BLS metro-level wage data places Food Processing Workers, All Other pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC at a median of $39,150 per year ($18.82/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $39,680, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays 1% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 70 food processing workers, all others are employed across the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA in SOC 51-3099.

The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pay distribution spans from $30,150 at the 10th percentile to $41,820 at the 90th — a 1.4× 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 $34,010 and the 75th at $39,150, so half of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton-based food processing workers, all others 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, 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.