Hazmat Removal Workers in the Durham area earn a median of $49,850 a year, 3% above the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #52 of 134 metros nationwide.
Within driving distance, the same work pays less in Greensboro.
It's one of 4 North Carolina metros with published pay for this trade; see hazmat removal workers across North Carolina.
What this means Our calculation
Pay for hazmat removal workers here is above average compared with other U.S. metros, and also above average once local prices are factored in. For the wider job market, unemployment is lower than in most metros (3.4%) and the population is growing faster than most (+7.5% since 2020).
A summary of the numbers on this page; nothing here is estimated beyond them.
Durham scorecard for hazmat removal workers Our calculation
Grades compare Durham with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($48,215).
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Durham Our calculation
Prices in Durham run 2% below the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $51,090 would in a typical place, ranking #48 of 133 on real pay.
Two different views, don't combine them. Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
What hazmat removal workers do
Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
- Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
- Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
- Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
- Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, hazmat removal worker jobs are projected to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 4,300 openings a year. About 1% are self-employed.
What the work is like Government data
How often hazmat removal workers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in North Carolina Official source
The main state licensing office in North Carolina is the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Electrical and plumbing/HVAC have their own state boards. It can point you to the right license for hazmat removal workers.
Official North Carolina licensing site ↗
Requirements for hazmat removal workers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, hazmat removal workers have 71 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 18% below the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is falls, slips and trips.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
Highest-paying NC metros for hazmat removal workers
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| DurhamNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $49,850 | $51,090 | 50 |
| RaleighNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $45,410 | $46,263 | 200 |
| CharlotteNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $45,140 | $46,370 | 470 |
| GreensboroNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $43,120 | $46,433 | 200 |
See every metro in North Carolina.
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Durham area's unemployment rate was 3.4% in 2025 (all workers, not just hazmat removal workers), below the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 4.1% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Durham area is 24 minutes each way, about the same as the typical metro (24 min). 12% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 64% drive alone, 3% take transit and 20% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Population
The Durham area's population grew 7.5% from 2020 to 2025 (582,060 → 625,485), ranking #60 of 387 metros for growth (typical metro +2.5%). People moving in (net +35,472) account for most of the change.
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year, 2020–2025.
Homes in Durham
The Durham area has about 282,635 homes. 30% were built before 1980 (typical metro 45%), so its housing is newer than most; 23% were built in 2010 or later. 61% of households own their home, and the median home value is $441,300.
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table DP04).
New construction
New-home permits in Durham are roughly flat from 2021 to 2025 (5,900 → 6,100).
In 2025 the Durham area approved permits for 6,100 new homes (3,751 single-family), or 10.1 per 1,000 residents, ranking #29 of 393 metros, among the busiest building markets in the country.
Working outdoors in Durham Government data
In an average year, Durham has 34 days at 90°F or hotter (about typical; typical metro 33), 71 nights below freezing (typical 90) and 76 days with a tenth of an inch of rain or more. Summer afternoons average 86°F and winter nights 32°F. That matters for hazmat removal workers: heat and freezes shape the working season and the hours.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 averages, Durham 11 W, NC station. Compare cities on outdoor work weather.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the minimum you'd need to bill to match a $49,850 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for. Change any number.
Minimum billing rate
How this calculator works. Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get hazmat removal worker pricing & estimate templates →Compare Durham with another city →
About this data
- Pay: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2025, local to this metro.
- Pay over time: BLS OEWS May 2020–2025, local; inflation from the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).
- Real pay: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, local.
- Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027, local (county rents weighted by population).
- Job outlook, education, training: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national.
- Duties: O*NET 31.0, national.
- Safety: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024, national.
- New construction: Census Building Permits, 2021–2025, local.
- Housing: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local (age of homes, ownership, home values).
- Population: Census Bureau population estimates, 2020–2025, local.
- Commute: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local, all workers.
- Unemployment: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2021–2025 annual averages, local, all workers (2025 preliminary).
- Competition: Census Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and County Business Patterns 2023, local, reported by industry, so related trades can share one figure.
- Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions. Grades rank this metro against all others for the same trade.
Report a data issue on this page
The Census doesn't publish one-person business or competition figures for hazmat removal workers as a separate industry, so that section is left out.