Salary guide, May 2025
Polymer / Plastics Engineer pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Materials Engineers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC was $117,000 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $102,230 and $131,120.
The Durham-Chapel Hill, NC median is $4,140 above the national median of $112,860, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2131 Materials Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $81,960 | $102,230 | $117,000 | $131,120 | $160,700 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $39.41 | $49.15 | $56.25 | $63.04 | $77.26 |
BLS estimated 80 workers employed in this occupation in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC. Location quotient: 1.5.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $72,300 | $88,080 | $112,860 | $142,720 | $175,720 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $34.76 | $42.35 | $54.26 | $68.61 | $84.48 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Polymer / Plastics Engineer median is $117,000. The all-occupations median in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $60,720. Ratio: 1.93 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.5 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 | $99,210 | $119,020 | $126,880 |
| May 2025 | $102,230 | $117,000 | $131,120 |
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 17-2131 Materials Engineers, Durham-Chapel Hill, 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 17-2131 Materials Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $98,380 | $82,290 to $106,110 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $104,310 | $86,400 to $128,040 |
All roles in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC · National page · Polymer / Plastics Engineer ranked across metros