Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants Salary
The median pay for a automotive and watercraft service attendants in Michigan is $31,280/year ($15.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $33,316 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 59.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $31K get you in Michigan?
About automotive and watercraft service attendants
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What this looks like in Michigan
Pay for automotive and watercraft service attendants in Michigan runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 59.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level automotive and watercraft service attendants (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants salary by metro in Michigan
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor | $35K | +13% | 90 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $34K | +10% | 490 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $34K | +9% | 70 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $34K | +8% | 170 |
| Jackson | $33K | +6% | 40 |
| Monroe | $32K | +1% | 60 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $31K | -0% | 1,510 |
| Flint | $30K | -4% | 130 |
| Saginaw | $29K | -6% | 60 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $29K | -7% | 60 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive and watercraft service attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 59.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive and watercraft service attendants typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,599/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 80% 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 Michigan?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $31K here vs. $36K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for automotive and watercraft service attendants?
Michigan pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do automotive and watercraft service attendants make in Michigan?
The median is $31,280 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,650, and experienced automotive and watercraft service attendants can clear $38,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,154/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 59.1% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $33,316 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.