Salary guide, May 2025
Production Technician 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 Production Workers, All Other in Raleigh-Cary, NC was $39,510 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $32,670 and $55,860.
The Raleigh-Cary, NC median is $600 below the national median of $40,110, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-9199 Production Workers, All Other
Production Technician is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range.
What should you know about raleigh-Cary, NC?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $31,200 | $32,670 | $39,510 | $55,860 | $64,340 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $15.71 | $18.99 | $26.86 | $30.93 |
BLS estimated 2,400 workers employed in this occupation in Raleigh-Cary, NC. Location quotient: 1.99.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $31,200 | $36,030 | $40,110 | $49,010 | $61,530 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $17.32 | $19.29 | $23.56 | $29.58 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Production Technician median is $39,510. The all-occupations median in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $51,990. Ratio: 0.76 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.99 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 | $32,250 | $39,140 | $54,650 |
| May 2025 | $32,670 | $39,510 | $55,860 |
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 51-9199 Production Workers, 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 51-9199 Production Workers, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Goldsboro, NC | $38,510 | $38,510 to $45,660 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $46,360 | $35,510 to $47,720 |
What does this data mean for your opening?
99 location quotient. For Production Technician in Raleigh-Cary, NC, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $39,510; the May 2024 median is $39,140. Their arithmetic difference is $370. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
The middle band width for this occupation in the Raleigh metro is $23,190, which reflects a substantial range in pay for the majority of the local workforce. For Production Technician in Raleigh-Cary, NC, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $32,670 to $55,860 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them.
National manufacturing industry medians provide context, with Tobacco Manufacturing at $77,630, Pulp and Paper at $68,720, and Aerospace at $59,620. These figures are significantly higher than the Raleigh local median, suggesting that specialized industry sectors in North Carolina may command higher rates than the broader SOC 51-9199 average. When assessing candidates, managers should look for technical competencies like SPC charting, in-process quality assurance, and equipment troubleshooting that goes beyond basic operation. The MSSC Certified Production Technician (CPT) credential serves as an important benchmark for identifying qualified technicians in this competitive market.
Neighboring North Carolina metros show varied wage profiles. The Goldsboro, NC area reports a lower median of $38,510 with a narrow $7,150 middle band width. The Rocky Mount, NC area reports a higher median of $46,360 with a middle band width of $12,210. Raleigh's median of $39,510 sits below the national mean of $44,380, highlighting the regional pay variations inherent in the state. Hiring teams should use these metrics to gauge competitiveness, keeping in mind that local labor density influences individual wage outcomes in smaller versus larger metros.
The classification SOC 51-9199 is broad, covering many disparate production worker roles. Because the data does not segment by specific plant tasks or shift schedules, hiring managers must implement their own assessment programs to distinguish between entry-level personnel and those capable of high-level machine troubleshooting. The data provides a valuable baseline for setting offers, but should not be viewed as a precise salary scale. For Production Technician in Raleigh-Cary, NC, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
This signifies a very high concentration of production technician employment in Raleigh, nearly double the national average. This suggests that while there is significant competition for talent, there is also a sound local labor pool familiar with industrial production tasks.
What does a 1.99 location quotient suggest for my recruiting?
This signifies a very high concentration of production technician employment in Raleigh, nearly double the national average. This suggests that while there is significant competition for talent, there is also a sound local labor pool familiar with industrial production tasks.
Why is the Rocky Mount median higher than Raleigh's?
The Rocky Mount median of $46,360 may be influenced by specific industrial plant demands in a smaller metro area. Often, smaller metros see higher medians when a primary manufacturing employer dominates the local labor market.
Do the national industry medians apply to Raleigh's production technicians?
No, national medians for Tobacco, Paper, or Aerospace reflect the entire industry, not the production technician SOC occupation. They are meant to demonstrate the salary potential within specific sectors of manufacturing, not the specific role you are hiring.
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