BLS metro-level wage data places Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC at a median of $60,080 per year ($28.88/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $58,040, Durham-Chapel Hill pays +4% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both. Approximately 580 chemical equipment operators and tenderss are employed across the Durham-Chapel Hill MSA in SOC 51-9011.

The Durham-Chapel Hill pay distribution spans from $45,400 at the 10th percentile to $78,270 at the 90th — a 1.7× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $48,690 and the 75th at $63,730, so half of Durham-Chapel Hill-based chemical equipment operators and tenderss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Durham-Chapel Hill, NC covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide NC data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.