Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary in North Carolina
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders in North Carolina earned a median of $46,730 a year ($22.47 an hour) and a mean of $49,570 in May 2025. The median is 3.2% below the U.S. median of $48,250, ranking 40th of 51 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $46,730
- Median hourly
- $22.47
- Mean annual
- $49,570
- Jobs on record
- 5,700
Grey needle: U.S. median, $48,250 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does North Carolina compare on pay for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders?
North Carolina ranks 40th of 51 states and territories. Alaska is highest at $69,910, $23,180 more than the North Carolina median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 38 | $47,120 | -2% | 3,160 |
| Texas | 39 | $46,750 | -3% | 16,600 |
| North Carolina | 40 | $46,730 | -3% | 5,700 |
| Georgia | 41 | $46,450 | -4% | 5,900 |
| Arkansas | 42 | $46,380 | -4% | 1,870 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 51 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does North Carolina pay go further after prices?
Prices in North Carolina run 5.7% below the U.S. average, so the $46,730 median buys about what $49,541 buys at average U.S. prices, above the $48,250 U.S. median. On this measure North Carolina ranks 31st of 50, up from 40th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in North Carolina pay coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders the most?
Fayetteville, NC is highest at $62,120, 32.9% above the North Carolina median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | $62,120 | 50 |
| Greenville, NC | $51,310 | 130 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $48,230 | 520 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $48,220 | 1,790 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $48,090 | 390 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $47,600 | 300 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $47,070 | 680 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $47,070 | 310 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $46,600 | 90 |
| Burlington, NC | $46,530 | 110 |
| Asheville, NC | $45,940 | 210 |
| Wilmington, NC | $45,320 | 180 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $44,820 | 640 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $43,540 | 310 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $42,770 | 50 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in North Carolina is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders work in North Carolina?
BLS counts 5,700 jobs in North Carolina, 3.6% of the 158,740 in the U.S. That is the 11th largest count among the 51 states and territories with a published figure. That is 1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in North Carolina, a location quotient of 1.13: the occupation's share of local jobs is 1.13 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
Related jobs in North Carolina
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.