Benchmark $638/mo · ranked 12 of 21 · median wage $48,910
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in North Carolina is $638 a month for 2026, ranking 12 of 21 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $48,910 for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in North Carolina.
Below the cliff. At this income a single-person household remains eligible for a premium tax credit in 2026.
This occupation sits above the cliff in 4 of the 21 states reported and below it in the other 17, so the answer changes with the state.
What this figure is. It is the median annual wage BLS reports for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) in North Carolina. BLS surveys wage and salary workers and excludes the self-employed, so it is a benchmark for the occupation in this state — not the income of a self-employed land clearing contractor. Premium tax credit eligibility is set by household modified adjusted gross income and household size, not by occupation, so treat this as a reference point rather than a determination of what you qualify for.
Why the cliff is back. The enhanced premium tax credits expired on 31 December 2025. For plan year 2026 the 400% FPL limit applies again, so household income above $62,600 ends premium tax credit eligibility outright.
Benchmark premium and median wage for this occupation, ranked by premium.
| # | State | Benchmark @40 | Median wage | vs cliff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $414 | $60,620 | below |
| 2 | Virginia | $455 | $52,240 | below |
| 3 | Indiana | $474 | $72,370 | above |
| 4 | Nevada | $497 | $72,780 | above |
| 5 | Ohio | $513 | $62,410 | below |
| 6 | Michigan | $523 | $62,550 | below |
| 7 | Colorado | $557 | $61,570 | below |
| 8 | South Carolina | $564 | $47,480 | below |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $604 | $47,190 | below |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $611 | $72,650 | above |
| 11 | Georgia | $615 | $46,380 | below |
| 12 | North Carolina | $638 | $48,910 | below |
| 13 | Utah | $640 | $59,760 | below |
| 14 | Alabama | $645 | $46,870 | below |
| 15 | Illinois | $646 | $96,980 | above |
| 16 | South Dakota | $655 | $56,720 | below |
| 17 | Texas | $661 | $49,650 | below |
| 18 | Kansas | $670 | $50,600 | below |
| 19 | Florida | $683 | $48,780 | below |
| 20 | Nebraska | $710 | $57,240 | below |
| 21 | Arkansas | $774 | $45,170 | below |
This page compares states. For North Carolina specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — that is published on Coverage by County. To check whether a plan actually covers your hospital, see Plans By City.
← Land Clearing Contractors in all states · All trades · All occupations
Put your ZIP code in and I will show you the carriers filing in your county, what the cheapest plan costs, and what you would actually pay after any help you qualify for. No cost, and you talk to me — not a call center.
North Carolina loses a carrier this cycle: Cigna is out of the ACA individual market from January 1, 2027, leaving 5 filing here. For Land Clearing Contractors that is a forced decision, and a better one made in November than in January.
On price the only honest number today is national: the Peterson-KFF read of 2027 filings puts the median proposed rise near 15%, spanning −1% to 54%. Final North Carolina rates are not approved, so any precise 2027 figure quoted for this state is guesswork.
Mark November 1, 2026 to open and December 15 to act. That second date guarantees cover from January 1 in North Carolina regardless of how the current litigation over the enrollment window resolves.
Check before renewing: PPOs are sold in 90 of North Carolina’s 100 counties, not all. Whether yours has one decides how much out-of-network care is covered — usually a bigger question for Land Clearing Contractors than the monthly figure.
You already know you are changing plans — Cigna is leaving. The only real question is whether you pick the replacement or the marketplace picks it for you, and that is a much easier decision made in August than in the second week of December.
Give me a ZIP and I will tell you three things:
The sticker price is rarely what Land Clearing Contractors in North Carolina end up paying. Start with a ZIP and I will work out your actual number.