2024 to $104,910 in May 2025, a medianChange of 4470. The middle band width for this occupation is 48970, spanning from a P25 of $82,500 to a P75 of $131,470.
Manufacturing Headhunters observes that the mapping limitation means this data represents a wide range of engineering duties rather than pure automation expertise.
Nationally, specific manufacturing industries show medians of $164,720 in Audio and Video Equipment, $149,250 in Sawmills and Wood Preservation, and $136,090 in Beverage Manufacturing. These figures represent national industry rows and do not reflect local area pay directly. Raleigh compares to Rocky Mount, which has a median of $100,910, and Durham-Chapel Hill, which reports a significantly higher median of $127,710. The BLS data set excludes variables like sign-on bonuses or equity, providing only straight annual compensation.
This role involves complex tasks including designing automated lines, programming PLCs, managing robot integration, and generating ROI data. The Raleigh location quotient is 1.32, indicating a higher density of this occupation compared to the national average. The data suggests that local wages for this broad category are lower than the national median of $122,930. Because specific sub-industry wages for automation are not published by BLS, hiring managers must look at these broader engineering bands when setting offers. These figures are fixed and do not account for individual candidate experience levels.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Is the median wage in Raleigh higher than the national median?
No, the Raleigh median of $104,910 is lower than the national median of $122,930 for this broader engineering occupation. This difference reflects the aggregation of various engineering roles within the reported SOC code.
Why is there a discrepancy between Raleigh and Durham pay?
The difference in median wages reflects distinct local market conditions and the specific mix of engineering employers present in each metro. Both areas remain under the same broader SOC classification, which limits precision.
What technical skills are assumed for this role?
The role necessitates expertise in PLC programming, automated line commissioning, and vision system integration. These tasks are critical for justifying the cost of automation to plant leadership.
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