Salary guide, May 2025
Validation Engineer pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, 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 Industrial Engineers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was $86,640 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $74,340 and $102,310.
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC median is $15,800 below the national median of $102,440, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2112 Industrial Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $61,600 | $74,340 | $86,640 | $102,310 | $128,290 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $29.62 | $35.74 | $41.66 | $49.19 | $61.68 |
BLS estimated 670 workers employed in this occupation in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC. Location quotient: 1.85.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $74,370 | $83,600 | $102,440 | $129,250 | $159,860 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.76 | $40.19 | $49.25 | $62.14 | $76.85 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Validation Engineer median is $86,640. The all-occupations median in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $45,220. Ratio: 1.92 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.85 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 | $64,030 | $80,560 | $99,000 |
| May 2025 | $74,340 | $86,640 | $102,310 |
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 17-2112 Industrial Engineers, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, 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 17-2112 Industrial 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson City, TN | $84,160 | $76,670 to $99,170 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $102,090 | $83,990 to $124,550 |
All roles in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC · National page · Validation Engineer ranked across metros