Salary guide, May 2025
Press Brake Operator pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
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The median annual wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC was $45,930 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $41,160 and $50,390.
The Durham-Chapel Hill, NC median is $400 below the national median of $46,330, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-4031 Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
The Press Brake Operator title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.
What should you know about durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $38,880 | $41,160 | $45,930 | $50,390 | $60,660 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $18.69 | $19.79 | $22.08 | $24.23 | $29.17 |
BLS estimated 120 workers employed in this occupation in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC. Location quotient: 0.31.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35,760 | $38,870 | $46,330 | $55,410 | $65,510 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $17.19 | $18.69 | $22.27 | $26.64 | $31.50 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Press Brake Operator median is $45,930. The all-occupations median in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $60,720. Ratio: 0.76 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 0.31 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 | $39,670 | $44,130 | $48,850 |
| May 2025 | $41,160 | $45,930 | $50,390 |
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 51-4031 Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, 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 51-4031 Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Burlington, NC | $42,480 | $36,670 to $47,360 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $39,150 | $37,340 to $46,570 |
All roles in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC · National page · Press Brake Operator ranked across metros