Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants Salary
The median pay for a automotive and watercraft service attendants in Columbia, SC is $29,640/year ($14.25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers.
So what does $30K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.7). 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 Columbia
Pay for automotive and watercraft service attendants in Columbia runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,205/month, which is 56.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for automotive and watercraft service attendants in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $43K | , |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $37K | , |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $37K | , |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $31K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level automotive and watercraft service attendants (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $18K 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 |
| Vermont | $39K | +8% | 170 |
| Montana | $39K | +8% | 460 |
| 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 states
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 Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 56.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,205/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 Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive and watercraft service attendants typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,591/month. At HUD’s $1,205/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 Columbia?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $30K here vs. $36K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for automotive and watercraft service attendants?
Columbia pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do automotive and watercraft service attendants make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $29,640 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,520, and experienced automotive and watercraft service attendants can clear $44,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,126/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,205/month, which eats 56.7% 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 Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median automotive and watercraft service attendants salary is worth about $31,633 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.