Ranked 13 of 15 states · median $828/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old engineer in North Carolina pays a median $828/month for a Silver plan before subsidies — 13th of 15 on cost. The cheapest plan in the state is $540 from Ambetter of North Carolina in Davidson. On counties covered, North Carolina ranks 3 of 15 for this occupation.
Work that crosses county and state lines makes network geography the binding constraint. A cheap HMO that only contracts in one metro is worthless 200 miles away, so these pages rank states by network reach and flag the ones with no PPO on the exchange at all.
Occupational context: Sedentary strain; site-visit exposure depending on discipline.
This is background for choosing a plan, not for pricing one. Since 2014 every North Carolina exchange plan has been guaranteed issue and community rated: same age, same ZIP, same tobacco status means the same filed premium whether you are a engineer or an accountant. Occupation changes the shopping criteria, nothing else.
Premium is set by rating area, so a engineer in one North Carolina county can pay materially more than one an hour away. Six counties from across the state, cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old:
| County | Cheapest Silver @40 | Issuer | Deductible | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander | $596 | Ambetter of North Carolina | $7,000 | 4 |
| Chatham | $603 | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC | $2,800 | 2 |
| Gaston | $634 | Ambetter of North Carolina | $6,000 | 3 |
| Hoke | $649 | Ambetter of North Carolina | $7,000 | 4 |
| Alleghany | $677 | Ambetter of North Carolina | $7,000 | 3 |
| Clay | $702 | Ambetter of North Carolina | $7,000 | 4 |
The spread across just these six is $107/month — $1,279 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $540 to $1,128. Coverage by County publishes all 100 North Carolina counties individually.
| North Carolina — network reach | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Counties in the state | 100 |
| Counties with only one carrier | 0 (0%) |
| Plan types available | EPO, HMO, POS, PPO |
| PPO available on exchange | Yes |
| Carriers filing in the state | 6 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $540 — Davidson |
North Carolina has PPO plans available. For a engineer covering distance, that single fact outweighs premium: 0 of 100 counties here are served by one carrier, so an HMO bought in one metro may leave you out of network for the rest of your route.
Source: CMS Plan Year 2026 Qualified Health Plan Landscape file. 4,859 plan records across 100 North Carolina counties. Full-price filed rates before premium tax credits — verify at enrollment.
Cheaper for the same coverage: Florida ($789), Utah ($805), Texas ($807). More expensive: Arkansas ($828), Nebraska ($875).
Side-by-side: North Carolina vs Utah · North Carolina vs Texas · North Carolina vs Arkansas · North Carolina vs Nebraska
Read the comparison as context, not as a shopping list. Your county of residence determines what you can buy, and for a engineer that is fixed unless you relocate. Where it is actionable is a move already in progress — that is a qualifying life event, and you have 60 days on either side of it.
Expense categories that typically apply to this trade: PE licensing, software, professional dues, site travel. Premiums are generally deductible above the line under IRC §162(l) when no employer plan is available to you or your spouse — a question for your CPA, not your agent.
If your household income is above the subsidy range, ACA is not automatically the answer. There are other categories of coverage that may fit, and they work very differently. That is a conversation, not a web page.
The cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old in North Carolina is $540 per month from Ambetter of North Carolina, with a state median of $828. Both figures are full price before premium tax credits; most buyers pay less after subsidies.
No. North Carolina exchange plans are guaranteed issue and community rated, so a engineer pays exactly what anyone else of the same age in the same ZIP pays. Occupation is not on the application as a rating factor.
Yes. Plan types filed for 2026: EPO, HMO, POS, PPO.
North Carolina ranks 13 of 15 states covered here, at a median $828 per month. Indiana is cheapest at $558 and Nebraska is most expensive at $875.
This page compares states. For North Carolina specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — I publish that on Coverage by County, including a page written for Engineers in North Carolina and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.