Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants Salary
The median pay for a automotive and watercraft service attendants in Alabama is $29,180/year ($14.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $33,024 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 52.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in Alabama?
About automotive and watercraft service attendants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for automotive and watercraft service attendants in Alabama runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 53.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for automotive and watercraft service attendantss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level automotive and watercraft service attendants (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants salary by metro in Alabama
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $30K | +4% | 230 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $30K | +3% | 100 |
| Montgomery | $29K | +1% | 180 |
| Birmingham | $29K | +0% | 530 |
| Mobile | $29K | -1% | 210 |
| Decatur | $29K | -1% | 50 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $29K | -1% | 60 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $29K | -2% | 90 |
| Tuscaloosa | $28K | -2% | 110 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $27K | -6% | 80 |
| Dothan | $27K | -6% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
Compare to other states
Track automotive and watercraft service attendants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive and watercraft service attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 53.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for automotive and watercraft service attendants in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive and watercraft service attendants typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,434/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 76% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is automotive and watercraft service attendant a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $29K here vs. $36K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for automotive and watercraft service attendants?
Alabama pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do automotive and watercraft service attendants make in Alabama?
The median is $29,180 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,900, and experienced automotive and watercraft service attendants can clear $37,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,016/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 53.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a automotive and watercraft service attendants salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median automotive and watercraft service attendants salary is worth about $33,024 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do automotive and watercraft service attendants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.