Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants Salary
The median pay for a automotive and watercraft service attendants in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $36,740/year ($17.66/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.27), so that salary is closer to $33,934 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,941/month, about 117.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boston-Cambridge-Newton’s Regional Price Parity (108.27). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About automotive and watercraft service attendants
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What this looks like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Automotive and watercraft service attendants pay in Boston-Cambridge-Newton tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,941/month, which is 118.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.27), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for automotive and watercraft service attendants in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield | $33K | $34K |
| Barnstable Town | $36K | $36K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $36K | $32K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $39K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Entry-level automotive and watercraft service attendants (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $44K | +22% | 270 |
| California | $42K | +17% | 10,190 |
| District of Columbia | $42K | +17% | N/A |
| Rhode Island | $42K | +17% | 120 |
| Connecticut | $42K | +17% | 420 |
| Alaska | $42K | +17% | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $40K | +12% | 200 |
| Washington | $39K | +11% | 2,620 |
| Montana | $39K | +8% | 460 |
| Vermont | $39K | +8% | 170 |
| Colorado | $38K | +8% | 2,980 |
| Missouri | $38K | +7% | 1,150 |
| Maryland | $38K | +5% | 1,060 |
| Nevada | $38K | +5% | 250 |
| Minnesota | $37K | +5% | 1,230 |
| New York | $37K | +4% | 3,770 |
| Utah | $37K | +4% | 890 |
| North Dakota | $37K | +3% | 500 |
| Wyoming | $37K | +3% | 280 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | +2% | 2,770 |
| Delaware | $37K | +2% | 370 |
| South Dakota | $36K | +1% | 650 |
| Illinois | $36K | +1% | 1,940 |
| South Carolina | $36K | +1% | 220 |
| Arizona | $36K | +0% | 1,710 |
| Indiana | $36K | +0% | 3,090 |
| Massachusetts | $36K | +0% | 1,850 |
| Idaho | $36K | -0% | 480 |
| Kansas | $35K | -1% | 1,500 |
| New Jersey | $35K | -1% | 11,050 |
| Ohio | $35K | -2% | 2,930 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -2% | 910 |
| Florida | $35K | -2% | 5,150 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -3% | 870 |
| Oregon | $34K | -4% | 6,270 |
| North Carolina | $34K | -6% | 2,790 |
| Texas | $34K | -6% | 6,880 |
| Maine | $32K | -9% | 680 |
| Tennessee | $32K | -10% | 2,840 |
| Oklahoma | $32K | -11% | 1,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $32K | -12% | 1,580 |
| Kentucky | $31K | -12% | 1,220 |
| Michigan | $31K | -12% | 3,390 |
| Georgia | $31K | -13% | 4,210 |
| New Mexico | $31K | -13% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $31K | -14% | 350 |
| Iowa | $31K | -14% | 340 |
| Virginia | $30K | -15% | 4,060 |
| Alabama | $29K | -18% | 2,150 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -18% | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $28K | -21% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track automotive and watercraft service attendants salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive and watercraft service attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 118.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,941/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive and watercraft service attendants typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,126/month. At HUD’s $2,941/month FMR, rent would take 138% 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for automotive and watercraft service attendants?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.27), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do automotive and watercraft service attendants make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?
The median is $36,740 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,440, and experienced automotive and watercraft service attendants can clear $48,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,477/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,941/month, which eats 118.7% 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a Regional Price Parity of 108.27 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median automotive and watercraft service attendants salary is worth about $33,934 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.